tilapia with tangerine salsa
Tilapia with Tangerine Salsa is a fresh and tropical-inspired weeknight meal. It is ready in 30 minutes (or less!) and the flavors will take you away to a tropical vacation. It is dairy free and only 259 calories per serving.
This recipe was originally shared on February 8th, 2012. I have updated the images and text today.
When I shared this recipe the first time back in 2012, it was right after my return from a Caribbean vacation. That’s always a rough time isn’t it? I call that the Re-entry Period. I’m sure you can relate to this, particularly after being somewhere warm and coming home to snow.
I am always a little depressed to come home, and everything that seemed so important to me before I left, is suddenly put back into perspective. To make matters worse, I always am so relaxed that all the usual adrenaline that I run on is knocked away. That makes it doubly hard to get back up to my usual frenetic level of productivity. Sometimes it can take a few days.
But then there’s the comfort of my own bed, the convenience of the coffee maker in the kitchen, the re-entry shopping trip to reload all the groceries… I’m back to myself faster than you may think.
Cooking with the ingredients and flavors I experienced from my trip always helps me. Mexican, Italian and here with this tilapia recipe, Caribbean. It’s like a little bridge for a vacation sick heart.
After an inspired re-entry trip to the market I came up with this combo. I had found some fresh galangal root, and added it to a seasonal salsa with tangerines, cilantro and lime. Then I simply dusted tilapia with a little flour and cooked it in a little oil.
If you aren’t into fish, this combo is also great with marinated, grilled chicken breast. Try pounding it to an even thickness and then marinate it in grated galangal, lime zest and tamari for an hour before grilling.
If you can’t find galangal root, you can use a small amount of fresh grated ginger root in the salsa instead. Try using about 1/2 teaspoon and taste and add more if desired.
Nutrition Bonus: Tangerines and red bell pepper are great sources of Vitamin C.
Today, this recipe is part if the monthly Eat Seasonal group I am participating in. Here is a list of the other recipes in the line-up. This tangerine recipe is my contribution.
Beet Buckwheat Pancakes by Simple Bites
Citrus and Yogurt Fruit Pizza with Granola Crust by Completely Delicious
Spicy Cashew Spring Greens Soup by Letty’s Kitchen
Cauliflower Chickpea and Crispy Kale Tacos with Orange Tahini Sauce by Vintage Mixer
Lemon Poppy Seed Meringue Cookies by Project Domestication
Meyer Lemon & Thyme Semifreddo by Suitcase Foodist
Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Bread by Joy Food Sunshine
Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup by Foodie Crush
Tilapia with Tangerine Salsa by Healthy Seasonal Recipes
Orange and Arugula Smoothie Bowl by Floating Kitchen
Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad with Orange and Avocado by Mountain Mama Cooks
Beet and Apple Salad with Citrus Honey Yogurt by Flavor the Moments
Meyer Lemon and Honey Lassi by Kitchen Confidante
Roasted Veggie Buddha Bowls with Pesto by She Likes Food
Coconut Quinoa Bowls with Roasted Broccoli and Tahini Sauce by Cafe Johnsonia
Cilantro-Lime Chicken Soup Food for My Family
Printtilapia with tangerine salsa
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Tilapia with Tangerine Salsa is flavored with bright citrus, cilantro and lime and it is so easy to make. It’s ready in just 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ to 1 teaspoon freshly grated galangal root, preferably grated with a rasp-style grater
- ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
- 3 tangerines, peeled and diced
- 2 scallions, sliced
- ½ red bell pepper, finely diced
- ¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
- 1 ½ pound tilapia fillet
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon avocado oil or organic canola oil, divided
Instructions
- Whisk lime juice, honey, galangal and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Gently stir in tangerine, scallions, bell pepper and cilantro and set aside.
- Place tilapia in a large baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Sprinkle flour over the fish and turn to coat.
- Heat 1 tablespoon canola in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Cook about half of the tilapia in the skillet until golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the fish to a plate and keep warm. Reduce temperature to medium-low and add the remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil to the skillet. Cook the remaining tilapia until browned and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Serve the fish with the salsa.
Nutrition
- Calories: 259
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 544
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 17
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 32
Here are some of the images that I shared with the original post in 2012.
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I don’t think I’ve ever even heard of galangal root. I need to do some investigating into this new-to-me ingredient! This tilapia looks delicious and the perfect way to ease back into the real world after vacation. Crazy blizzard happening today, so I’m digging these fresh, tropical flavors!
You’ll probably recognize the flavor when you try it Liz. It is kind of coconutty and is used in a lot of Thai recipes. The blizzard swang by here too and I am so glad because we haven’t had a good snow storm in a couple years. Stay warm!
It’s always so hard coming back from vacation, but YES — a dish like this helps brighten your mood and take you back! This dish looks so fresh and light, and I’m loving that tangerine salsa. The photos are just gorgeous!
Oh thank you so much Marcie! Glad you cam by today.
Yes! Vacation reentry is a thing. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one that cooks up a storm with vacation ingredients when I get home.
And galangal is one of my favorites. So sweet and fragrant and floral! Love it.
I love doing that! Oh, and yes galangal is great isn’t it? It can be hard to find sometimes, but I always pounce on it when I see it!
I need to get some galangal root–have never cooked with it!
Totally! It is great in soup and marinade Letty.
We love fish of all kinds and I have a drawer full of citrus. Thanks for the inspiration!
I love the visual of a drawer full of citrus! Thanks for coming by Aimee.
Oh I hate that depressing feeling you get after coming home from vacay, its a bummer! Luckily you found a way to bring part of vacay home with you in this recipe! This dish looks incredible! I bet the mildness of tilipia pairs perfectly with the flavorful salsa 🙂
Yes, it does. I love the contrast! Thank you so much Bethany. Have a great day.
Coming back home after a tropical vacation is always so hard!! Especially when you live in a place that is the opposite of the tropics haha! That salsa is such a beautiful accompaniment to the tilapia!
It can be so hard! But not hard enough to keep me from wanting to go every year. Ha ha. Thank you Izzy.
When I first look those pictures, I knew this was delicious. Even though I’m not that fan of fish, I had to try your recipe and it was amazing. So delicious, so much flavor. Thank you so much!
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Great
we love your skills,
keep sharing!
★★★★
Thanks so much! Happy Cooking!
Being foodie person, That,s what I would love to have on my dinning table. The main reason how you presented it with sweet words.
Thank you for sharing the post! I hope to hear more updates from you.