Stuffed Tilapia

Tilapia is a popular fish because it tends to be cheaper and more widely available than other types of fish. As a mother, I like making tilapia because it has a very kid-friendly taste and texture. I suppose my mother had the same sentiments, because I remember her making tilapia quite a bit when I was a kid. One of my favorite recipes of hers was stuffed tilapia. She did not make it often, but I loved it so much. Even all these years later, I remember eating this, so here’s my attempt on this nostalgic recipe.

Tilapia is a delicate fish. The filets sold in grocery stores are typically thin, so it’s very hard to actually “stuff” them. I decided to layer one tilapia piece on top of another with stuffing in between. Because of the delicate nature of tilapia, the stuffing is not made with a ton of binder; it should flake just as well as the fish does. This recipe does not call for a lot of salt, because it is very easy to overseason fish. Be cautious when adding in salt to your taste. The butter sauce used in this recipe will go great with just about any type of fish or shrimp. Modify this recipe for those with shellfish allergies by omitting the stuffing.  I was very happy to make this recipe. I loved recreating a meal from my childhood, and it was a big hit in my family.

Ingredients

8 Tilapia filets, thawed and patted dry

For the Stuffing:
8oz crabmeat
1 scallion, diced
¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp mayonnaise
Juice and zest from ½ lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 tsp old bay seasoning
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese

For the Butter Sauce:
4 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp dried oregano
Kosher salt and black pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, fork through your crab meat to check for shells. Combine all ingredients for the stuffing. Let chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the butter sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
4. To assemble tilapia: line a rimmed pan with foil and grease with a neutral flavored oil. Place 4 filets on pan. Brush lightly with butter sauce. Scoop filling onto each filet and distribute well across filet. Top with remaining filets. Brush top of filets with remaining butter sauce.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.  
6. Remove and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

• I try to pick tilapia filets that are around the same size when stuffing, so it appears more symmetrical.
• There are many different flavors of Old Bay seasoning that you can use in this recipe. I used the HOT flavored Old Bay seasoning. 
• If baking in a glass dish, you do not need to line with foil, but should still grease the pan.