Description
This Baked Lemon Garlic Butter Tilapia recipe offers a flavorful and healthy seafood dish that’s easy to prepare. Tender tilapia fillets are seasoned, topped with a zesty lemon garlic butter sauce, and baked to perfection, resulting in a light, flaky, and aromatic meal perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter Mixture
- 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
Tilapia
- 1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets (3 to 4 fillets)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Garnish and Serving
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves (from 5 sprigs)
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Butter Mixture: Heat the oven to 425ºF. In a small bowl, stir together the melted unsalted butter, freshly squeezed lemon juice, finely chopped garlic, dried thyme, paprika, and freshly ground black pepper until well combined.
- Season Tilapia Fillets: Pat the tilapia fillets dry using paper towels to remove excess moisture. Season each fillet evenly with kosher salt on all sides.
- Arrange Tilapia in Baking Dish: Place the seasoned tilapia fillets in an even layer inside a 9×13-inch baking dish. It’s acceptable if the fillets slightly overlap.
- Apply Butter Mixture: Spoon the prepared lemon garlic butter mixture evenly over the tilapia fillets, ensuring each piece is well coated.
- Bake the Tilapia: Bake the fillets in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through, turns opaque, and flakes easily with a fork.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven and sprinkle with coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves. Serve immediately with the buttery sauce from the baking dish and lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh tilapia fillets and ensure they are patted dry to allow better seasoning adherence.
- If you prefer a spicier kick, substitute black pepper with red pepper flakes as suggested.
- You can serve this dish with steamed vegetables or over rice for a fuller meal.
- Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consumed within 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet (approximately 6 oz)
- Calories: 260 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
