Oven Baked Tilapia + 4 Flavor Options
This easy oven baked tilapia recipe is flaky, flavorful, and perfect for busy weeknights. The tilapia fillets bake quickly with simple seasonings and can easily be customized with parmesan, lemon dill, or a quick broil finish. A reliable, beginner-friendly fish recipe ready in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 fresh tilapia fillets approx. 1/3 pound each and 3/4 inches thick (at thickest part)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil sub avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375℉. Pat 4 fresh tilapia fillets dry with clean paper towels.
- Season Fish: Place tilapia fillets on a baking sheet or baking dish lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, rubbing it all over the fillets. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (feel free add other seasonings as well - creole seasoning works great).
- Bake Fish: Move the whole thing to the preheated oven, middle rack, to bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature at it's thickest part reaches between 135℉ and 140℉ and the meat is white and easily flakes. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes.
- Serve: Serve with steamed green beans and herbed potatoes OR you can cut up the fish fillets to make tilapia fish tacos!
Notes
- Serving: serve with steamed green beans and herbed potatoes OR you can cut up the fish fillets to make tilapia fish tacos!
- Sauce: serve with homemade tartar sauce or some herby greek yogurt sauce (Mix together 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons fresh dill, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and a pinch of black pepper).
- Storage: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
- Tilapia Internal temperature: Tilapia is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. at the thickest part of the fillet (use an instant read thermometer to track the temp), but many home chefs pull it early from the oven (between 135-140 degrees F) as it will continue cooking (carryover cooking) as it rests. Tilapia is very delicate so you don't want to over-cook it or it will get rubbery (especially on the outer edges where it is much thinner and will cook faster) and dry.
- Frozen Tilapia: you can use frozen tilapia, but I would recommend thawing overnight in the fridge. Really pat dry once thawed to pull out excess moisture, but you should still expect some extra moisture to appear on your baking sheet.
- Broiled Finish: Broil during the last 1–2 minutes of cook time for crispier edges and more color. Watch carefully so the fish doesn’t overcook.
- Foil Packet: Add thin lemon slices, 2–3 sprigs fresh dill, and a small tab of butter. Seal in foil and bake 10–12 minutes or until fully cooked.
- Parmesan Crusted: Top with 1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan, 3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs, and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake at 400°F for 8–9 minutes, then broil 2–3 minutes until golden.
- Lemon Dill Twist: Add fresh lemon zest and chopped dill before baking for a brighter, fresher flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.1g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 379mg | Potassium: 515mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
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