300-Calorie Lemon Garlic Tilapia (Printable Copy)

A zesty tilapia dish steamed in foil with tender green beans for a healthy meal under 300 calories.

# What You Need:

→ Fish & Vegetables

01 - 4 tilapia fillets, 4 oz each, fresh or thawed
02 - 12 oz fresh green beans, trimmed
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1 lemon, thinly sliced

→ Marinade & Seasonings

05 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 2 large garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
09 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - Lay out 4 large sheets of aluminum foil. Divide green beans evenly among the centers of each sheet. Top green beans with sliced red onion.
04 - Pat tilapia fillets dry with paper towels. Place one fillet on top of each pile of vegetables.
05 - Drizzle each fillet with the prepared lemon-garlic marinade. Top each fillet with 2 to 3 lemon slices.
06 - Fold the foil over fish and vegetables, sealing tightly to form a packet. Place packets on a baking sheet.
07 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until tilapia is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
08 - Carefully open packets as steam will be hot. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes fancy but takes barely 30 minutes from start to table.
  • Everything cooks together in one foil packet, which means cleanup is your friend.
  • The lemon-garlic combination is so bright and fresh, you won't miss heavy sauces or butter.
  • Each packet steams to perfection, keeping the fish tender and the vegetables just crisp enough.
02 -
  • Wet fish releases moisture that pooled in the foil, diluting your marinade, so patting the fillets dry beforehand makes a real difference in flavor.
  • Don't skip the preheat step; a cold oven means uneven cooking and the risk of that delicate fish drying out before the vegetables soften.
03 -
  • Mince your garlic small and add it to the lemon juice a few minutes before using so it softens slightly and becomes less sharp.
  • If your fillets vary in thickness, tuck the thin ends under themselves slightly so everything cooks at the same rate.
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