Bamboo-Steamed Fish with Lemongrass and Chili
Delicate fish steamed in bamboo steamers with fragrant lemongrass and chili, finished with a light fish sauce glaze. This Vietnamese recipe (gluten-free), ready in about 26 minutes, pairs tilapia fillets, lemongrass, fresh red chili for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 290 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with rice, quinoa, or a quick salad. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 (5 oz each) tilapia fillets
- 1 stalk lemongrass
- 1/2 fresh red chili
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 lime
- 1 tsp coconut oil
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Trim lemongrass stalk to 2-inch length, slice thinly, and mince chili. Combine with 1 tbsp fish sauce and lime juice in a small bowl. Place fish fillets in a bamboo steamer lined with parchment paper.
- Step 2: Arrange lemongrass and chili mixture over fish, then drizzle with 1 tsp coconut oil. Steam over boiling water for 8 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Step 3: Remove from steamer and transfer fish to a plate. Spoon reserved steaming liquid over top, garnish with additional lime zest, and serve immediately with steamed rice.








