Tilapia, Pesto Zucchini Noodles, and Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

Tilapia, Pesto Zucchini Noodles, and Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

While many of our initial blog posts have focused on "food projects" that are oftentimes time-intensive, we also prepare and eat quick and easy meals most days. In contrast to those projects, this post contains the recipes for one of our standard favorite weeknight meals. It comes together in about 30 minutes or less with minimal prep work. The recipes can also be tweaked based on your individual preferences, so think of these recipes more as a template instead of a strict guide.

The meal in this post comprises three pieces: pan-cooked tilapia, pesto-sauced zucchini noodles or pasta, and roasted carrots and parsnips. We love tilapia because it is a mild-flavored white fish that cooks quickly in a pan and works well with a variety of different flavor profiles. Even with the abundance of fresh fish in the Seattle area, we almost always have a bag of frozen tilapia fillets on hand. They defrost in about 10 minutes in cold water and cook up in about another 10 minutes. As with any seafood product (really any food product), make sure you understand where your fish is coming from. When raised properly, Tilapia can be both a health- and environment-conscious fish choice.

The key to this meal is timing. Roasting the vegetables takes the longest and then the pasta and fish cook while vegetables roast. I firmly believe that the hardest part about "easy" weeknight meals is getting the timing right. Cooking two or three different items and having them finish cooking about the same time takes practice, so don't be discouraged if everything isn't ready at exactly the same time when you make this recipe.

Special Equipment:

• Spiralizer: used to create "noodles" from zucchini (we have the OXO Good Grips one)

Ingredients

• 2 tilapia fillets, skinless, individual portions
• 1 large carrot
• 1 parsnip
• 1 zucchini
• 2-4 oz long pasta (fettuccini, linguine)
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• olive oil
• garlic powder
• chili powder
• 1-2 Tbsp of pesto

Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Rounds

Directions - Carrots and Parsnips

1. Preheat oven to 400℉
2. Wash and peel carrot and parsnips. Cut on the bias into ¼"-½" thick rounds. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet (optionally, spray baking sheet with cooking spray to lightly coat).
3. Roast carrot and parsnip rounds in oven for about 20-25 minutes. Check and toss with spatula after 15 minutes. Cooking time will depend on thickness of the rounds.

Spiralized zucchini noodles

Zucchini noodles, pasta, and pesto

Directions - Zucchini Noodles with Pesto

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil for pasta. Cook pasta according to package, drain, and set aside in colander.
2. While pasta cooks, wash zucchini then spiralize to create noodles. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut noodles into shorter lengths.
3. A few minutes before pasta finishes cooking, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini noodles and saute until softened a bit, about 3 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent browning.
4. Add cooked pasta to pan, mix briefly then remove from heat and stir in pesto to thoroughly coat noodle mixture.

Seasoned Tilapia fillets

Pan-cooked Tilapia

Directions - Tilapia

1. Pat dry tilapia fillets with a paper towel and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder.
2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tilapia fillets (seasoned side up) and cook for about 4 minutes. Flip fillets and cook another 4 minutes. Flip again and cook until fish is opaque and flakes easily.

Directions - Timing

1. Preheat oven and start carrots and parsnips first.
2. While vegetables roast, boil water for pasta and spiralize zucchini.
3. When vegetables have about 10 minutes remaining, start cooking tilapia.
4. When tilapia and vegetables have about 3 minutes remaining, begin cooking zucchini noodles in skillet.
5. Remove carrots and parsnips from oven when done, as they can sit on the hot baking tray out of the oven while the other items finish cooking.
6. If fish finishes before zucchini noodles, remove from pan and put on plates for serving. Tilapia is more forgiving than salmon in regard to overcooking, but like all fish it will dry out if overcooked.

Notes

• The basic template for this recipe is: fish, pesto pasta, and vegetables. Feel free to customize each component to your tastes!
• We often omit the roasted vegetables and instead have only fish and zucchini / pasta with pesto. The zucchini noodles and regular noodles make a nice combo pasta-vegetable side.
• Tilapia takes well to many seasoning profiles. Try lemon-garlic-herb or blackened seasonings for new twists.