Baked Tilapia Bowl (Print version)

Tender herb-baked tilapia with fluffy rice and steamed vegetables for a wholesome meal.

# What you’ll need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 tilapia fillets, approximately 5.3 oz each
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
04 - 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Rice

07 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
08 - 2 cups water
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables

10 - 2 cups broccoli florets
11 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil, optional
13 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with oil.
02 - Pat tilapia fillets dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, dried Italian herbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Brush both sides of each fillet with the herb mixture and arrange on prepared baking sheet.
03 - Bake tilapia for 12 to 15 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork and reaches opaque appearance.
04 - While fish bakes, bring 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a saucepan. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until tender and water is absorbed. Fluff with fork.
05 - Place broccoli florets and carrot slices in steamer basket over simmering water. Steam for 5 to 7 minutes until crisp-tender. Optionally toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
06 - Divide cooked rice evenly among four bowls. Top each portion with one tilapia fillet and generous amount of steamed vegetables.

# Cooking tips:

01 -
  • The fish comes out impossibly tender and herb-forward without any fishy aftertaste that used to make me hesitate.
  • Everything cooks on your timeline—you can have dinner on the table in under forty minutes flat.
  • It's gluten-free without feeling restricted, and honestly tastes better than most restaurant versions I've tried.
02 -
  • Overcrowding the baking sheet makes the fish steam instead of bake, which gives you a different texture entirely—give each fillet its own space and you'll notice the difference immediately.
  • Rice continues to absorb water after you remove it from heat, so fluff it gently rather than stirring aggressively, which can make it gummy and sad.
03 -
  • Bring your fish to room temperature five minutes before baking so it cooks through evenly without the outside drying out while the center catches up.
  • If your rice tends to stick, use a 2:1 water-to-rice ratio and resist the urge to stir it during cooking—patience is your secret weapon here.
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