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This easy grilled tilapia recipe is packed with bold Cajun flavor and cooked in foil packets for a quick, juicy dinner! With tilapia fillets, corn, onions, and peppers, it’s a family favorite that’s big on flavor and easy on cleanup.
Don’t forget to bring out the biscuits and a side of coleslaw!
5 Star Review
“Excellent! Will be making this one over and over.” Sueann
Grilled Tilapia in Foil Packets
Trying to add more fish to the menu? Please, start here because this grilled tilapia recipe is one of my go-to easy summer dinners. It’s just flaky, juicy fish wrapped in foil with Cajun butter, corn on the cob, and all the summer vibes. You can toss it on the grill or bake it in the oven, and it turns out perfect every time. Zero stress, big flavor.
Tilapia is super mild (a little sweet, kinda like striped bass), which means it soaks up bold flavors like Cajun seasoning like a champ. Add a squeeze of lemon, a pat of butter, and boom, dinner’s done. Honestly, it might be even easier than my garlic butter oven baked tilapia, and that one’s basically foolproof.
Ingredients For This Grilled Tilapia Recipe
This easy recipe features a short list of simple ingredients, nothing fancy – just flavorful items you probably already have in your kitchen. I’ve included quick notes and easy swaps below (because I always swap something), and you can scroll down to the recipe card when you’re ready to get cooking!
- Corn – Corn on the cob brings that summery vibe! Shuck it and slice into thick rounds.
- Yellow Onion – One large onion, thinly sliced. Red or white onion works too, but use whatever you love or need to use up.
- Red Bell Pepper – Sliced thin for color and a touch of sweetness. Green or yellow peppers are totally fine if that’s what’s hanging out in your fridge.
- Garlic – A few cloves, freshly minced. If you’re out, garlic powder will do the job.
- Butter – Half melted, half cubed. It adds richness and keeps everything juicy inside the foil.
- Cajun Seasoning + Salt & Black Pepper – Use your favorite Cajun blend or mix up your own with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, cayenne, and a little oregano. Adjust the heat to taste!
- Tilapia Fillets – Mild and flaky, tilapia is perfect for this. You can also use cod, mahi-mahi, or even salmon if that’s what you’ve got.
- Lemon – For serving. A good squeeze on top adds brightness and ties all the flavors together.
Recipe Tips
- Foil-Free Options: If you want to skip the foil, a veggie grill tray works great for the grill, just know the ingredients won’t steam the same, so keep an eye on cook times. Baking instead? You can use parchment paper in the oven, but never on the grill (fire hazard alert!). Fold the packets the same way and bake as directed.
- Fresh or Frozen: I think fresh fish is the best for this recipe, but if you don’t have fresh tilapia, frozen works well too. Thaw it in the refrigerator and pat it dry before cooking. In some cases, frozen fish was frozen when it was much fresher than the fish which has been sitting behind on a fish counter for hours.
- Tilapia Substitutes: If you don’t have tilapia, any white fish works! Other good options include cod, flounder, red snapper, striped bass, and catfish.
Tasty Serving Suggestions
This grilled tilapia recipe is so good on its own, but it’s even better when you pair it with a side (or two). I usually throw some veggies on the grill while the fish cooks. These grilled summer squash kebabs are a go-to: colorful, nutritious, and super easy. For something crispy, try grilled potato wedges with a bold spice mix that holds up perfectly next to that Cajun butter. And if you really want to make it a meal, don’t skip the air fryer red lobster biscuits! They’re buttery, fluffy, and always steal the show.
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Grilled Tilapia Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ears corn on the cob, cleaned and each ear cut into 6 rounds
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning blend, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 4 tilapia filets, about 4 to 6 ounces each, thawed
- 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small cubes
- lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the grill to 400˚F. Tear out 4 large heavy duty foil sheets measuring about 12×12, each. Set aside.
- Prepare the corn. Add 8 cups water to a cooking pot and set over high heat; bring to a boil. Add in the corn, reduce the heat to a steady simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain.
- Combine the vegetables. In a large mixing bowl, add the corn, sliced onions, bell peppers, and garlic. Set aside.
- Make the Cajun butter. Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a separate bowl; stir in ½ tablespoon cajun seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Add the butter to the veggies. Pour the melted butter mixture over the corn, onions, and peppers. Gently toss to combine.
- Season the fish. Rub the remaining Cajun seasoning blend all around the tilapia filets. Season them with the remaining salt and pepper.
- Prep the foils. Divide the corn mixture between the four aluminum foil sheets. Add a fish fillet to each foil. Dot the cubed butter over the fillets. Bring the edges of the foil together and seal them closed.
- Grill. Transfer the tilapia foil packets to the grill and cook for 15 minutes, flipping them once halfway through cooking.
- Finish and serve. Remove the grilled tilapia from the grill. Carefully open up the packets away from your face. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Oven Method: Preheat oven to 400˚F and bake the foil packets on a baking sheet for 15 minutes.
- Fresh vs. Frozen Tilapia: Fresh fish is ideal, but thawed, patted-dry frozen fish works too.
- Substitutes For Tilapia: Any white fish like cod, flounder, red snapper, striped bass, or catfish can replace tilapia.
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.
How To Grill Tilapia
If you’ve never cooked with foil packets before, you’re in for a treat. I use this method for everything, from shrimp boil to steak and potatoes, because it makes grilling so easy, even for delicate stuff like fish fillets. Just wrap, grill, and go.
- Preheat and Prepare. To begin, preheat your grill to 400˚F. Then get four large heavy-duty foil sheets (each one about 12×12 inches square). Add 8 cups of water to a large pot, and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- Boil the Corn. Add the corn rounds to the pot, and reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Cook the corn for 10 minutes. Drain. Combine the corn, sliced onions, bell peppers, and garlic in a large mixing bowl.
- Make the Cajun Butter. Meanwhile, melt three tablespoons of butter in a separate bowl. Stir in ½ tablespoon cajun seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Pour this mixture over the corn, onions, and peppers, and gently toss to combine.
- Assemble the Foil Packets. Finally, rub some cajun seasoning blend onto the tilapia filets. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Spoon the corn mixture evenly onto the four foil sheets, and then top each one with a fish fillet. Dot the cubes of butter over the fish, and then fold the edges of the foil together to seal them closed.
- Grill. Place the packets on the grill, and grill for 15 minutes, flipping them once halfway through cooking.
- Garnish and Serve. Remove from the grill, and open up the tilapia foil packets away from your face. Garnish with lemon, and serve.
Oven Method
To bake the tilapia, preheat the oven to 400˚F. Place the prepared foil packets on a baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Store your leftovers in food storage bags or containers in the refrigerator, for up to three days.
- Reheat tilapia in the oven at 350˚F until heated through.
- You can freeze leftover tilapia in an airtight freezer bag or container for up to 2 months. Reheat directly from frozen.
The recipe was easy to follow, I did a different variation because I had 8 filet I use 2 small square pans 4 in each sprikeled salt pepper and casin seasoning on fish. Decided peppers and onion & garlic corn between the 2 pans covered w foil put in oven. Delisious!
It’s great to hear the recipe worked well for you with your own twist! Using different pans and seasonings sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing your success!