This Tilapia in Roasted Pepper Sauce is absolutely scrumptious, elegant and worthy of a special occasion. You won’t believe how easy it is to make it!
I am really proud to share this tasty Tilapia in Roasted Pepper Sauce recipe with you. I’ve been trying to come up with the perfect roasted pepper sauce and I finally found it! Yay!!! It pairs so well with tender tilapia and I can say, without any hesitation, that this dish makes it into my top 3 most loved recipes. Did I mention that it is super easy to make?
Seriously, after you cook this dish, you’ll feel like you are at an expensive restaurant. Don’t forget to pair it with fresh, toasted bread and a glass of your favorite wine. You can also serve it on top of pasta if you’d like to have a more filling meal. I found I like it best with garlic bread. My husband loves dipping the bread into the creamy sauce while sipping his wine. Whatever you choose to serve it with, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
TILAPIA IN ROASTED PEPPER SAUCE VIDEO-RECIPE:
HOW TO MAKE TILAPIA IN ROASTED PEPPER SAUCE
1. Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a large, non-stick skillet and fry the fish for 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked through.
2. Season the fish with salt and pepper, remove from the skillet, and set aside. In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tbsp. of butter and onion and saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and chopped and pureed roasted peppers, then keep cooking for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Turn off the heat, stir, and taste if the sauce needs more salt.
5. Return the fish to the pan and cover it with sauce.
6. Garnish with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE TILAPIA IN ROASTED PEPPER SAUCE
Tilapia in Roasted Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb tilapia fillets
- 3 tsp butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic clove
- 6 oz roasted peppers, chopped (see note)
- 6 oz roasted peppers, pureed (see note)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper
- chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a large, non-stick skillet and fry the fish for 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked through.
- Season the fish with salt and pepper, remove from the skillet and set aside. To the same pan, add the remaining 1 tbsp of butter and onion and saute for 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, chopped and pureed roasted peppers and keep cooking for another 5 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Turn off the heat, stir, and taste if the sauce needs more salt.
- Return the dish to the pan and cover with sauce.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Before you go…
Check out these recipes
FETTUCCINE WITH ROASTED PEPPER SAUCE
SALMON BURGERS
CABBAGE SAUTEED WITH CHICKEN
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Alyssa says
April 3, 2019 at 6:48 pmOh my goodness!! I could lick my plate! This was so goood .. thank you! I made it as you wrote it, roasted and puréed my own peppers, but did add fresh spinach to wilt on top at the end. The red and green was very pretty. Thanks again!
Tania says
April 4, 2019 at 8:26 pmThank you, Alyssa! Comments like yours keep me going! 🙂
Lois says
December 30, 2018 at 1:40 pmCan just the sauce be frozen ? I drive semi and make meals to freeze and take on the road for the week. This would be an easy meal to “finish ” on the road.
Tania says
December 31, 2018 at 10:50 pmHi Lois! Although I have never froze this sauce before, I think you can freeze it with no problems. Thanks for stopping by!
Carol says
December 17, 2018 at 11:28 amThis is my favorite fish recipe. I use this recipe on the trout or snapper that my husband catches on fishing trips. It’s so flavorful and quick and easy to make. It’s definitely a keeper.
Tania says
December 17, 2018 at 4:23 pmYay! I am glad to hear this, Carol!I also use it with all kinds of fish, shrimps, and even chicken. 🙂
Sarah says
October 31, 2018 at 6:19 pmYummy! Yummy! Yummy!
Tania says
October 31, 2018 at 8:24 pmHooray! Hooray! Hooray!
chris says
October 11, 2018 at 1:50 pmwhile i could tell your recipe would be great as-is, i made a few slight alterations that i thought would augment my results:
~substituted shallots for onion, for a more subtle flavor
~added a clove of garlic to the red pepper puree
~pureed all of the red pepper instead of half
~used a stainless pan with the hope of getting fond from the tilapia (i did!)
~added 1Tb olive oil to the sautee butter
~deglazed the pan with 1/2c white wine and reduced to about 1/4
end result was an awesome dish that didn’t take much time or effort. it will be a regular in my rotation from now on!!!
Tania says
October 11, 2018 at 3:17 pmHi Chris!
Thanks for the feedback. I bet your sauce was fantastic!!!
Amanda says
September 30, 2018 at 7:25 pmI made this for dinner tonight. Followed the recipe to the letter and served with bow tie pasta and steamed broccoli. This sauce is fantastic! I roasted my own peppers, as it is simple enough. Everything else came together very quickly. I’ll definitely be making this again. I want to try it with shrimp or chicken next.
Tania says
September 30, 2018 at 10:19 pmWow! I am happy you enjoyed the dish, Amanda! I have tried this sauce with both shrimp and chicken and it was great as well. Thanks for the feedback!
Kathryn R says
September 14, 2018 at 8:34 pmThe only sounds from the other side of the table were mmmmmm and a fork scraping up the sauce! Thank you for such an easy and sophisticated sauce that I can’t wait to make again, either for the fish, shrimp or chicken.
Tania says
September 14, 2018 at 8:57 pmTHANK YOU SO MUCH, KATHRYN! Comments like yours keep me going!
Melody Gardner says
August 12, 2018 at 9:59 pmLet me tell you how stupendous this sauce is!!! You could have it over pasta plain or with meat, seafood. You could slather it over an omelet for breakfast slopped up with biscuits. OK, how about just drinking it, or spreading it on your arms and licking it off!!! You are talking to the queen of sauces, and this hits it out of the ball park.
I did make some changes on this version. I went to a wonderful Mexican restaurant in Chicago and had fish cooked with a red pepper sauce that was to die for. Therefore, in that vain, I added 1/2 t cumin, 1/2 t of smoked paprika, and 2t of ancho pepper ground. A few dashes of Franks of a bit of heat and vinegar brightness, and I could frame the recipe.
I just want to thank you for this fabulous recipe. I might try it Italian, or Middle Eastern with different spices — or just like you published it on the blog. GREAT JOB!!!
Tania says
August 13, 2018 at 12:31 amThank you so much, Melody! You are right, this sauce goes well with EVERYTHING! I just made it with shrimps last week and everyone had licked their plates! 🙂
I love the spices you added, and I bet I was very tasty!
Thank you for your feedback, my friend! Happy cooking!
Brenda says
July 25, 2018 at 9:55 pmOh my word, this was so good. I don’t really like fish but I try and incorporate it into our meals to make my husband happy. I would eat fish every night with this recipe. It is excellent and I will definitely be making it again.
Tania says
July 25, 2018 at 10:08 pmThank you SO MUCH, Brenda! Comments like yours keep me going and make me cook more!
Levi S says
July 24, 2018 at 9:12 pmMade this tonight and roasted my own peppers in the oven. Served it over cauliflower rice, and it turned out amazing. The whole family loved it!
Tania says
July 25, 2018 at 10:08 pmWOW! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the fish, Levi! Love the cauliflower rice!
Melissa Vincent says
July 10, 2018 at 10:04 amTHIS WAS AMAZING! I have never left a review on a recipe I’ve found on Pinterest but I just had to come on here and say WOW.
The fish was nice and juicy, and the sauce has so much flavour! I can’t wait to make this again thank you so much!
Tania says
July 10, 2018 at 9:11 pmThank you so much, Melissa! Reviews like yours, make my day better and keep me going! Substitute the fish with chicken or shrimp and you’ll love it too! xoxo
Grover Blaylock says
July 29, 2018 at 11:19 amCan you use red peppers in oil for this?
Tania says
July 29, 2018 at 10:42 pmHi Grover! Yes. Just remove the peppers from oil and blend into puree. Enjoy!
Misty says
July 1, 2018 at 4:55 pmLooks delicious! Just wondering what kind of side dishes you think would work well with this dish? Looking for something other than salad and/or bread please.
Tania says
July 1, 2018 at 7:46 pmThis would go great with pasta, Misty! I would even recommend taking the fish out, throwing the hot pasta into the pan with the sauce and giving it a good stir. YUM! Of course, the classic white rice with butter would work well too. Thanks!
Yvonne says
June 21, 2018 at 9:07 pmTania, im late to the posting…does recipe call for 12 oz total of roasted peppers or 6?
Tania says
June 22, 2018 at 3:00 pmHi Yvonne! You’ll need 12 oz. of roasted peppers total. Half pureed and half chopped. Enjoy!
Steveshooman says
June 15, 2018 at 10:22 pmThis was so good! Perfect with garlic bread for the extra sauce, just as you wrote. Thank you a wonderful weeknight dinner recipe.
Tania says
June 19, 2018 at 9:45 pmThank you so much for sharing your feedback, Steve! I am really glad you enjoyed it!
Alegria says
June 1, 2018 at 8:43 amIf I don’t use cheese it would be ok too?
Tania says
June 1, 2018 at 3:02 pmHi Alegria! Yes, just use a little less cream. Enjoy!
Tanya says
April 11, 2018 at 11:59 pmTruly delicious!
Alina says
March 2, 2018 at 10:45 amThis was absolutely scrumptious!!! ❤️ I did add Way more garlic than the recipe called for though. Well we are garlic lovers lol thanks for the delicious recipe! ❤️
Tania says
March 2, 2018 at 1:19 pmThanks Alina! I am a garlic lover also. There is never too much garlic in the recipe if you ask me. 🙂
Amy says
January 8, 2018 at 8:31 amWould using a less fatty cream alternative (such as milk) change the substance of the sauce?
Tania says
January 8, 2018 at 7:15 pmHi Amy! You can sub the cream with milk or coconut milk in this recipe. It will alter the texture a bit, but would still work. Thanks!
Nanci says
January 7, 2018 at 4:37 pmI’m going to making this as I love roasted red pepper sauce. Since so many commenters have asked about the roasted red peppers you might consider editing the recipe to say 6 oz “jar” of red peppers. Can’t wait to try as I have lots of fish in the freezer.
Tania says
January 7, 2018 at 8:57 pmHi Nanci! I’ve added a note to the recipe. Thanks for catching this. 🙂 Did you try the fish? I cannot wait to hear how you liked it!
Jennifer says
December 19, 2017 at 3:27 pmThis recipe was delicious and so easy to make your own. Been trying to cut out red meet and chicken from my diet and this recipe made me feel great about that decision. Thank you!
Tania says
December 19, 2017 at 9:56 pmThank you, Jennifer! I am also trying to eat less meat. 🙂
Deb says
November 13, 2017 at 7:49 amExcellent! I’ll be using this recipe again for sure.
Tania says
November 13, 2017 at 9:40 pmGreat! thanks, Deb!
Chelsea says
November 13, 2017 at 12:55 amI absolutely loved this dish! So easy to put together and absolutely delicious and flavorful. I made it last week and had some extra tilapia leftover so I’m totally making it again next week hehe!
Tania says
November 13, 2017 at 9:39 pmWow! That’s all I want hear, Chelsea! I bet you’ll love this dish too: https://cooktoria.com/recipe/shrimp-fettuccine/
David says
July 17, 2017 at 4:46 pmHello Tania, I just want to know, are these roasted red bell peppers that come in the jar?
Tania says
July 18, 2017 at 1:25 pmHi David! Yes, these are roasted red bell peppers from the jar. Thanks and happy cooking!
Edna says
July 10, 2017 at 12:28 pmHi, sounds delicious. I’m wondering if you can use the roasted red peppers in a jar from the store.
Tania says
July 11, 2017 at 9:23 pmHi Edna! That is exactly what I used. Happy cooking!
Mccoy evans says
June 29, 2017 at 10:43 amWhere do you get puréed pepper? Or do you do it on your own?
Tania says
June 30, 2017 at 12:45 amI just puree in in the bullet blender. Thanks!
Janet says
June 5, 2017 at 7:07 pmI wonder how it would work with poblano peppers? Were your just red bell peppers?
Tania says
June 5, 2017 at 9:45 pmHi Janet! Poblano peppers have different taste and I don’t think they will work well for this recipe.
gina says
May 23, 2017 at 9:59 amI bet this would be nice with shrimp (served with rice). Wondering if anyone has tried that. (i think i will also use coconut milk as someone else suggested above^)
Tania says
May 24, 2017 at 12:52 amI think it should work great with shrimp, Gina! Let us know if you give it a try. Enjoy!
Yussra says
May 7, 2017 at 3:58 pmHi Tania! Would love to try this recipe. However, I can’t get tilapia easily where I live. Do you think it would be still good with cod fillets?
Tania says
May 7, 2017 at 8:11 pmYes. The sauce is THE BEST, and you’ll enjoy it with cod fillet, or even chicken.
Sarah says
March 29, 2017 at 10:09 amDo you think it will still taste good using full fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream? Thanks for posting, I am excited to make this regardless!
Tania says
March 29, 2017 at 12:13 pmHi Sarah! I think it should taste great with coconut milk too, however, I’ve never tried it this way. Thanks!
Sarah says
March 29, 2017 at 8:08 pmThanks! I gave it a shot and it turned out wonderful! I bet it would be even better with real cream, but still a success. Thank you for the inspiration and direction!
Melissa says
March 28, 2017 at 5:08 pmCanni use motsatela instead of parmesan cheese?
Tania says
March 29, 2017 at 1:19 amHi Melissa! Mozzarella cheese will alter the texture and the flavor of the sauce dramatically. I wouldn’t recommend using it.
Tara says
March 28, 2017 at 6:59 amI made this last night….the sauce is so ridiculously good, my husband and I were eating it with a spoon after we devoured all the fish…I’ll definitely be making this sauce for pasta on it’s own, I can’t believe how good it was! !!!!! Thank you so much for sharing! !!
Tania says
March 29, 2017 at 1:20 amThanks, Tara! I’ve created this recipe by accident, and it became my family’s favorite in no time. 🙂
Jeni says
May 3, 2017 at 6:05 pmWhat did you serve this with??
Tania says
May 7, 2017 at 12:57 pmI served it over pasta, but it goes well with mashed potatoes or rice. Enjoy, Jeni!
Louise says
March 22, 2017 at 5:16 pmI made this last night, it was delicious & so quick & easy
Tania says
March 22, 2017 at 6:27 pmThanks for sharing your feedback, Louise! I am happy you enjoyed it!
Mary says
March 22, 2017 at 11:02 amHow high do you have the skillet when you are frying the fish?
Tania says
March 23, 2017 at 2:28 amI am not sure what do you mean, Mary. I have the skillet on medium heat. Hope this helps. 🙂
angela says
March 21, 2017 at 3:43 pmDo you purchase the roasted peppers or do you roast them yourself? Thanks
Tania says
March 21, 2017 at 4:29 pmHi Angela! I have been purchasing roasted peppers since my son was born, because I am constantly short on time. 🙂 Both home baked and store bought roasted peppers work well for the recipe. Thanks!
angela says
March 22, 2017 at 2:48 pmThank you for the reply, can’t wait to try this recipe this weekend!