Spicy Roasted Pepper Tilapia Skillet (Printable)

Vibrant tilapia with spicy roasted peppers, ready in 35 minutes for bold flavor lovers.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 tilapia fillets (about 6 oz each)
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Roasted Peppers

05 - 2 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and sliced
06 - 1 large yellow bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and sliced
07 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (seeds removed for less heat, if preferred)

→ Aromatics & Sauce

08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
10 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
11 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
13 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes (adjust to taste)
14 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - Juice of 1 lime

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat tilapia fillets dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear tilapia fillets for 2–3 minutes per side until just opaque and lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add a little more olive oil if needed, then sauté onion and garlic until soft, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add roasted red and yellow peppers, jalapeño, smoked paprika, ground cumin, and chili flakes. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
05 - Add diced tomatoes and cook for 4–5 minutes, allowing excess liquid to evaporate and flavors to meld.
06 - Return tilapia fillets to the skillet, nestling them among the pepper mixture. Spoon sauce over the fish, cover, and let simmer on low for 5 minutes.
07 - Remove from heat. Drizzle lime juice and sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of roasted peppers and mild tilapia creates that perfect sweet and spicy balance
  • Everything cooks in one skillet so cleanup is almost nonexistent
  • The sauce is so good you will want to spoon it over everything
02 -
  • Overcooking tilapia makes it dry and rubbery so remove it from the heat as soon as it turns opaque
  • Roasting your own peppers instead of using jarred ones makes a noticeable difference in flavor
  • The sauce continues to thicken off the heat so do not overreduce it while cooking
03 -
  • Roast peppers directly over a gas flame for the best charred flavor or use the broiler method
  • Let the fish rest for a minute before serving to help it retain moisture

Return