Easy Fish Fillets Recipe

This is an easy fish fillets recipe and a quick method for cooking Tilapia or any other white and flaky fish fillets. I love how the banana leaves give this recipe a flavorful and herbal taste, a perfect companion for your Mexican rice and steamed vegetables, or as an amazing filler in your warm corn tortilla to make amazing fish tacos topped with some cabbage or slaw.

Easy Baked Fish Fillets

Tilapia is an easy fish for beginners cooks and a healthy alternative for a quick meal.

Easy Tilapia Fish Fillets Recipe

Growing up in a coastal town as I did, allowed me to try different fresh seafood depending on the month, like tuna, lobster tilapia, crab, mahi-mahi, oysters, and much more. This recipe is very versatile and easy to prepare any time of the year with different kinds of fish.

This recipe was given to me by a cook in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, about 18 years ago. She worked as a cook in a local restaurant, and she said that it was one of the easiest ways to prepare an easy fish recipe, and she was right.

The recipe is so quick, easy, and full of flavor undoubtedly an excellent choice for a healthy dinner. You can add cherry tomatoes instead of plum tomatoes, skip the Serrano or jalapeño peppers and use Bell peppers, or use yellow onion. You can get creative with it and adjust to the vegetables that are in season to go with the Tilapia Fillets.

What is the easiest fish to eat and cook for beginners?

The easiest fish to eat is a mild white fish like Tilapia, which is not only arguably the tasting fish but is readily available in your grocery store. It's not fishy at all and has a mild and sweet flavor. Tilapia is easy to prepare and goes well with various flavors like rice, tacos, salads, etc.

We recommend starting with a Tilapia fillet if you are a novice/beginner cook or with Cod fillet. A good rule of thumb is to cook the fish to an internal temperature of 140-145 degrees. If you don't own a thermometer another way to check your  Tilapia fillet is by testing with a fork at the thickest point twisting gently. The fillet will look flaky and white, losing its transparency or raw appearance.

Cod – cod has a mild, slightly sweet flavor, like tilapia. Other fish to consider are Flounder, Halibut, and Mahi Mahi. 

Why banana leaves?

Banana plants are found all over the tropical areas of Mexico and are used in many traditional dishes like tamales, barbacoa, and fresh cheese, to mention some. Banana leaves are large, flexible, and waterproof, making them the perfect wrap to cook your food or for serving your meal. Wrapping your food with banana leaves helps the food to cook its own juices, providing it with an aromatic and sweet flavor. In addition to providing an exquisite taste to your food, banana leaves can be used for baking, steaming, and grilling.

Other recipes using banana leaves

• Tamales huastecos
• Cochinita Pibil
• Zacahuil

How to make fish fillets dinner

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List of ingredients you will need to make this dish:

• Banana leaves* or parchment paper 10inX8In
• Olive oil
• Tilapia fillets or other white fish.
• garlic powder
• Lime wedges
• Salt and pepper to season 
• Plum tomatoes cut into slices
• Jalapeno or serrano pepper sliced
• Chopped green onions 
• Cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS:

• Seasoning your fish fillets: Let's start by preheating the oven to 375 F degrees. I kept it super easy by seasoning the fish fillets with garlic powder, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Add a little drizzle of olive oil over each piece of banana leaf or parchment paper. Place each fish fillet on a piece of banana leaves.
• Garnish: Cover each fillet with three tomato slices, and a few jalapeño slices and garnish with chopped green onion and cilantro leaves.
• Banana leaves wrap: Carefully wrap the fish by folding the sides of the banana leaf first and then the ends to create a rectangle-shaped package. 
• Baking your fish: Arrange the packages on a baking sheet. Bake until fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.
• To serve: Carefully open the packages, allow a few seconds to release the steam, and you can serve them directly in the banana leaf on a plate or remove the fish using a spatula. Garnish with more cilantro leaves and green onions if you have any leftovers. 

Notes:

• You can buy fresh banana leaves at Latin stores or even frozen at your local supermarket. Check the freezer section.
• Banana leaves need to be washed and then slightly warmed over your gas stove flame to soften them. Check the recipe for tamales to know how to prepare them.
• If Banana leaves are not available use parchment paper or aluminum foil well greased.
• You can use other types of fish, such as: Cod, Halibut, Salmon, Mahi Mahi, and even Trout or any other white fish to prepare this recipe, increasing the bake time for thicker fillets depending on availability.
• You can substitute butter for the oil in the recipe to add additional flavor. 

What To Serve With Easy Fish Fillets

This dish pairs fantastic with some classic white rice and warm corn tortillas. You can also serve it with a Mexican red rice recipe, avocado, and salsa to add some spice. If rice isn’t in your diet, you can always use the fish as a complement to your salad for a healthy alternative.

Provecho!

Mely Martinez,

More recipes:
Quick Fish Fillets with Parsley Sauce for a true fine dining experience.
Love garlic? Try these Fish filets in garlic season to perfection. 

Receta en español Filetes de Pescado Empapelados. Easy Fish Fillets Dinner, enjoy!

📖 Recipe