I love cooking (and eating) fish. My fave is salmon, but I like white fishes (tilapia, haddock), and of course tuna too. Incorporating fish into your diet is a great protein option if you’re trying to cut back on meat/poultry. Want some kitchen inspiration? Click the links to see yummy dishes I’ve made –> SALMON recipes or FISH recipes.

Today, I made blackened tilapia, which was a recipe from Show Me the Yummy website (link here). I got this huge pack of tilapia fillets (~3lbs) from Costco, and used a few to make this recipe. The rest of them are in the freezer for another meal.

I had never tried to make blackened anything (I believe you can do it with most proteins). I was scared of purposefully burning my food, which is a pretty logical concern. I followed the directions in the recipe and I was set for success! So no need to be scared.

The bulk of the spice mix is paprika which gives a nice red colour. There is also oregano, thyme and garlic for lots of flavour, and there is a full teaspoon of cayenne pepper which packs a punch. I had to cut a couple of the ingredients though (celery seed and onion powder), just because I didn’t have them, but it still tasted delicious. I also cut the amount of salt to 1 TSP (recipe calls for 1 TBSP) which would have been way too salty. I made sure to try the spice mix before putting it on the fish.

The first key to blackened fish is generously coating the fillets with a solid layer of the spices on both sides, so although it may appear like a lot of spices, you need it all. The second key is making sure to not have your heat too high when cooking. The pan should be at medium heat – the fish will cook through without the spices immediately burning.

This tilapia was incredible. It was perfectly cooked and fork tender. Because the spice mix covered every part of the fish, it was so flavourful. I found that the “blackening” of the spices added a little smokey flavour too. I served the fish with creamy mashed potatoes and a simple green salad. Amazing dinner.

I hope you make this fish dish on the weekend! 🙂