We’re giving flaky tilapia fillets a bright lift by cooking them in the pan with a rich butter sauce that highlights fresh lemon juice and briny capers—an easy take on classic Italian piccata. It’s all served over a bed of tender orzo pasta studded with sautéed vegetables and finished with a bit of cooling fromage blanc.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 Tilapia Fillets
- 4 oz Orzo Pasta
- 1 Zucchini
- 4 oz Sweet Peppers
- 1 Lemon
- 2 Garlic
- 1 Parsley
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp Fromage Blanc
- 1 tbsp Capers
- 1 tbsp Verjus Blanc
- 1 tbsp Weeknight Hero Spice Blend (Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Smoked Paprika & Whole Dried Parsley)
Instructions
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients:
Fill a medium pot with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Quarter the zucchini lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Cut off and discard the stems of the peppers; remove the cores, then thinly slice lengthwise. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems.
Cook the pasta:
Add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot.
Cook & finish the vegetables:
While the pasta cooks, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the zucchini pieces in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the sliced peppers and chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Turn off the heat. Transfer to the pot of cooked pasta and stir to combine. Cover to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.
Cook the fish:
Pat the fish dry with paper towels; season on both sides with salt, pepper, and enough of the spice blend to coat (you may have extra). In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned fish and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Make the pan sauce:
To the pan, add the butter, capers, verjus (carefully, as the liquid may splatter), and the juice of 2 lemon wedges. Cook, constantly spooning the sauce over the fish, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the fish is coated and cooked through. Turn off the heat.
Finish the pasta & serve your dish:
To the pot of cooked pasta and vegetables, add the fromage blanc and the juice of the remaining lemon wedges; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished pasta topped with the cooked fish and pan sauce. Garnish with the chopped parsley. Enjoy!