Flaky tilapia is served alongside crispy grilled potatoes and topped off with chimichurri. Chimichurri is a classic Argentinean herb sauce that is full of flavor and perfect for topping any protein, potatoes, and veggies – it’s a very versatile sauce!
If you’re in a dinner rut and looking to spice things up, then today’s recipe is for you! Really, you’re getting more than just one recipe out of this post. Once you know how to make chimichurri, you’ll find yourself putting it on everything – chicken, steak, pork, shrimp, salmon, potatoes, vegetables, stirred into soups… you get the idea.
The tilapia is simply baked – nothing fancy there, but when you top it with the beautiful chimichurri sauce it becomes something pretty amazing! Oh, and I can’t forget about the grilled potatoes – crispy, golden, and perfectly soft on the inside these are definitely something special.
I suppose I should explain what chimichurri is – I’ve already raved so much about it! It’s basically just an herb sauce, that Argentinean’s use to top steak, but can be used for so much more.
Traditionally, chimichurri is made with parsley, oregano, garlic, red pepper, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. I make a little variation on it – I like to add some lemon and use thyme instead of oregano. I always have thyme in my fridge, but really whatever herb you like is fine. Don’t be afraid to change it up and experiment with different flavor combos!
Toss everything into a food processor and you’ve got chimichurri in 5 minutes!
You can keep the sauce in an airtight container for up to a week – perfect for adding to all of your meals!
Ok, let’s talk potatoes. It’s no secret how much I love a good potato. I’m lucky to have plenty from the garden, so I’m always looking for new ways to enjoy them. My favorite way is home fries – I just can’t get enough. These grilled potatoes are kind of a take on my home fries – just grilled and a little drier than home fries.
I slice them thickly and boil them up for a minute – the par boiling helps them to cook up perfectly and quickly.
Then just drizzle them with a small amount of oil and season them up however you like. I just went with salt and pepper since the chimichurri has so many flavors.
These grilled potatoes would make the perfect side to any meal – once you try them you’ll be making them all the time!
As for the tilapia, it couldn’t be any simpler to make. Season it and bake it at a high temperature until tender and flaky – about 8-10 minutes. This whole meal can be made in 30 minutes or less if you do some of the prepping ahead of time. I like to make the chimichurri and keep it in the fridge, and you can even par boil the potatoes to be ready for grilling later on.
This meal is one to remember and one I know I’ll be making often! My fiancé said “I’m not big on tilapia, but this how I want to eat it from now on”. I’d say that means it’s pretty good! Shrimp and salmon are also delicious when you top them off with the chimichurri. Use your imagination and get creative with how you use it!
- ½ Cup Fresh Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
- 2 Tablespoons Thyme*
- 3 Garlic Cloves, smashed
- ¼ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- Lemon Zest, from 1 lemon
- ¼ Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Small-Medium Potatoes, sliced in 1/2 inch-thick slices
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
- 4 Filets Fresh Tilapia
- Cooking Spray
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Combine the parsley, thyme, garlic, red pepper, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Add in the vinegar, lemon juice, zest, and olive oil. Pulse a few more times until you have a coarse-chunky sauce. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Place the potato slices in a large pot and cover with cold water and season with a few pinches of salt. Bring the potatoes to a rolling boil and cook for 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Drizzle the potato slices with a small amount of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the potatoes in a grill pan over high heat, turning frequently until they are golden and crisp, about 10-12 minutes. (Alternatively you can use your outdoor grill – I like to use a basket to keep the potato slices from falling through grates.)
- Preheat the oven to 500º.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lay out the tilapia filets. Lightly spray the filets with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake the tilapia for 8-10 minutes or until the fish is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork.
- Serve the tilapia filets alongside the potatoes and top it all off with the chimichurri.
- *Classic chimichurri uses fresh oregano, but I like to use thyme as I always have it in my fridge. Feel free to use fresh oregano, or other herb of your choice for a different flavor.
- *A spoonful of chimichurri goes a long way – you probably will have some leftover – it works great for topping a variety of dishes, making dips, and stirring into soups for an extra kick!
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