By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 6
325 cal · 18 min
French in a Flash: Tilapia with Tarragon Pistou
Recipe GLPR33386b8f243434
A light and elegant French-inspired dish featuring delicate tilapia fillets topped with a vibrant tarragon and basil pistou, enriched with toasted walnuts and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Ready in minutes with bold, herbaceous flavor.
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Ingredients
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup fresh tarragon leaves
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted walnut halves
1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons extra for searing
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless tilapia fillets
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving
Directions
In a food processor, combine the minced garlic, fresh tarragon, fresh basil, and toasted walnut halves. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped but still retains some texture.
With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the 1/4 cup of olive oil until the pistou reaches a paste-like consistency. Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Set aside.
Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly cracked pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Carefully place the tilapia fillets in the hot skillet in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding.
Sear the fillets for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side until golden and cooked through. Gently flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on the second side until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 145°F and flakes easily with a fork.
Transfer the cooked tilapia fillets to a serving platter or individual plates.
Top each fillet with a generous spoonful of the tarragon and basil pistou. Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges on the side.
Comments
The 18-minute claim ignores the time needed to make pistou from scratch—you're looking at a real 28 to 30 minutes with herb prep, toasting walnuts, and cooking six fillets through. Tarragon and fresh basil together are a Charlotte-area find: Harris Teeter stocks both year-round, but tarragon is not a pantry staple and you may need to make a deliberate trip if your usual store runs thin. Tilapia at six servings comes in around $8 to $10 for the fish alone, plus oil and nuts, landing at roughly $3 per serving—reasonable for a weeknight fish dinner but not budget-forward. The dish reheats poorly; pistou oxidizes and the fish dries on a second go, so plan to serve it fresh the night you cook it. It's a solid choice for a midweek dinner party or a family that eats fresh herbs regularly, but not a casual grab-and-go meal.
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