Pan-Fried Tilapia with Tomato and Ginger Filipino-Style Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-17 · Updated 2026-06-17

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Lightly pan-fried tilapia fillets served with a bright, tangy Filipino-inspired sauce of sautéed tomatoes, ginger, and onions that complements the fish perfectly. This Filipino-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs tilapia fillets, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 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.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 20 min Serves 4 Filipino cuisine 280 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 fillets (about 6 oz each) tilapia fillets
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp, julienned fresh ginger
1 medium, thinly sliced white onion
2 large, chopped ripe tomatoes
3 cloves, minced garlic cloves
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp, chopped fresh scallions

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat 4 tilapia fillets dry and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tilapia fillets and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and keep warm.
Step 3: In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp julienned fresh ginger and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 4: Add 1 medium thinly sliced white onion and 3 minced garlic cloves, cooking for 2 minutes until soft and translucent.
Step 5: Stir in 2 large chopped ripe tomatoes and cook for 4 minutes until they start breaking down and release juice.
Step 6: Pour in 1 tbsp fish sauce and 1/4 cup water, simmering for 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
Step 7: Return tilapia fillets to the pan and spoon the sauce over the fish. Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh scallions before serving.