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Need a fresh, tasty dinner that comes together real fast? Then you’ll love my easy Garlic Butter Oven Baked Tilapia. Seasoned with a classic blend of lemon, garlic, melted butter, and paprika, this simple dinner really hits the spot! And, it’s all done in just 20 minutes.
FLAKY GARLIC BUTTER BAKED TILAPIA
There are so many great recipes for baked fish out there, but I really love this one because, it doesn’t require any mayonnaise, breadcrumbs, parmesan, or other toppings. All you need is lemon, garlic, and butter. Super simple, low carb, gluten free, Keto-friendly, AND flavorFUL. Even picky eaters love this tasty fish fillet recipe.
BUT, if you’re looking for a rich and creamy fish recipe, you have to try my Skillet Tilapia with Creamy Lemon Sauce. 😋
IS FRESH OR FROZEN TILAPIA BEST?
In general, if you have access to fish that has been freshly caught, cleaned, and put up for sale within about 48 hours, then that’s your absolute best bet for quality. Other than that, the likelihood is that any fish you buy has been frozen at some point in order to keep it fresh for transport.
Frozen fish is also processed and frozen quickly after the catch. So you can feel confident that the fish in the freezer case is, in most cases, just as good as the fish at the counter, and maybe even better!
IS TILAPIA HEALTHY?
While wild-caught fish is generally thought to be the healthiest, many food experts say that properly farmed fish is very healthy, and that includes tilapia! Tilapia is high in Omega-3 fatty acids, and is a good source of protein.
However, some sources of tilapia are better than others, so be sure to check out the source’s reputation, standards, and the kind of feed they use for their fish.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
- Tilapia Fillets: This recipe uses four medium-sized fillets.
- Salt and Pepper
- Dried Thyme, Dried Oregano, and Ground Paprika: Use regular paprika, not hot or smoked paprika.
- Butter: You’ll need 4 tablespoons, melted.
- Fresh Garlic: Mince the garlic or put it through a garlic press.
- Fresh Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest: You’ll need two tablespoons of juice and ¼ teaspoon of zest.
- Lemon Slices, Red Pepper Flakes, and Chopped Parsley: For garnish.
HOW TO MAKE BAKED TILAPIA
- Prepare the Tilapia Fillets. Season tilapia with salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and oregano; arrange fish in a 9×13 baking dish. In a mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest; pour over tilapia.
- Bake the Fillets. Bake tilapia for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fish flakes and is fork-tender.
- Serve! Garnish with pepper flakes, parsley, and lemon slices and enjoy!
HOW LONG TO BAKE TILAPIA
If you haven’t baked tilapia before you may be wondering how to do it properly. Here are a few quick tips for the best baked tilapia:
- Like most fish fillets, tilapia cooks up pretty quickly! You’ll want to check on it as soon as it’s been in the oven for 10 minutes, or even sooner if your oven runs hot.
- The fillets are done when they flake easily with a fork (but aren’t dry).
- If you’re using a meat thermometer, insert it sideways into the thickest part of the fillet. The temperature should be 145°F.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- A Smashing Side: Tender potatoes go wonderfully with baked fish, so I like serving these yummy fillets with a side of my Crispy Parmesan Smashed Potatoes. Add a green salad, and dinner’s done!
- A Gift of Goodness: You can also get your veggies and starch all baked up at once with these lovely parchment packages: try my Spring Vegetables and Potatoes Baked in Parchment. Feel free to substitute whatever veggies are freshest in your area.
- Sweets to the Sweet: For a sweet follow-up, try serving some Creamy Keto Chocolate Mousse or a plate of My Family’s Traditional Baklava. So amazing!
HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT LEFTOVERS
- To refrigerate, store cooled leftover fillets in an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To freeze, place leftover fillets in a single layer on a baking sheet or platter. Freeze until frozen solid. Then transfer the frozen fillets into freezer bags and push out as much air as possible before sealing. The fillets will keep in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
- To reheat, first thaw the fish (if frozen). Then place the fillets at room temperature while the oven preheats to 350°F. Arrange the fillets in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until heated through. The fish’s texture may be less moist after storing and reheating.
More Fish Recipes
ENJOY!
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GARLIC BUTTER OVEN BAKED TILAPIA
Ingredients
- 4 tilapia fillets
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper,, to taste
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 tablespoons butter,, melted
- 4 cloves garlic,, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 lemon,, sliced into rounds, for garnish
- Red pepper flakes,, for garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley,, for garnish
- Lemon slices,, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Season tilapia with salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and oregano; arrange fish in a 9x13 baking dish.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest; pour over tilapia.
- Bake tilapia for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fish flakes and is fork-tender.
- Garnish with pepper flakes, parsley, and lemon slices. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Made this tonight and followed the recipe. Great! Very flavorful. Additionally, I was very appreciative of the tip to temp the fish to 145 degrees. This will be saved into my “Favorites” folder.
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
What temperature do you bake the tilapia?
Hi!
You want to bake it at 400˚F for about 10 to 12 minutes. There’s a recipe card toward the bottom of the post and there you will find all the information you need to make this recipe.
Hello, can’t wait to make this tomorrow. Did you use salted or unsalted butter? Thanks
Hi!
I used unsalted butter.
This lemon garlic baked tilapia was absolutely delicious! I made the recipe exactly as written. It had flavor and the fish was perfectly flaky and tender. I served it over rice and garnished as suggested. It made a beautiful presentation. This recipe is a keeper!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Could this be used with other white fish or only for tilapia?
Yes, you can use this recipe with cod, grouper, bass, or any other quick cooking white fish fillets.
Great thank you I’m going to try this tonight looks yummy
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Really good! Doubled the recipe. Found it easy & very flavourful!
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
going to try it tonight. my mouth is watering as we speak.
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Really good, although I think I’ve added too much red pepper flakes as a garnish and the dish had a bite to it.
Absolutely delicious made exactly as you described. Definitely will make again and I’m passing the recipe along.
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
If I have limes at home instead of lemons that I’m trying to use up, what would be the difference in the recipe?
Hi!
The difference would be the taste. Limes and lemons do not taste the same. You can try it with limes, but grab some lemons, instead, if you can. 😊
Should we defrost our tilapia filets prior to making or does the cook time take into account frozen filets?
Hi!
You’d only have to increase the cooking time to maybe couple more minutes. Just check the fillets at the suggested cooking time, to see if they flake, and if not, give it a minute or two longer.
So good! We’re trying to cut back on saturated fat so we only used half the butter, and it still came out absolutely delicious. Thanks so much! We will definitely serve this one again.
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂