Whenever I have no motivation to actually cook anything, I always bake fish as my protein. I find that choosing to bake fish allows it to cook more evenly, and the finished dish is less greasy overall because you aren’t using all that oil to pan-fry it. This recipe is super light and refreshing and is perfect to make as the weather starts warming up. It’s great for when you’re uninspired to make a complex dish, and the ingredients are extremely accessible.

Winnie Lam / Daily Nexus

Ingredients:

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tilapia fillets

Salt and pepper

 

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Combine the butter, garlic and lemon juice in a bowl until well mixed.
  3. Season the tilapia fillets with salt and pepper on both sides.
  4. Place the fillets on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil and drizzle them evenly with the lemon-butter mixture. Place a slice of lemon on each filet for added zest.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes and serve immediately.

Winnie Lam / Daily Nexus

This dish is a great alternative if you want to lay off eating red meat, and it really takes no effort at all. Cleaning up is also extremely easy because you can just toss out the foil. I’d definitely recommend making this dish because you can keep it simple or get as creative as you’d like. I put some broccoli and mushrooms in the same baking tray as the tilapia fillets and served that on the side. Another dish I’ve made with the lemon-butter tilapia is pesto and mushroom linguine. They pair really well if you’re looking for something more hearty.

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Winnie Lam
Winnie Lam serves as the 2020-2021 On The Menu Editor. She has an unhealthy obsession with Trader Joe's and she loves all things matcha.