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!
One of my readers called me out on Facebook regarding my deep love for anything chicken. Yeah, it happens. Okay, but in case you didn’t know, chicken runs in my DNA, and my freezer never runs out.🤣
No matter how much I push myself to turn my back on meat altogether, I just can’t. NOPE! So I am consuming it in moderation. But even so, we all need a bit of a chicken break once in a while. So here is my oven-baked tilapia! Applause, anyone?
Baked Tilapia vs. Baked Chicken
These healthy oven-baked tilapia loins are always a welcome change to the weekly rotation, but they’re both good for you. However, you can interchange chicken and fish in so many recipes. The advantage of fish is how fast it goes from the kitchen to the table. We’re replacing chicken thighs with some budget-friendly tilapia fillets or loins that cook in 10-15 minutes in this recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
- Tilapia Loins – Personally, I like thick, juicy fish steaks over the fillets, but you can use either one. Loins take longer to bake than fillets, so reduce their time in the oven by a few minutes. The internal temperature on either one should be about 145℉/62℃.
- Butter – Buttery goodness makes our tilapia loins super moist and rich. It also helps the seasonings stick better. But you can replace it with olive oil for dairy-free fish; it won’t be as butterylicious, but it will still be awesome.
- Seasonings – Garlic, thyme, paprika, oregano pepper (a combination of dried oregano and red pepper), and white pepper make a tasty baked fish. However, you can replace oregano pepper with just oregano for a kid-friendly heat-free version.
- Chicken Stock – Just enough to add flavor and keep the tilapia from drying out in the oven.
- Lemon – Citrusy freshness is the perfect balancing act with fish.
How to Make Oven-Baked Tilapia
It doesn’t even call for complicated steps. You just mix all the seasonings in a skillet, add the seasoned tilapia, and bake. No sweat! It’s super easy, quick, healthy, and tasty.
Get Everything Ready
- 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.
- Prepare Seasonings – 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. (Photos 1-4)
Put it all Together
- Finalize the Sauce – 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).
- Assembly – Then pour the sauce over the fish and proceed with baking. (Photos 5-7)
- Final Stretch – Bake, uncovered, at 400℉/205℃ for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy! (Photo 8)
Recipe Variations
- Seasoning Swap – Italian or Creole seasonings give a welcome change to the weekly rotation. In addition, grated parmesan to the seasonings is always a hit at my house.
- Different Fish – You can sub tilapia with other firm-fleshed fish like snapper, grouper, flounder, rockfish, and salmon. Adjust cooking time for the steak’s or fillet’s size.
Tips and Tricks
- 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.
Make-Ahead 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 preheated oven. You could freeze it for up to two months, then thaw overnight in the fridge and bake it the next day.
Serving and Storage Instructions
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 or in the freezer for two months.
Reheat in an oven-proof baking dish at 400℉/205℃ or in the microwave with 30-second blasts until heated.
FAQs
Well, let me explain. Loins are the thicker portion of tilapia. Their shape, thickness, and size are relatively consistent, so it is much easier to cook with a precise degree of doneness. 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!!!
There are two ways. The best one is 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 a thermometer that gives a 140-145/60-63℃ internal temperature reading.
What Goes With Oven-Baked Tilapia
Fish is such a versatile dish that you can serve it 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 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
Closing Thoughts
This Baked Tilapia is a healthy low-carb meal seasoned with garlic, paprika, and lemon, making it so delicious in every bite. And it’s a perfect choice for those on a diet without sacrificing the taste. Is fish one of your faves? Please comment below if you’ve tried this recipe.
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
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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.
Joanne says
I’m planning on making this for company but am wondering what “oregano pepper “ as called for in the recipe?
Imma says
Hello. It’s just a mix of oregano and pepper. You can use red pepper or black pepper in the proportions you prefer.
Bertha Parbey says
I enjoyed making andveating this dish!
Imma says
Yayy, Happy to know that. Thanks Bertha:)
Abbie says
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!
imma africanbites says
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.
Ian ShAw says
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.
Aisha Mamman says
Thank
Tamar Abraham says
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!
ImmaculateBites says
Glad it worked out well for you. Thanks for the feedback.
Aura says
Loved the recipe! Thank you! Well, my whole family says thank you!
ImmaculateBites says
You are very welcome! Glad you loved it! 🙂
Sara says
This was delicious. I did add about 1/3cup of canned crushed tomatoes.
Thanks for the recipe!
imma africanbites says
You’re welcome! Thank you for dropping by.
cindy says
this looks so good but my oven is crowded (roommates!). Any way I can make this on the stove?
ImmaculateBites says
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 :).
Marni says
Should the fish to be prepared from frozen, or thawed before cooking?
ImmaculateBites says
It should be thawed before cooking .
Albert Bevia says
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
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome ! Thanks Albert!
stephen supervile says
Cholesterol and Saturated Fat content look high….what accounts for this?
Looks delicious though. I’ll give it a go….
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Stephen, it must me the butter – replace with olive oil for less saturated fat. Do let me know how it works out . Thanks!
Aisha Mamman says
Thank you very much for the information on fish cookery
Deodata says
Looks delicious! !!!
LaToria says
I’m new to your website, everything looks delicious. I love to cook. I’m going to try this recipe this weekend.
ImmaculateBites says
Welcome Latoria! You are right at home cause I love to cook too! Do let me know how it works out for you. Thanks !
Lucia says
Hi
Am new here, just came across ur webwebsite. Thanks for ur wonderful recipe. Am going to try dis recipe dis weekend. Lucia
LaToria says
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.
LaToria says
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!!!
Carol says
So delicious
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks !