But my favorite part about cooking in packets? It’s virtually mess free. You can cook and even eat out of the packets you create without ever dirtying a pan.
Want to get started? Check out our 8 Steps to Folding Packets.
Here are 4 of my favorite dinner-in-a-packet recipes:
Tilapia and Summer Vegetable Packets (see recipe below) – Tilapia and summer vegetables pair with olives and capers for a Mediterranean flair.
Adobo Pork & Potato Packets – Well-spiced pork pairs with thinly sliced potatoes in this delicious packet.
Catfish with Tomatillo Salsa in Packets – Tomatillos provide a distinctive tart flavor to a super-easy salsa that cooks with the catfish. Try it with tomatoes too.
Packet-Roasted Balsamic Green Beans & Peppers – We love to grill these green-bean-and-bell-pepper packets alongside chicken, steak or pork chops.
Tilapia and Summer Vegetable Packets
Active time: 35 minutes | Total: 35 minutes
1 cup quartered cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cup diced summer squash
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
12 green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped black olives
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon capers, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into 4 equal portions
1. Preheat grill to medium. (No grill? See Oven Variation.)
2. Combine tomatoes, squash, onion, green beans, olives, lemon
juice, oregano, oil, capers, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon
pepper in a large bowl.
3. To make a packet, lay two 20-inch sheets of foil on top of each
other (the double layers will help protect the contents from
burning); generously coat the top piece with cooking spray. Place
one portion of tilapia in the center of the foil. Sprinkle with
some of the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, then top with
about 3/4 cup of the vegetable mixture.
4. Bring the short ends of the foil together, leaving enough room
in the packet for steam to gather and cook the food. Fold the foil
over and pinch to seal. Pinch seams together along the sides. Make
sure all the seams are tightly sealed to keep steam from escaping.
Repeat with more foil, cooking spray and the remaining fish, salt,
pepper and vegetables.
5. Grill the packets until the fish is cooked through and the
vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. To serve, carefully
open both ends of the packets and allow the steam to escape. Use a
spatula to slide the contents onto plates.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 181 calories; 7 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 57 mg cholesterol; 8 g carbohydrate; 24 g protein; 2 g fiber; 435 mg sodium; 591 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Selenium (68% daily value), Vitamin C (30% dv), Potassium (17% dv).
Oven Variation: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place green beans in a microwavable bowl with 1 tablespoon water. Cover and microwave on High until the beans are just beginning to cook, about 30 seconds. Drain and add to the other vegetables (Step 2). Assemble packets (Steps 3-4). Bake the packets directly on an oven rack until the tilapia is cooked through and the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.
By Hilary Meyer
EatingWell assistant editor Hilary Meyer spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute.
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