BBQ Mango Tilapia
Very tasty and easy to make. Everyone I've served this to has enjoyed it. I get the bags of frozen tilapia, which come with 8-10 filets in them. This recipe is good for all of them.
Very tasty and easy to make. Everyone I've served this to has enjoyed it. I get the bags of frozen tilapia, which come with 8-10 filets in them. This recipe is good for all of them.
- Carbohydrate 6.40275468589965 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.100989375079561 g
- Fiber 0.832996875469588 g
- Protein 0.743901563089986 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0143345000108622 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (61g)
- Sodium 282.04513218062 mg
- Sugar 5.56975781043007 g
- Trans Fat 0.030388906274487 g
- Calories 27 calories
Step-by-step
- In a medium bowl, combine tomato sauce, mango nectar, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, molasses, and garlic powder. Whisk thoroughly, and then stir in diced tomatoes and mango. This is your marinade.
- Place fish and marinade in a container and toss to coat. Cover and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or more if you like).
- Preheat oven to 350. Lay out filets on non-stick baking tray or dish. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Plate the tilapia and top with any excess marinade from the skillet. Garnish with cilantro.
Standard Kansas City or Carolina barbecue sauces rely heavily on a tomato and vinegar base that can easily overwhelm delicate white fish, masking its clean flavor rather than complementing it. By introducing mango nectar and fresh diced fruit into the glaze, the heavy acidity softens into a tropical sweetness that matches the mild flakiness of tilapia without requiring expensive cuts of salmon or halibut. Economical frozen tilapia fillets, which typically cost a fraction of fresh catches, absorb fruit-based marinades remarkably well when thawed completely and patted dry with paper towels prior to coating.
Submerging the fish in the fruit and tomato mixture for a minimum of 30 minutes allows the cider vinegar to gently firm the outer protein fibers while infusing the flesh with molasses and garlic notes. Baking the fillets at 350 degrees Fahrenheit on a non-stick baking tray for precisely 15 minutes prevents the lean fish from drying out, a common hazard when cooking white meat without added fats. Leaving the pan ungreased except for the marinade runoff ensures the crust caramelizes properly as the natural sugars from the brown sugar and mango reduce under heat.
Pairing this dish with steamed jasmine rice or a crisp cabbage slaw helps balance the assertive sweetness of the mango reduction by adding a neutral starch or a sharp, peppery crunch.
