Baked Tilapia & Creamy Kale with Fregola Sarda Pasta

Baked Tilapia & Creamy Kale

with Fregola Sarda Pasta

40 MIN
4 Servings
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From the Test Kitchen

In this hearty bake, creamy kale and fregola sarda create a hearty bed for spiced tilapia fillets. For a golden brown crust, we’re adding a layer of panko breadcrumbs in the last few minutes of baking.
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  • Nutrition
    PER SERVING
  • Calories
    690 Cals (est.)
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fresh
ingredients
Baked Tilapia & Creamy Kale with Fregola Sarda Pasta
Title
  • 4 Tilapia Fillets
  • 1¼ cups Fregola Sarda Pasta
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 Lemon
  • 1 bunch Kale
  • ¼ cup Grated Romano Cheese
  • 2 Tbsps Butter
  • ¼ cup Cream
  • ¼ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
  • 2 Tbsps Mascarpone Cheese
  • ¼ cup Labneh Cheese
  • ¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Tbsp Weeknight Hero Spice Blend (Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Smoked Paprika & Whole Dried Parsley)
time-saving
tips & techniques
Cook the pasta
1 Cook the pasta

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling  on high. Place the pasta in a strainer. Thoroughly rinse under water to remove any excess starch. Once boiling, add the rinsed  pasta to the pot. Cook 7 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly.

Prepare the ingredients
2 Prepare the ingredients

Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Separate the kale leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves. Peel 2 cloves of garlic; using a zester, finely grate into a paste (or use the small side of a box grater). Zest the lemon to get 2 teaspoons (or use the small side of a box grater). Quarter and deseed the lemon. In a large bowl, combine the garlic paste and lemon zest

Cook the kale
3 Cook the kale

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped kale; season with salt and pepper. Cook,  stirring occasionally, 3 to  4 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add 1/2 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the water has cooked off. Turn off the heat. 

Dress the pasta & kale
4 Dress the pasta & kale

To the bowl of prepared garlic paste and lemon zest, add the mascarpone, labneh, cream, romano, the juice of 2 lemon wedges, 2 tablespoons of  olive oil, and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Add the cooked pasta and cooked kale; season with salt and pepper. Stir to thoroughly combine. Transfer to a baking dish (making sure the kale is evenly distributed).

Prepare the fish
5 Prepare the fish

Pat the fish dry with paper towels; season on both sides with salt, pepper, and the spice blend. Cut the butter into 4 equal-sized pieces. Place the seasoned fish on top of the dressed pasta and kale. Top each piece with 1 piece of the butter. Cover the baking dish with foil.

Bake & serve your dish
6 Bake & serve your dish

Bake the prepared fish and pasta 7 minutes. Leaving the oven on, remove from the oven. Carefully remove the foil. Evenly top with the breadcrumbs. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Return to the oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned and the fish is cooked through.* Remove from the oven. Let stand at least 2 minutes before serving. Serve the baked fish and pasta topped with the juice of the  remaining lemon wedges. Enjoy!

*An instant-read thermometer should register 145°F.

Tips from Home Chefs

Cook the pasta
1 Cook the pasta

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling  on high. Place the pasta in a strainer. Thoroughly rinse under water to remove any excess starch. Once boiling, add the rinsed  pasta to the pot. Cook 7 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly.

2 Prepare the ingredients

Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Separate the kale leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves. Peel 2 cloves of garlic; using a zester, finely grate into a paste (or use the small side of a box grater). Zest the lemon to get 2 teaspoons (or use the small side of a box grater). Quarter and deseed the lemon. In a large bowl, combine the garlic paste and lemon zest

Prepare the ingredients
Cook the kale
3 Cook the kale

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped kale; season with salt and pepper. Cook,  stirring occasionally, 3 to  4 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add 1/2 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the water has cooked off. Turn off the heat. 

4 Dress the pasta & kale

To the bowl of prepared garlic paste and lemon zest, add the mascarpone, labneh, cream, romano, the juice of 2 lemon wedges, 2 tablespoons of  olive oil, and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Add the cooked pasta and cooked kale; season with salt and pepper. Stir to thoroughly combine. Transfer to a baking dish (making sure the kale is evenly distributed).

Dress the pasta & kale
Prepare the fish
5 Prepare the fish

Pat the fish dry with paper towels; season on both sides with salt, pepper, and the spice blend. Cut the butter into 4 equal-sized pieces. Place the seasoned fish on top of the dressed pasta and kale. Top each piece with 1 piece of the butter. Cover the baking dish with foil.

6 Bake & serve your dish

Bake the prepared fish and pasta 7 minutes. Leaving the oven on, remove from the oven. Carefully remove the foil. Evenly top with the breadcrumbs. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Return to the oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned and the fish is cooked through.* Remove from the oven. Let stand at least 2 minutes before serving. Serve the baked fish and pasta topped with the juice of the  remaining lemon wedges. Enjoy!

*An instant-read thermometer should register 145°F.

Bake & serve your dish
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