Make this easy baked tilapia recipe in under 20 minutes! It is really a very quick dinner idea that is packed with flavor and budget friendly.
Tilapia is my go-to when dinner needs to happen fast. Tilapia is my favorite fish because it is light, flaky, and does not have that “fishy” taste.
A little lemon, garlic, butter, and a few pantry spices are all it takes, and it bakes in about 12 minutes for around $1.40 per serving. I keep a bag of individually frozen fillets in the freezer, so it works even on nights I did not plan ahead.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in about 17 minutes. Five minutes of prep and about 12 minutes in the oven.
- About $1.40 a serving. Once of the cheapest protein dinners you can put on the table.
- Mild, not fishy. A great starter fish for families who are not sure they like fish.
- Works straight from the freezer bag. Individually frozen fillets thaw in minutes, so you do not have to plan ahead.
Easy Seafood recipes make dinnertime a breeze! If you like this baked fish recipe, then you must try Blackened Salmon or Lemon Garlic Salmon.
Ingredients
- Tilapia fillets – Fresh or frozen both work. Individually frozen fillets are the most budget-friendly and the easiest to thaw quickly.
- Butter – Melts over the fish as it bakes and keeps it moist. If you salted butter, cut the salt in half.
- Garlic – 3 fresh cloves or about 1 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic to save time.
- Lemon – Fresh lemon juice gives the brightest flavor. Bottled works in a pinch.
- Salt, Pepper, Dried Thyme Leaves – Simple pantry seasonings
- Paprika – Added for color. Use regular (sweet) paprika; smoked paprika is stronger.
How to Bake Tilapia
Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the tilapia fillets in a single layer in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels on both sides, especially if they are frozen. Dry fish bakes up flakey instead of watery, and the seasoning sticks better
Step 2 – Drizzle the lemon juice evenly over the tilapia.
Step 3 – Season the fillets with the minced garlic, salt, black pepper, thyme, and paprika.
Step 4 – Cut the butter into small pieces and place them evenly over the fillets.
Step 5 – Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the tilapia is opaque, flakes easily with a fork, and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. Spoon the buttery lemon juices from the bottom of the dish over each fillet and serve right away.
How Long to Bake Tilapia in the Oven
Bake tilapia at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes for fillets about ½ inch thick. Thinner filets can be done in 8 to 9 minutes, and thicker fillets (closer to 1 inch) may need up to 15 minutes.
Start checking at 10 minutes. The fish is done when it turns from see-through to solid white, flakes easily with a fork, and reads 145°F on an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part. Tilapia goes from perfect to dry quickly, so it is better to check a minute early than a minute late.
Do I need to cover it with foil? No. Bake it uncovered so the butter and lemon can reduce slightly around the fish.
How to Bake Frozen Tilapia
Best option: quick-thaw first. I buy individually frozen tilapia fillets at Sam’s Club because they thaw so fast. Keep the fillets in their sealed bags (or put them in a zip-top bag), and submerge them in a bowl of cold water. Thin fillets thaw in about 5 minutes. Pat them dry and follow the recipe as written.
Baking straight from frozen: It works in a pinch. Rinse off any ice glaze, pat the fillets dry, and bake for 5 minutes before adding the lemon, seasoning, and butter. Then return them to the oven and bake until they reach 145°F, usually about 15 to 17 minutes total. The texture will be a little softer than thawed fish.
Easy Ways to Change Up the Flavor
- Garlic Parmesan: Swap the salt for garlic salt and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan over the fish for the last 3 minutes of baking. For a crispier version, try our Easy Parmesan Crusted Tilapia Recipe.
- Blackened: Replace the thyme and paprika with 1 to 2 teaspoons of blackened or Cajun seasoning. Here is our Blackened Tilapia Recipe.
- Steak seasoning. A little sprinkle of steak seasoning in place of the salt, pepper, and thyme is great on mild fish.
- Taco night. Make fish tacos by adding 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning, swap the lemon for lime juice and flake the fish.
What to Serve with Tilapia?
- I served my fish with some easy microwaved steamed broccoli and then some parmesan pasta.
- Cauliflower rice is great if you are eating low carb
- It’s also really good with the Best Coleslaw Recipe.
- We also love Crock Pot Baked Potatoes. This is perfect for feeding a crowd if you need to make several potatoes at once. I love that they stay warm.
- Check out Best Sides for Tilapia for even more ideas.
- Plain white rice is one of our favorite side dish and it soaks up the lemon butter.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently so the fish does not dry out. Cover with foil and bake at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes, or microwave in 30-second intervals.
- Freezer: You can freeze cooked tilapia for up to 3 months, but the texture gets softer. If you cook for one or two, it is usually better to bake only the fillets you need and keep the rest frozen raw.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Rinsing raw fish in the sinc can splash bacteria onto your counters and does not make the fish any cleaner. Instead, pat the fillets dry with paper towels, which also helps them bake up flaky instead of watery.
Yes. Any mild white fish works, like cod, flounder, or haddock. Thicker fillets like cod usually need a few extra minutes, so check for 145 degrees.
Usually, the fish was not patted dry after thawing, or it was thawed in an unsealed bag and soaked up water. Keep fillets sealed while thawing and pat them dry before seasoning.
It was overcooked. Thin fillets can be done in 8 to 9 minutes, so start checking early.
More Fish Recipes
If you make this baked tilapia recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review. We love hearing how it turned out for your family.
Easy Baked Tilapia Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tilapia filets
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced (about 1 tablespoon pre-minced garlic)
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves
- ¼ teaspoon Paprika
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Arrange the tilapia fillets in a single layer in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels on both sides, especially if they were frozen.
- Drizzle the lemon juice evenly over the tilapia.
- Season the fillets with the minced garlic, salt, black pepper, thyme, and paprika.
- Cut the butter into small pieces and place them evenly over the fillets.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the tilapia is opaque, flakes easily with a fork, and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
So yummy!
I love Tilapia and this recipe was perfect!
So Good!!
Incredible! It tasted like something from a fancy restaurant but was so easy to make at home. I got so many compliments!
Love that this meal came together in 20 minutes!
To easily and quickly change up the flavor, season fish lightly with salt and pepper, then slather the top of the fillet with your favorite bottled salad dressing. Bake as usual. I have used Asian, French, Italian, Ranch, and even just plain mayo seasoned with garlic and onion powders and cayenne pepper.All are excellent.
Those ideas sound delicious! Thank you for sharing Susan!
Is there a different kind of fish I can use??
Yes any white fish will work great!