• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Plant-Based Meals
  • Meat & Seafood
  • Quick & One-Pot
  • Sauces & Grains
  • Subscribe!
  • All recipes
  • Home

Every Night Meals logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Plant-Based Meals
  • Meat & Seafood
  • Quick & One-Pot
  • Sauces & Grains
  • Subscribe!
  • All recipes
  • Home
  • Follow me!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Plant-Based Meals
    • Meat & Seafood
    • Quick & One-Pot
    • Sauces & Grains
    • Subscribe!
    • All recipes
    • Home
  • Follow me!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » All recipes » Super Quick Weeknight Meals » 25-Minute Dinner: Panko-Crusted White Fish with Roasted Cherry Tomato Orzo

    January 21, 2022 Seafood

    25-Minute Dinner: Panko-Crusted White Fish with Roasted Cherry Tomato Orzo

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    The pesto and green olive topping on this panko-crusted baked white fish makes the hearty weeknight meal taste much more "fancy" than it really is. Just start your pasta water when you preheat the oven, and you'll have a vibrant fish and orzo dinner on the table in 25 minutes or less!

    panko-crusted white fish with tomatoes on baking sheet

    Panko-Crusted White Fish FAQs

    panko crusted white fish on baking sheet with tomatoes
    What's the best white fish to use?

    For this post, I used tilapia fillets, but any other white fish will be delicious. Try halibut, cod, haddock, or whatever looks freshest at the fish counter.

    Do I have to use all those breadcrumbs?

    Nope. Nobody can tell you what to do in your kitchen. It is a generous crust, but the texture of the breadcrumbs works so well with the buttery, tender fish, "grains" of orzo pasta, and juicy tomato morsels. If you have leftover breadcrumb mixture after you top the fish fillets, I suggest sprinkling it over the tomatoes on the other half of the baking sheet.

    Can I serve this recipe with something other than orzo?

    Of course! Brown or white rice is a great alternative, as is quinoa or any other type of pasta. I use orzo here because it mixes well with the roasted tomatoes and provides a nice texture contrast to the other components.

    roasted cherry tomatoes with orzo

    Want to Make it Even Quicker?

    This recipe comes together quickly as it is, but here are a few ways to shave off even more time.

    • Start with hot water for the orzo. No matter what your mom or grandparent might have taught you, there's no reason to start with cold water when it needs to come to a boil for pasta. Just turn the faucet to hot and let the tap run until the water is steamy, then fill your pot. If you cover the pot and place it over high heat, your water should come to a rolling boil in as little as 5 minutes.
    • Use canned tomatoes. Fresh cherry or grape tomatoes add a lot of flavor to this recipe, but if you don't have time to quarter them, feel free to use a 28-ounce can of regular or fire-roasted diced tomatoes instead. Drain the canned tomatoes, spread them on the baking sheet, and you're ready to go.
    • Chop the green olives in a food processor. I'm with you: Chopping roly-poly olives can be a pain. Feel free to dump them in your food processor and pulse them a few times instead.
    pesto crusted white fish on plate with cherry tomato orzo and salad

    Looking for more easy dinner recipes? Check out Every Night Meals' selection of one-pan meals and other super-quick weeknight recipes.

    fish with pesto and cherry tomatoes

    Panko-Crusted White Fish with Roasted Cherry Tomato Orzo

    This colorful, flavor-packed dinner from Every Night Meals comes together in about 25 minutes, and the pesto and green olive crust makes it seem much fancier than it really is.
    4.91 from 22 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Italian, Mediterranean
    Keyword: fish, seafood
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Makes: 6 servings

    Equipment

    • Large rimmed baking sheet
    • Parchment paper

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
    • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
    • Extra-virgin olive oil
    • Kosher salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • 1½ pounds white fish fillets, such as halibut, cod, haddock, or tilapia
    • 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
    • ½ cup prepared green pesto sauce (or use homemade pesto)
    • ⅓ cup pitted green olives, chopped
    • Zest of 1 lemon

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
    • While the oven preheats, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
    • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the quartered cherry tomatoes on one side of the baking sheet in a single layer (it’s fine if they are cramped together). Drizzle with olive oil and season with a few pinches of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
    • Lay the fish fillets on the other side of the baking sheet, making sure they are not overlapping. If you can’t fit all the fillets in a single layer, nudge the tomatoes to the side of the baking sheet until you have enough room.
    • In a medium bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, pesto, olives, and lemon zest until everything is evenly incorporated. Spoon the breadcrumb mixture onto the fish fillets, and press gently to help the mixture adhere to the fish.
    • Transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Roast for 10 minutes or until the crust begins to brown and the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
    • After you put the baking sheet in the oven, add the orzo to the boiling water. (This way, the pasta and fish will be done around the same time.) Cook the pasta for 7 to 9 minutes, until al dente.
    • Drain the pasta, dump it into a medium bowl, and toss it with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
    • Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Scrape the roasted tomatoes into the bowl with the pasta; stir until the tomatoes are evenly distributed. Taste and season the orzo with more salt, pepper, and olive oil as desired.
    • Serve the pesto-crusted fish immediately with the roasted tomato orzo on the side.

    *Recipe adapted from this one on BBC Good Food

    « Quick Chicken Piccata with Pasta
    Brat Sheet Pan Dinner with Red Cabbage and Apples »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Bryan Jones says

      January 21, 2022 at 4:31 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
    2. Jeannie says

      January 24, 2022 at 1:52 am

      5 stars
      this recipe is tasty and what a fancy dinner to make at home.

      Reply
    3. Michelle says

      January 24, 2022 at 5:52 pm

      5 stars
      I LOVE A Quick Meal. Thanks For Sharing!

      Reply
      • Peggy Paul Casella says

        January 24, 2022 at 8:53 pm

        You're welcome! 🙂

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    every night meals author photo

    Hi, I'm Peggy! Browse my website for easy, nutritious recipes you can make on even the busiest weeknights.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Vegan Coconut Curry with Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, and Chickpeas
    • Quick + Healthy Weeknight Meal: Mediterranean Chicken Pita Burgers
    • Beef Sirloin Stroganoff with Egg Noodles
    • Lemon-Garlic Shrimp with Vegetables and Pasta

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Peggy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer & Copyright

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Follow Every Night Meals on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 · PEGGY PAUL CASELLA · PLEASE DO NOT USE CONTENT OR PHOTOS WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION