Grilled Senegalese Thieboudienne-Inspired Fish with Tomato Rice

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-08 · Updated 2026-06-08

A smoky grilled fish served alongside a vibrant tomato-infused rice, inspired by Senegal’s national dish Thieboudienne. This African-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 55 minutes, pairs tomato paste, fresh tomatoes, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 400 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. 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

• 1 (about 2 lbs) whole white fish (such as tilapia or snapper), cleaned
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 large, diced fresh tomatoes
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 medium, diced onion
• 1 1/2 cups long grain parboiled rice
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 cups water
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• for serving lemon wedges

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Rub the 1 cleaned whole white fish with 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp smoked paprika, coating evenly inside and out.
2. Step 2: Grill the fish for 6-7 minutes on each side until the skin is crisp and the flesh flakes easily with a fork. Remove and set aside.
3. Step 3: While the fish grills, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add 1 diced medium onion and 3 minced garlic cloves, sauté for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
4. Step 4: Stir in 3 tbsp tomato paste and 3 large diced fresh tomatoes. Cook for 6 minutes until the mixture thickens and deepens in color.
5. Step 5: Rinse 1 1/2 cups long grain parboiled rice until water runs clear. Add rice to the tomato mixture and stir to coat.
6. Step 6: Pour in 3 cups water, add 1/2 tsp salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid absorbed.
7. Step 7: Stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, fluff the rice, and serve alongside the grilled fish with lemon wedges for squeezing over.