Baked Tilapia with Lemon
A quick and healthy seafood recipe featuring tender baked tilapia in a lemon-butter garlic sauce. Perfect for weeknights, family dinners, or special occasions with minimal cleanup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1/2 medium lemon)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets (3 to 4)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves (from 5 sprigs)
Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- In a small bowl, mix together melted butter, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, paprika, and black pepper (or red pepper flakes).
- Pat tilapia fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with kosher salt.
- Arrange fillets in a 9×13-inch baking dish in an even layer (slight overlap is fine).
- Spoon the butter mixture evenly over the fish.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, until the tilapia is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Use lime juice instead of lemon for a citrusy twist.
- Swap tilapia for cod, haddock, or sole.
- Add cayenne for more heat.
- Mix fresh herbs like dill or basil into the butter sauce for variety.
- Sprinkle with grated Parmesan before baking for extra flavor.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat gently in the oven at 300ºF for about 10 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Find it online: https://cheftinaskitchen.com/baked-tilapia-with-lemon/
