Some of the best side dishes for baked tilapia are foods you may already make. But there are probably others you haven’t thought about. Or maybe even different ways you can cook your favorite foods.
Healthy Meal
When you want to make something that’s good for the family, fish is always a good place to start. Now all you need is a great side dish … or two or three.
I cook tilapia a variety of different ways. One way is to pull it directly from the freezer and bake it in the air fryer. The convection cooks it quickly, so you can have a delicious, healthy meal on the table in no time.
Another delicious fish recipe is for this parmesan pesto tilapia. It has a great flavor that the family will love.
The best part of meal planning, in my opinion, is finding the best sides that complement the main dish. Of course, you need to please your taste buds.
Remember that an easy side dish can be absolutely delicious! Even picky eaters should find something on this list that they like.
Delicious Recipes to Go with Tilapia Fillets
Most of the ingredients in all of the dishes below are available in any grocery store. Each one is a great option for any type of fish.
So choose the ones you like, whether you’re serving tilapia or any other healthy fish. You’ll discover dishes to cook on the stovetop, in the oven, in your slow cooker, and in your air fryer.
These are some of the most popular side dishes on not only my blog but on blogs that my food friends run. You’ll find a lot of great flavor in all of these recipes.
Since I love providing appetizers, I count those as side dishes. And then there’s the dessert. Something sweet at the end of a meal makes it even more special.
1. Bacon Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
These cherry tomatoes are absolutely delicious. Stuffed with some of the most flavorful food on the planet, watch them disappear from the dinner table in a flash!
2. Tortilla Chips
If you want your tilapia dinner to be on the casual side, add this delightful finger food and crunch to your heart’s content! Make your own tortilla chips and serve them with either this delicious classic guacamole or this yummy homemade salsa.
3. Crispy Zucchini Parmesan Chips
So easy to make with simple ingredients, the flavor of this dish is amazing. You’ll love the powerful blend of crunch and savory deliciousness of the parmesan cheese!
Make them in either your air fryer or oven. They’re good either way.
4. Air Fryer Radishes
You might have a difficult time imagining radishes cooked in an air fryer. But once you try them, this just might become your favorite way to enjoy them.
5. Sautéed Spinach and Tomatoes
Here’s a healthy side dish infused with fresh garlic or jarred minced garlic along with more delicious seasonings. It’s a good choice that only takes a couple of minutes to throw together.
6. Loaded Baked Potato Casserole
Loaded with some of your favorite ingredients and baked to a golden brown, this is a good choice to serve with any mild white fish. Whenever I serve it, I’m amazed by how quickly it disappears.
Something else I like about it is that I don’t have to put out bowls of sour cream, bacon bits, shredded cheese, and other potato toppings. That’s because those things are already mixed in.
7. Almond Flour Tortillas
Make a platter of almond flour tortillas, provide lots of toppings, and let everyone make their own fish tacos. We love adding lots of tomatoes, lettuce shreds, and even a chopped kale salad for extra crunchy texture.
8. Sweet Potato Fries
These are called fried, but they’re actually cooked in an air fryer. The air fryer is a small convection oven that actually bakes very quickly.
It’s so easy to make this yummy dish. I’ll admit that I’m a fan of sweet potatoes, and I absolutely love these!
9. Tex Mex Salad
Spice up your dinner with this delightful Tex Mex Salad. It adds a ton of color and flavor to your meal, and it’s very easy to make.
10. Classic Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
You can’t go wrong with this delicious Mac and cheese casserole. It’s the perfect side dish when you want something that’s filling, comforting, and oh-so wonderful!
Be sure to make enough for everyone to have seconds.
11. Au Gratin Potatoes (from Back to My Southern Roots)
Packed with flavor, these au gratin potatoes from Back to My Southern Roots are sure to please everyone around the dinner table. It’s a great recipe to impress dinner guests and make your family very happy.
12. Mama’s Potato Salad
As the name implies, this is my mother’s potato salad recipe. She used to bring it to potlucks and family reunions because if she didn’t, everyone would wonder if something was wrong. And it was always the first salad to disappear from the table.
13. Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are a must-have at most southern events where food is served. And there’s a great reason. They’re delicious!
This is the classic southern recipe—another one from my mother.
14. Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Whether you cook these Brussels sprouts in your oven or air fryer, they’re wonderful little balls of flavor and nutrition.
This healthy side dish is easy to make. The only equipment you need is either an air fryer or an oven and a baking sheet.
15. Easy Crispy French Fries
I love French fries all sorts of ways. Here is a recipe that delivers crispy fries every single time. Dip them in ketchup or eat them plain.
They are absolutely delicious, no matter how you eat them. And they are the perfect side dish to go with your favorite fish.
16. Deluxe Green Bean Casserole
Green beans are a staple at our house. And this is my fancy way of taking the traditional green bean casserole to next-level goodness.
It also adds color to the table. And who likes a drab dinner table?
17. Black Beans
These black beans are filling and absolutely delicious! I make them in my Instant Pot.
But if you have more time, you can make them on the stovetop or in the Crock Pot using the same recipe. Of course, you’ll have to adjust the time. Regardless, they go with your baked tilapia so well!
18. Watermelon Cucumber Salad
This is the best salad when you want something light and refreshing. It’s perfect when watermelon is in season.
However, you can sometimes find watermelon or a mix of melon balls in the freezer section at your grocery store.
19. Pasta Salad
At our house, we’re crazy about pasta salad of any type. Sometimes we want this zesty rotini salad. While other times we prefer this creamy macaroni salad.
20. Creamed Spinach
This delicious side dish is wonderful on the side. Or place the fish fillets on top of it for a snappy presentation.
It’s a great choice when you want to keep the meal on the nutritious side without giving up great flavor.
21. Creamy Cheesy Corn Casserole (from Call Me PMc)
Corn lovers will find so much joy when they load up on this creamy cheesy corn casserole from the recipes at Call Me PMc. It’s packed with all kinds of comforting flavor that you won’t be able to resist.
22. Onion Seasoned Rice
This flavorful rice is such a nice side dish for any kind of fish, particularly baked tilapia.
You can use jasmine rice or whatever kind of white rice you just happen to have. The recipe is flexible enough to work with what you’ve got in your pantry.
23. Creamy Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
When you have a lot of hungry folks to feed, make this easy and delicious creamy cheesy Tater Tot casserole.
It feeds a bunch of people without sacrificing flavor. Besides, who doesn’t like Tater Tots? No one I know.
Condiments for Baked Tilapia
When serving baked Tilapia, the side dishes are important. But then so are the condiments.
You probably know what the people in your family like. If you’re having a dinner party, offer a variety of condiments that go with fish.
Here are some that I put on the table:
- Tartar sauce
- Cocktail sauce
- Lemon juice
- Lime juice
- Soy sauce
- Salt
- Black pepper
Dinner Party or Family Meal
Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or coming up with a menu for a family meal, baked tilapia is the perfect main dish.
One of the reasons is that there are so many different side dishes you can serve with it. Another reason is that it’s delicious!