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Creamy Provençal Tilapia Pasta

Seared tilapia is flaked into a creamy tomato sauce with olives, capers, and herbes de Provence, then tossed with rigatoni. It is a one-skillet weeknight pasta with the bright flavors of southern France, ready in about 40 minutes.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French-Inspired
Calories: 640
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • For the Pasta and Fish
  • 12 oz 340g rigatoni or penne
  • 1 lb 450g tilapia fillets, patted very dry
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt for the fish
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons 30ml olive oil
  • For the Provençal Cream Sauce
  • 1 medium shallot about 40g, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon 16g tomato paste
  • 1 can 14.5 oz / 400g diced tomatoes, with their juice
  • 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
  • 1/2 cup 120ml low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1/3 cup 50g pitted black olives, halved (Niçoise or Kalamata)
  • 1 tablespoon 9g capers, drained
  • 3/4 cup 180ml heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon 15ml lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons 8g chopped fresh parsley or basil, for serving

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the package says, usually 9 to 10 minutes, until it is firm to the bite. Reserve 1/2 cup (120ml) of the pasta water, then drain.
  2. While the water heats, season the tilapia with the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
  3. Sear the fillets for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden on the outside and just opaque and flaking in the center, at 63°C (145°F). Move them to a plate. Do not wash the skillet.
  4. Lower the heat to medium. Cook the shallot in the same skillet for 2 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute, until the paste darkens to brick red and smells sweet.
  5. Add the tomatoes, herbes de Provence, and stock. Scrape up the browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens and the oil begins to shimmer at the edges.
  6. Stir in the olives, capers, and cream. Simmer gently, not boiling hard, for 3 minutes, until the sauce turns a pale coral and coats the back of a spoon.
  7. Add the drained pasta and toss for 1 minute so it finishes cooking in the sauce, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
  8. Take the skillet off the heat. Flake the tilapia into large pieces and fold it in gently with the lemon zest and juice. Scatter parsley over the top and serve right away.