Grilled Tilapia Recipe (with Lemon Butter)

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this oven Grilled Tilapia Recipe It’s an easy way to get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes. Made with just five simple ingredients (plus salt and pepper), this easy fish dish has bright lemon flavor and a rich, buttery texture.Unlike my standalone version Fish with Lemon Butter Saucethis sauce does not need to be cooked separately.

Tilapia in the oven is as easy as baking other fish recipes such as baked codflaky grilled salmonFast rainbow trouteven Grilled Halibut. But if you’re looking for a more cost-effective, lighter fish option, grilled tilapia recipes are an especially good option for mild flavor, fine texture, and a reasonable price.

Why You’ll Love This Grilled Tilapia Recipe

Buttery, Bright Lemony
The fish fillets are tender and crispy
ready in 20 minutes
Easy, Cheap, Healthy Dinners
Naturally Low Carb and Gluten Free

Grilled Tilapia Recipe in a Sheet Pan with Lemon Slices.

Ingredients and Substitutes

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for oven-baked tilapia, the role each ingredient plays in the recipe, and substitution options.For measurements, see recipe card below.

tilapia – Tilapia is a freshwater fish that is native to Africa but is now farmed all over the world. While I generally prefer wild-caught fish, tilapia is a great cost-saving option. Most tilapia fillets are about the same size, but the tilapia loin is the thicker part of the fillet with no flat parts. I used whole fillets in this grilled tilapia recipe, but the loins can also be used. Available fresh or frozen. Skinless tilapia is best avoided with any bitterness.
butter – I prefer to use grass-fed butter for the best flavor and nutrition, but any unsalted butter will do.If you need a dairy-free option, you can use olive oil (it will have a different flavor) or Buttery Coconut Oil (similar taste).
lemon – We will use half to get the lemon juice and zest and use the other half to slice and put on the fish. Feel free to use two individual lemons if that’s easier for you. You will need a total of 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest.If you don’t have fresh lemons on hand, but have bottled lemon juice, you can increase the lemon juice to 2 tablespoons and omit the lemon zest and slices, but it will be less lemony. Lime juice will also work in a pinch, but the flavor will be different.
fresh parsley – Feel free to substitute other fresh herbs such as dill or chives. You can also reserve for additional decorations.
garlic – Use fresh garlic, not canned, since we are crushing the cloves. It can also be used when chopped, but the flavor will be more even if crushed. You can also substitute 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
seasoning – The seasoning for this Easy Baked Tilapia is easy: just salt and pepper! The lemon butter provides plenty of flavor on its own. For a little more heat, you can add a little red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. If you’d like to season your fish in other ways, check out the variations I’ve listed below!

Put fish and other ingredients in a bowl.

How to Bake Tilapia in the Oven

This section shows how to make grilled tilapia, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique to help you get a feel for it.For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see recipe card below.

Prepare the fish. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels.arrange them in a single layer bakeware. It’s okay if they touch, but don’t overlap too much (if at all).
Prepare the lemons. Cut the lemon in half. It was 50/50 juice and 50/50 zest. Cut the other half into thin slices.

Make the Lemon Butter Sauce. Place in microwave or small bowl pan On the stove, melt the butter. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice, grated lemon zest, parsley, and crushed garlic.
Season the fish. Brush the garlic lemon butter over the tilapia fillets. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Flip and repeat. Put lemon slices over the fish.

Raw tilapia with lemon butter sauce and lemon slices, before baking.

bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake the tilapia until it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Garnish with more parsley if you like.

Oven baked tilapia in a baking dish and garnished with parsley.

How long to bake tilapia?

Bake the tilapia for 12-15 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork.The best way to tell it’s done is to use Instant Read Thermometer Insert the thickest part – it should read between 140 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Can you use frozen tilapia for grilled tilapia?

Yes, you can make grilled tilapia from frozen ingredients, but the cooking time will need to be adjusted. If baking frozen, it usually takes about 18-22 minutes. However, the fish will cook more evenly if it is thawed first.

Seasoning Variations

If you want a different flavor, try these popular options:

spices – For extra flavor, sprinkle paprika, cumin and/or onion powder in addition to salt and pepper.
south – Omit the lemon and use 1 tbsp Indian seasoning or blackened seasoning Substitute sea salt and black pepper.
parmesan cheese – follow me Parmesan Tilapia Recipe. It uses only 4 simple ingredients and is ready in 15 minutes!
old bay – just replace the sea salt with Old Bay Seasoning.

storage instructions

shop: Leftovers from this Grilled Tilapia recipe will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheat: Heat the fish in a 350°F oven and cover with aluminum foil. Reheating in the microwave dries out the fish even more, but if that’s your only option, it will work (at half power).
freeze: Allow the seared tilapia to cool completely before transferring to a freezer bag with several layers of parchment between the fillets to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or in a bowl of cold water on the counter, then reheat.

Grilled tilapia on a plate with a fork recipe.

What to Serve with Grilled Tilapia

This grilled tilapia recipe goes well with almost anything! Try these easy ideas for organizing your weeknight dinners:

rice – Serve this simple white fish with rice, or Cauliflower Fried Rice for healthier options.
Potato – Choose your favorite: baked beansmashed potatoes, and even Greek Lemon Potatoes The pairing is fine.You can even mitigate this idea with Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes.
Fried vegetables – vegetables like Fried Broccoli, Mung Bean Almondand Fried Zucchini Everything went well with the grilled tilapia.
roasted vegetables – If you change the position of the shelves midway, you can cook main and side dishes at the same time. Roasted Broccoli or Roasted Cauliflower Works well because they require the same oven temperature as seared tilapia fillets.you can also do Roasted Cherry Tomatoes or Grilled Asparagus Place in the same baking dish as the fish.
salad – Light, fresh salads go perfectly with fish.try fresh Israeli saladA simple Cucumber Tomato Salador a Spring Mixed Salad in spring or summer or sweet Kale Salad in autumn or winter.
Fish Tacos – Substituted lemons for limes in the grilled tilapia recipe and replaced the seasoning with taco seasoning. Bake as directed, then cut into tortillas, Burrito Bowlsor in a Taco Salad.

More Easy Tilapia Recipes

If you liked this oven-baked tilapia, you might also like these other easy ways to prepare this fish:

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Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
Pat the fillets dry with paper towels.arrange them in a single layer 9×13 baking dish.
Cut the lemon in half. Juice and lemon zest are 50/50 (you should get about 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest). Cut the other half into thin slices.
Place in microwave or small bowl pan On the stove, melt the butter. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice, grated lemon zest, parsley, and crushed garlic.
Brush the garlic lemon butter over the tilapia fillets. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Flip and repeat lemon butter and dressing on other side. Put lemon slices over the fish.
bake 12-15 minutes(varies according to thickness), until the grilled tilapia is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

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recipe notes

Serving Size: 1 grilled tilapia fillet

nutrient content

Amount per serving. Serving sizes in recipe instructions above.

calories 270

fat 14.4 grams

protein 34.4 grams

total carbohydrates 1.2 grams

net carbs 1.1 grams

fiber 0.1g

sugar 0.2 grams

Nutrition Facts are provided as a courtesy. Questions about calculations or why do I get different results?see our nutrition policy.

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