ZAP Bites: Tilapia Lettuce Wraps
Memorial Day is right around the corner and I’ve been craving lighter meals to match the warmer weather. One of my favorite things for dinner lately has been tilapia lettuce wraps- they are flavorful, filling and nutritious! They are filled with healthy protein, topped with veggies, and even wrapped in lettuce, so you won’t feel weighed down with carbs. However, if you are craving some bread, wrap it up in a flour or corn tortilla, instead! What I make at home is a repurposed recipe from Bluestone in Evanston, but here is another recipe via Skinny Mom for you to follow. She calls for topping it with optional sour cream, but I love adding a kick with chipotle mayo. Serve it with Mexican rice, grilled pineapple, and maybe even a margarita. Enjoy!!
(Photo via Skinny Mom)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 serrano pepper, seeded and diced (or jalapeño pepper)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 pounds tilapia fillets
- 2 cups diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- black pepper, to taste
- 8 large Romaine lettuce leaves
- 1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- Optional*:
- light sour cream
- *Optional ingredients not included in nutritional calculations.
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil, onions, serrano pepper, and garlic, cooking for 2-4 minutes or until the onions begin to soften.
- Add the fish to the skillet, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until all of the fish turns white and flakes easily with a fork.
- Turn the heat down to low, and break the tilapia up with a fork or spatula in the skillet. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper and gently stir together cooking an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Scoop ⅓ cup of the tilapia mixture into each Romaine leaf and evenly top with the red cabbage and avocado slices. Garnish with an optional dollop of light sour cream and additional lime wedge for serving.
- Each lettuce wrap is 4 ounces of tilapia, 2 tablespoons of red cabbage, and ¼ of the avocado. Serve 2 lettuce wraps with optional light sour cream, as desired.
Anna Schapiro, Assistant Publicist