Spring forward had me feeling like a zombie this morning. My almost thirty-three year old body is going ‘the new time is throwing me off”. And then I go, it’s only an hour change – how can this be so hard??
Speaking of spring, I feel like spring has finally come to Austin. I apologize in advance for shoving it in your face for those of you still covered in sub-zero temperatures and freezing your butt off. We are new to the area, are still learning the temperature changes, and have been pretty pumped with the quick arrival of spring. Ask me again how I feel about the weather come August.
Something else about spring. I start craving for lighter meals. Meals with fruits in them become my best friend. I garnish everything with citrus and cilantro, to a fault. If I can toss things together without putting them on heat I would. I migrate from red meat to seafood. I turn into a part-time vegetarian. I eat way too much corn.
I love a good spring/summer meal, and here’s one that takes under 30 minutes to put together, with minimal stove time, and is absolutely delicious. A spring time favorite/must have for sure.
Tilapia with Avocado and Corn Salsa. Just yum.
Tilapia is one of my favorite fish because it is mild, flaky and goes well with a lot of different spices and ingredients. The avocado corn salsa will give some crunch, some sweetness, and some citrus flavor. All you need to do is pan fry that tilapia and mix the salsa together and you’ve got yourself a delicious dinner.
Start with putting together the spice mix for the fish. Combine paprika, garlic powder and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle lime juice on both sides of the fish and then rub spice mix all over each fillet. I work on the fish first because I like to let the fillet sit soaking in the spice mix while I put together the salsa. You don’t necessary need to marinate the fish but I like to let it sit in the spice mix for at least 10 minutes before pan frying the fillets.
As for the salsa. You guys, avocados. Creamy and delicious as all perfectly ripe avocados always are. To top that, the combination of avocados, corn, lime juice, tomatoes and cilantro is just OUT OF THIS WORLD.
I wrote the recipe with the salsa proportion that I believe is “typical” for four fillets, but if you love the ingredients in the salsa, make more salsa than what is called for. Double it. Triple it if you must.
Once you put together the salsa, it’s time to pan fry that fish. Grab a skillet, heat up some vegetable oil, and pan fry the tilapia fillets on medium high heat for about 3 minutes on each side, or until tilapia is cooked.
Lastly, top that baby up with the avocado and corn salsa.
The tilapia filets will be slightly crispy and seasoned with garlicky, smoky goodness. Combine that with the sweetness from the corn, the creamy avocados, the burst of freshness from the cilantro, and the citrus flavor of the fresh lime juice bring and you’ve got yourself a winner.
Healthy and packed with so much flavor.
The seasoning for the fish is very similar to my Fish Tacos with Mango Peach Salsa, one of my first few posts on the blog. Very similar fish seasoning, a different salsa and equally delicious.
Whether you are anticipating spring, in the midst of spring, or live in a part of the world where spring/summer happens all the time, give this gorgeous, light, healthy dish a try. I think you will enjoy it!
Tilapia with Avocado and Corn Salsa
Pan-fried tilapia with lots of smoky, garlicky flavor, topped with an avocado corn salsa that is sweet, crunchy, and citrusy. Great flavors and textures. Perfect light and healthy meal!
Ingredients
Tilapia
- 1.5 lbs tilapia fillets ~4 fillets
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 lime
- vegetable oil
Corn & Avocado Salsa
- 5 oz canned corn
- 1 small tomato
- 1 avocado
- 1 tbsp cilantro
- 1/2 lime
- salt to taste
Instructions
Mix together smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Juice 1 lime and sprinkle lime juice on both sides of each defrosted tilapia fillet, then sprinkle spice mixture on both sides of the fillet.
In a large bowl, mix together corn, tomato (chop into small cubes), avocados (chop into small cubes), chopped cilantro, juice from half a lime, and salt to taste.
On a frying pan, add vegetable oil and fry tilapia fillets for ~3 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked. Remove from heat.
Top tilapia with avocado and corn salsa when serving. Enjoy!
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