This dijon almond crusted tilapia is pan-fried, ready in 10 minutes and a healthy, grain free dinner.
I’ve been jotting down pros, cons and just general thoughts of this whole paleo challenge as the month has gone by so I can hopefully put together a comprehensive (and cohesive) summary post when it comes to an end later this week.
And I kid you not when I say one of the pros of this whole thing has been this simple almond dijon crusted tilapia recipe.
Or more pointedly, finally finding a way to enjoy tilapia.
As far as I’m concerned that’s just as much of a pro as having no bloating, clear skin and losing a few inches around my hips & waist.
Let’s face it, tilapia is just one boring fish.
The only thing it’s got going for it is it’s price tag.
I usually look at it sitting next to the wild salmon that I buy weekly, mentally debate whether I should spend half the money this time around and just go for it before coming to my senses and remembering how lame it tastes.
For some reason though, I caved last week and bought a single filet.
I took it home, sat it on the cutting board and literally said “what the hell will make you taste good?”
Don’t judge. Weeks get lonely when you work from home and only have your dog to talk to.
Somehow mustard, almonds and paprika ended up on the counter and the rest is history.
It was so transformative that I made this dijon almond crusted tilapia again 3 days later.
I’m not saying goodbye to salmon, I love this tart cherry glazed salmon and these easy salmon vegetable packets way too much for that, but this is definitely edging out a meat meal at least once a week.
5 ingredients (I refuse to count salt & pepper as an ingredient), 10 minutes and I promise you’ll never look at tilapia the same again. I’m also going to try some blackening season on the tilapia soon as blackened fish like this mahi mahi is one of my favorite simple yet hugely flavorful dinners.
And if you’re looking for a meat alternative to this recipe, these pretzel crusted pork chops use a very similar method and taste quite delicious too!
I also love this fish almondine recipe for a more elegant version. It’s great with other white fish like sole or cod too, just like this almond crusted tilapia recipe.
And for another simple white fish recipe, try my easy air fryer cod!
Love This Dijon Almond Crusted Tilapia? Check Out More Easy Seafood Dinners:
Honey lime sablefish
Shrimp Caesar salad stuffed sweet potatoes
Sweet and spicy mango shrimp
Lemony tomato herb scallops
Dijon Almond Crusted Tilapia
Ingredients
- 2 filets of tilapia, about 1 pound
- 1/3 cup whole almonds
- about 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt & pepper
- coconut oil for pan-frying
Instructions
- Place almonds in a food processor and process until finely chopped. About 20 seconds.
- Transfer chopped almonds to a shallow dish. Add paprika and mix together.
- Season the tilapia filets generously with salt & pepper.
- Spread mustard on both sides of the filet and then transfer to the almond mixture to coat both sides.
- Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot, place the filets in the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes per side or until the fish is cooked through. Exterior should be browned and crispy but not burnt.
- Serve warm and garnish with parsley or lemon.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Is there a substitute for the Coconut Oil? And, are the Almonds salt free? I enjoy eating Tilapia/Perch fillets for a breakfast. I have other types of oils, just not fan Coconut!
Sure, use any other oil you like. Avocado oil or olive oil will work well. The salt in the almonds is up to you. If you buy salted almonds, they won’t be salt free. Plain almonds don’t have salt.
This recipe Made boring Tilapia exciting! Can’t wait to enjoy again!
What should I serve with this?
it was yummy. i used almond flour instead and it came out just as good. yumS!
I love Dijon Mustard so much, finding new recipes where it can be a star is great! So glad you shared a good way to transform tilapia. Can’t wait to make this.
Just found your site thank you! I love salmon but hubby doesn’t so I’m always having to do a salmon and a tilapia plate . This recipe is a keeper and I think I could even do up the salmon the same way. This is tonight’s menu with already purchased almond flour I think! I hear tilapia is nowhere near as nutritious as salmon though, especially in the Omegas. Also we have to be sure not to buy farmed tilapia as well. Dr. Oz last week showed some horror stories of farmed tilapia and I wanted to stop eating fish even! Look forward to this recipe and exploring your site some more!
You can definitely do it with salmon too, I have and it’s great!
This was delicious! I used almond flour instead of blending up almonds and it worked really well. I think it helps keep everything stuck on the fish, after reading that some were having trouble with that. Great addition to my dinner rotation!