Basa Fish Fillets with Cream Sauce {Tuscan Style!}
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Need an affordable, easy, and family-loving fish dish? Then you will love this Basa fish fillet recipe with a creamy Tuscan sun-dried tomato sauce that is ready in only 15 minutes!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Super fast: If you make the rice ahead of time, this creamy fish recipe takes only 15 minutes to make.
- Bold flavors: The bold flavors of the sun-dried tomatoes and basil give these basa filets bright, vibrant flavors.
- Creamy texture: The silky smooth texture of this dish comes from the added creme fraiche.
- Affordable price: Basa is affordably priced, making it perfect for a budget fish meal.
- Loads of Health Benefits: Basa fish is full of protein, Omega 3’s, and other essential vitamins and minerals.
Here are some other Tuscan inspired recipes for you to try, after this one … Creamy Tuscan Inspired Rigatoni with Pork Mince, One Pot Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi, Easy Tuscan White Bean Soup (Creamy!)
What is Basa Fish?
Basa fish is actually a type of catfish! It goes by different names in different countries such as Swai, River Cobbler, Pangisius (or Panga), and Boucorti. It is a fish that feeds mainly on plants and is low in mercury and other trace minerals. Though, it is still good to look for Basa that is wild caught vs. farm raised as with many kinds of fish.
I love using Basa fish in my recipes as it’s cheaper than other white fish such as cod and haddock. The fish is a great source of lean protein and is also packed with omega-3’s, making this is a great healthy fish to add to your weekly rotation!
Ingredients
The main ingredients that make this one of the best Basa Fish recipes are the following:
Basa Fillets
One of my favourite ingredients to poach within a sauce. You can also switch the basa fillets with any unsmoked/normal white fish.
Sun-dried tomatoes
Not only do the sun-dried tomatoes provide a sweet brightness to the sauce (hello Tuscan inspired flavours), we also use the oil within the jar to saute the onions in. This provides the best base for our basa fillet recipe. Don’t skip out this ingredient!
Creme Fraiche
The creme fraiche adds a tanginess to the sauce that cream wouldn’t provide. It’s what makes the sauce creamy, whilst still being bright and summery.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Make it spicy! Italian dishes sometimes taste even better with a little spice and this dish is no exception. Adding a bit of chili powder or flakes to this basa fillet recipe may just give it the kick it needs!
No rice on hand? No worries! This Basa recipe can be served with potatoes, noodles, quinoa, or any other starch you have on hand. And if you prefer to keep it low carb, Zucchini noodles work well too!
Try a different fish! If you don’t have Basa fish it’s okay! This recipe is also great with other light white fish like tilapia, flounder, haddock, and cod.
Make it Vegetarian! Substitute the Basa fillets with 2 large aubergines, cut into planks and add to griddle pan with 1 tbsp olive oil and cook until char lines appear on both sides.
Make it Vegan! Substitute the fillet of Basa with 2 large aubergines, cut into planks and add to griddle pan with 1 tbsp olive oil and cook until char lines appear on both sides. Also, substitute the creme fraiche, with Oatly creamy oat fraiche vegan alternative, soy milk, or almond milk.
How to cook Basa Fish
- Start by adding the brown rice to a medium saucepan with double the amount of water (rice to water ratio 1:2). Bring to a simmer and set the timer to 25 minutes (Image 1).
- Using a large/deep frying pan, add the sun-dried tomato oil and the thinly sliced onion, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper (Image 2).
3. Gently fry on a medium heat for around 4 minutes. Next, add the minced garlic, dried basil and sun-dried tomatoes. Continue to fry for a couple of minutes (Image 3).
4. The rice should now be ready (Image 4).
5. Pour the stock into the pan (Image 5).
6. Then place the defrosted basa fillets (seasoned with salt on both sides) into the pan. It doesn’t matter if they aren’t completely submerged. Reduce the heat to a low simmer (Image 6).
7. After simmering for around 10 minutes remove from heat, add the creme fraiche, lemon juice and spinach into the pan (Image 7).
8. Season with salt and pepper and serve a portion of brown rice with the creamy basa fillets. Top with fresh parsley and enjoy! (Image 8).
Consider making these other delightful fish dishes during the week: Simple Fish Amok Curry, Spicy Tomato and Coconut Cod Curry, Fish Risotto (Haddock and Leek Risotto)
Tips and Tricks
- Use a deep pan with a wide base, ideally one that distributes the heat well around the pan. This will ensure that you have enough surface area to place all of the Basa fish fillets into the pan without stacking them on top of each other, which will mean they’re all submerged in the delicious stock that we’ve made.
- Defrost the Basa fillets ahead of time, if possible. This will mean that you can season the fillets with salt and pepper before adding them into the pan, which will mean that the fish is even more flavourful. It also reduces the cook time, as you’re not putting a frozen fillet into hot water.
- If you’re making this Basa recipe for meal prep, ensure that you refrigerate your rice as soon as it’s cool enough to pop in the fridge. This will prevent any of the risks when reheating rice.
Make Ahead Suggestions
If you want to make this Basa meal faster, then I would suggest preparing the rice ahead. The pre-prep of the rice takes this recipe from 25 minutes to make, down to 15 minutes! Which is a huge difference on a busy weeknight meal!
Serving suggestions
I normally serve this creamy Tuscan Basa fish over rice, however, it is also delicious with noodles, potatoes, and even zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice!
For a vegetable side, I recommend one of the following:
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
Refrigerator: The leftover rice can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and the basa fish with cream sauce can be stored for up to 3 days.
Freezer: It is not recommended to refreeze fish that has already been frozen once. However, you could make a big batch of the Tuscan cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes to freeze and then just add it to a freshly cooked batch of basa fillets whenever you want to.
Reheat: Thaw overnight if the sauce was frozen, then reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes and top with parsley and an optional extra squeeze of lemon.
FAQs
Basa fish is a clean fish as long as it is wild caught and not farm raised.
If you don’t have creme fraiche, you could use cream cheese, heavy cream (you may also need a splash of lemon juice), sour cream, or full fat Greek yogurt as a replacement.
I don’t recommend making this Basa fish with cream sauce in the slow cooker since the fish cooks so quickly. Fish in the crock pot can get overcooked and dried out very easily.
Normally, Basa fish fillets are skinless, making them extra easy to make.
No, Basa fish fillets are bone free.
It is not necessary to cover the pan as the Basa fish cooks.
If you tried this Basa Fillet recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Basa Fish Fillets with Cream Sauce {Tuscan Style!}
Ingredients
- 450 g basa fillets (£3.55)
- 50 g sun-dried tomatoes (£1.15/4)=(£0.29)
- 150 ml crème fraîche (£1.15/2)=(£0.57)
- 2 large handfuls spinach (£1.00/4)=(£0.25)
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced (£0.65/3)=(£0.22)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (£0.75/3)=(£0.25)
- 300 g brown rice, cooked according to packet instructions (£1.45)
- ½ lemon, juiced (£0.20)
- 1 handful fresh parsley (£0.50)
CUPBOARD ESSENTIALS
- 600 ml fish stock
- 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp of dried basil
- Salt & Pepper
Method
*DEFROST THE BASA FILLETS OVERNIGHT IN THE FRIDGE*
- Add the brown rice to a medium saucepan with double the amount of water (rice to water ratio 1:2). Bring to a simmer and set the timer to 25 minutes.
- Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the thinly sliced onion, chilli flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Gently fry on a medium heat for around 4 minutes.
- Next, add the minced garlic, dried basil, and sun-dried tomatoes. Continue frying for a couple of minutes.
- Pour the fish stock into the pan and add the defrosted Basa fillets (seasoned with salt on both sides) into the pan. It doesn't matter if the fillets aren't completely submerged. Reduce the heat to a low simmer for 10 minutes. Cover with a lid.
- After 10 minutes, add the crème fraîche, lemon juice, and spinach into the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Serve a portion of brown rice with the creamy basa fillets. Top with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Notes
- Use a deep pan with a wide base for even heat distribution and to ensure all basa fillets are mostly submerged in the stock.
- Defrost the basa fillets beforehand to season them with salt and pepper, enhancing flavor and reducing cook time.
- Refrigerate cooked rice promptly for meal prep to avoid risks associated with reheating rice.
Nutrition
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