Baked Tilapia & Creamy Kale with Fregola Sarda Pasta

Baked Tilapia & Creamy Kale

with Fregola Sarda Pasta

40 MIN
+$1.45/serving 4 Servings
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  • with Tilapia
    includes 4 Sustainably Sourced Tilapia Fillets View recipe
  • with Shrimp
    includes 18 oz Sustainably Sourced Tail-On Shrimp (Peeled & Deveined)
  • with Shrimp

    From the Test Kitchen

    In this 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
      650 Cals (est.)
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    fresh
    ingredients
    Baked Tilapia & Creamy Kale with Fregola Sarda Pasta
    Title
    • 18 oz Tail-On Shrimp (Peeled & Deveined)
    • 1¼ cups Fregola Sarda Pasta
    • 2 cloves Garlic
    • 1 Lemon
    • ¼ cup Grated Romano Cheese
    • 1 bunch Kale
    • 2 Tbsps Butter
    • ¼ cup Cream
    • ¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
    • ¼ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
    • ¼ cup Labneh Cheese
    • 2 Tbsps Mascarpone Cheese
    • 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 pasta to the pot and cook 7 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. 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 or the small side of a box grater, finely grate into a paste. Using a zester or the small side of a box grater, zest the lemon to get 2 teaspoons. 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 shrimp & assemble the casserole
    5 Prepare the shrimp & assemble the casserole

    Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave (or melt in a small pot on the stove, then transfer to a small bowl). Add the breadcrumbs to the bowl; season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels (remove the tails, if desired).Place in a separate, large bowl; season with salt, pepper, and the spice blend. Stir to coat. Place the seasoned shrimp on top of the dressed pasta and kale. Evenly top with the seasoned breadcrumbs. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. 

    Bake & serve your dish
    6 Bake & serve your dish

    Bake the prepared shrimp and pasta 8 to 11 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned and the shrimp are cooked through. Remove from the oven. Let stand at least 2 minutes before serving. Serve the baked shrimp and pasta topped with the juice of the remaining lemon wedges. Enjoy!

    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 pasta to the pot and cook 7 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. 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 or the small side of a box grater, finely grate into a paste. Using a zester or the small side of a box grater, zest the lemon to get 2 teaspoons. 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 shrimp & assemble the casserole
    5 Prepare the shrimp & assemble the casserole

    Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave (or melt in a small pot on the stove, then transfer to a small bowl). Add the breadcrumbs to the bowl; season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels (remove the tails, if desired).Place in a separate, large bowl; season with salt, pepper, and the spice blend. Stir to coat. Place the seasoned shrimp on top of the dressed pasta and kale. Evenly top with the seasoned breadcrumbs. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. 

    6 Bake & serve your dish

    Bake the prepared shrimp and pasta 8 to 11 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned and the shrimp are cooked through. Remove from the oven. Let stand at least 2 minutes before serving. Serve the baked shrimp and pasta topped with the juice of the remaining lemon wedges. Enjoy!

    Bake & serve your dish
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