Oven-Baked Tilapia
Oven-Baked Tilapia offers a super easy low-carb dish in less than 20 minutes from start to finish. Flaky, melt-in-your-mouth tilapia so mild that even the pickiest eater will fall in love. This easy yet flavorful dish is perfect for your weekly rotation!
No matter what time of year (New Year’s resolutions, bikini season, or needed self-care), baked fish is a delicious and healthy addition to any menu. That makes oven-baked tilapia a winner in all fields; easy, mouthwateringly good, and good for you.
Content…Why Go For a Healthier Option |
An Easier, Healthier Baked Tilapia Recipe
These healthy oven-baked tilapia loins are always a welcome change to the weekly rotation. Besides, many health experts keep asking us to include fish in our diets. Plus, fish cooks up super fast for those crazy weeknight dinners. This versatile recipe works for salmon, mahi mahi, tuna, or whatever you have in the fridge or freezer.
Ingredients for this Recipe
- Tilapia – I like thick, juicy fish steaks over the fillets, but either works. Fresh or frozen tilapia or any firm-fleshed white fish does fine. Rub it with a little olive oil so the seasonings stick.
- Garlic Butter keeps our tilapia loins from drying out. Add garlic, thyme, paprika, oregano pepper (dried oregano and red pepper flakes), and white pepper for extra flavor.
- Chicken Stock – Just enough to add flavor and keep the tilapia moist without extra fat.
- Lemon – Citrusy freshness is the perfect balancing act with fish.
How to Bake Tilapia in the Oven
- Preheat oven to 400℉/205℃.
- Rinse the fish loins or fillets, dry them, then rub them with seasoned salt and pepper. Place fish in an ungreased 9″x13″ baking sheet and set aside.
- Garlic Butter – Heat oil over medium heat in a large pan or skillet. Add butter, garlic, thyme, paprika, and oregano pepper. Stir for about a minute. (Photos 1-4)
- Sauce – Pour about ½ cup chicken broth, white pepper, and 1-2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice into the butter sauce. (Start with a teaspoon and adjust to taste, then lightly season sauce with salt if desired).
- Assembly – Then pour the melted butter sauce over the fish and proceed with baking. (Photos 5-7)
- Bake, uncovered, at 400℉/205℃ for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Aim for an internal temperature of about 145℉/62℃.
- Serve – Garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy! (Photo 8)
Tips and Tricks
- To even out your fillet for consistent cooking, fold the thin belly meat beneath the fillet.
- Please know your tilapia’s source. Though it might cost a little more, wild and responsibly raised tilapia is better for the planet. So, I usually buy from markets I trust.
Make-Ahead and Leftovers Instructions
You can make this oven-baked tilapia ahead right up to the baking part. Cover it and refrigerate it for a day. Then, bring it close to room temperature before putting it in the oven. You could freeze it for up to two months, then thaw it overnight in the fridge and bake it the next day.
Fish is best fresh from the oven because who likes cold fish, right? (Unless it’s ceviche😋) Add a side of rice, and you have a complete meal.
Allow leftovers to cool and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for two or three days. They’ll keep in the freezer for two months. Reheat in an oven-proof baking dish at 400℉ (205℃) or microwave with 30-second blasts until heated.
FAQs
Loins are the thicker portion of tilapia. Their shape, thickness, and size are relatively consistent, so cooking with a precise degree of doneness is much easier. They come from the section behind the head and along the backbone, without the thinner belly and tail meat.
The consensus on this one is 400℉/205℃. Fish cooks fast, and high heat creates a deliciously flaky fish your family will love.
Short answer, no. This super easy recipe doesn’t require much attention once it’s in the oven. Fast and delicious=win-win!
The first way is by inserting a fork at an angle in the thickest part and turning gently. If it has lost its translucent look and flakes easily, it’s done. The second way is an instant-read thermometer reading 140-145℉ (60-63℃).
What to Serve With Baked Tilapia
Fish is a versatile dish that you can serve with almost anything. A healthy Greek salad and homemade garlic bread are always a winner at my house. Balsamic baked Brussels sprouts and seasoned rice also work well if it’s too chilly for a salad to sound good. Oh, and don’t forget a glass of white wine like Chardonnay to round it out on special occasions.😉
More Fabulous Fish Recipes to Try
- Fish and Grits
- Blackened Catfish with Shrimp Sauce
- Curry Fish
- Jamaican Steamed Fish
- Jamaican Ackee and Saltfish
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in October 2017 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Oven-Baked Tilapia
Ingredients
- 4-6 tilapia loins, about 4 oz. each
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil (olive, canola, or vegetable)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano pepper
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 large lemon, cut in half with one half sliced and the other half squeezed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉/205℃.
- Rinse the fish loins or fillets, dry them, then rub them with seasoned salt and pepper. Place fish in an ungreased 9"x13" baking dish and set aside.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a large pan or skillet, and then add butter, garlic, thyme, paprika, and oregano pepper. Stir for about a minute.
- Pour about ½ cup chicken broth, white pepper, and about 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice from a freshly squeezed lemon into the butter sauce. (Start with a teaspoon and adjust to taste, then lightly season sauce with salt if desired).
- Then pour the sauce over the fish and proceed with baking.
- Bake, uncovered, at 400℉/205℃ for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
- To even out your fillet and provide some consistent cooking, fold the thin belly meat beneath the fillet.
- Colossal tip – Know the source of your tilapia. Wild is best but hard to come by. On the other hand, fish responsibly raised to the highest international standards is easier to find. So I usually buy from markets I trust. If you are unsure where they come from, ask at the counter because most places list their fish source. These guys are from Costco.
- To minimize the fishy odor, you may soak the tilapia fillets in salted ice water or rub the fish lightly with lemon or lime juice.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
I’m planning on making this for company but am wondering what “oregano pepper “ as called for in the recipe?
Hello. It’s just a mix of oregano and pepper. You can use red pepper or black pepper in the proportions you prefer.
I enjoyed making andveating this dish!
Yayy, Happy to know that. Thanks Bertha:)
Can I use frozen instead of fresh? I was gifted a pack of frozen tilapia and have no idea what to do with it. This recipe looks great!
Hi, Abbie. I use frozen tilapia for this recipe. Just make sure you thaw it before cooking. Please do let me know how it turns out for you.
Here In South Africa we can only get frozen tilapia imported from China.
It is heavily contaminated with untreated chicken dropping and different antibiotics. No one buys them and I sincerely encourage that you investigate your source of tilapia.
Thank
I made this recipe for dinner – but I didn’t use chicken stock. I used all your ingredients (except the chicken stock), mixed in a small bowl and basted the raw fish with it. Then baked per your instructions….perfect! Wow, thank you!
Glad it worked out well for you. Thanks for the feedback.
Loved the recipe! Thank you! Well, my whole family says thank you!
You are very welcome! Glad you loved it! 🙂
This was delicious. I did add about 1/3cup of canned crushed tomatoes.
Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome! Thank you for dropping by.
this looks so good but my oven is crowded (roommates!). Any way I can make this on the stove?
Oh, I completely relate. Reminds me of my college days :). Unfortunately, I haven’t tried making this particular recipe on the stove. However, you could try out my other fish recipes like this delicious fish fillet in cream sauce https://www.africanbites.com/red-snapper-creamy-sauce/ . . or this easy Jamaican steamed fish https://www.africanbites.com/jamaican-steamed-fish/ or this tasty Curry Fish https://www.africanbites.com/curry-fish/. The plus side, these are all stove friendly :).
Should the fish to be prepared from frozen, or thawed before cooking?
It should be thawed before cooking .
I am a huge fan of fish recipes and this one sounds delicious! I love all the spices and herbs that you used in this recipe….wow
Awesome ! Thanks Albert!
Cholesterol and Saturated Fat content look high….what accounts for this?
Looks delicious though. I’ll give it a go….
Hi Stephen, it must me the butter – replace with olive oil for less saturated fat. Do let me know how it works out . Thanks!
Thank you very much for the information on fish cookery
Looks delicious! !!!
I’m new to your website, everything looks delicious. I love to cook. I’m going to try this recipe this weekend.
Welcome Latoria! You are right at home cause I love to cook too! Do let me know how it works out for you. Thanks !
Hi
Am new here, just came across ur webwebsite. Thanks for ur wonderful recipe. Am going to try dis recipe dis weekend. Lucia
I cooked the tilapia yesterday. OMG!!! It was DELICIOUS!!! My boyfriend LOVED IT!!! He said you can use this sauce on chicken and some other dishes. We had it with Cilantro Lime Rice and steamed Broccoli with onions and peppers. This is now going to be my go-to recipe for fish. I LOVED IT. I also drizzled the juice from the salmon on the rice.
Thanks soo much for a delicious recipe.
CORRECTION: That should have been “I drizzled the juice from the tilapia on the rice.” I think I’m thinking ahead to use it on salmon too. LOL!!!
So delicious
Thanks !