Baked Tilapia Recipe (With Lemon Butter) – Wholesome Yum

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This baked tilapia recipe is a simple option to get dinner on the desk in lower than half-hour. Made with simply 5 easy components (plus salt and pepper), this Lemon Butter Tilapia has a shiny lemon taste, with a wealthy, buttery texture. and in contrast to my standalone lemon butter sauce for fish, this sauce requires no separate cooking.

Go forward and purchase the large pack of tilapia and take a look at my Parmesan Crusted Tilapia or Fried Tilapia beneath! serve your tilapia recipes with grilled asparagus or stir-fried broccoli for a fast and wholesome meal.

what’s tilapia?

Tilapia is a freshwater fish native to Africa, however is now farmed all around the world. It’s extremely well-liked as it’s straightforward to arrange, delicate in taste, a terrific supply of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, low in energy, and fairly priced. whereas I typically want wild fish, tilapia is a good price-efficient possibility.

Lemon Butter Tilapia Elements

This part explains how to decide on the perfect components for Baked Tilapia with Lemon Butter Sauce, what each does within the recipe, and substitution choices. for measurements, see recipe card beneath.

how to decide on tilapia fillets:

• Fillet Measurement: Most tilapia fillets will likely be about the identical measurement, however the tilapia fillets would be the thickest a part of the fillet, with out the flat half. I used entire fillets for this recipe, however tenderloins are effective too.
• Pores and skin: Most tilapia could have no pores and skin, which is preferable as it is vitally bitter.
• Look: Search for pink and white flesh.
• Recent vs. Frozen: Most tilapia will likely be pre-frozen, even when it is recent out of your retailer, so go along with what you favor.

for the lemon butter:

• Butter: I want to make use of grass-fed butter for the perfect taste and vitamin, however any unsalted butter will work. in the event you want a dairy-free possibility, you should use olive oil (it’s going to style totally different) or butter-flavored coconut oil.
• lemon: We’re going to use half to get lemon juice and lemon zest, and we are going to use the opposite half to make slices to position on prime of the fish. be at liberty to make use of two separate lemons if that is simpler for you. you have to a complete of 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon of lemon zest. if you do not have recent lemons readily available however have bottled lemon juice, you possibly can enhance the lemon juice to 2 tablespoons and omit the zest and slices, however the taste is much less lemony this fashion. lime juice can even work in a pinch, however the taste will likely be totally different.
• recent parsley: Be at liberty to substitute different recent herbs, akin to dill.
• garlic – we use recent garlic, not canned, we’re going to crush the garlic cloves. Chopped is okay to make use of in a pinch, however the taste is distributed extra evenly in the event you crush it.

for the Baked Tilapia Seasoning:

The seasoning for this baked tilapia recipe may be very easy: simply salt and pepper! the lemon butter supplies a whole lot of taste.

for slightly extra warmth, you possibly can add a pinch of crimson pepper flakes.

however if you wish to season your tilapia in different methods, take a look at the variations I’ve listed beneath!

methods to bake tilapia within the oven

This part exhibits methods to make baked tilapia fish with step-by-step pictures and particulars on the approach that can assist you visualize it. For full directions, together with quantities and temperatures, see the recipe card beneath.

• pat dry. Pat the tilapia dry with a paper towel and place the fillets in a baking dish. it is okay in the event that they contact, however do not overlap them a lot, if in any respect.
• Combine collectively the lemon butter. Soften the butter in a small bowl, then add the lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, and crushed garlic.
• season. Brush tilapia fillets with lemon-garlic butter and season with sea salt and black pepper. flip it over and repeat on the opposite aspect. prime fish with lemon wedges.
• baking. Prepare dinner the tilapia within the oven, till the fish is cooked via and flakes simply. garnish with recent parsley, if desired.

at what temperature to bake tilapia?

Like baked salmon and plenty of different proteins, I like to recommend baking tilapia at a reasonably excessive temperature (400 levels f) so it cooks shortly and does not dry out.

how lengthy to bake tilapia at 400?

Tilapia with lemon butter within the oven will take about 12-quarter-hour. the easiest way to know it is finished is to make use of an instantaneous-learn thermometer inserted into the thickest half; It ought to learn between 140 and 145 levels f. if you do not have a thermometer, you too can verify that it flakes simply with a fork.

are you able to make frozen baked tilapia?

sure, you can also make frozen baked tilapia, you simply want to regulate the cooking time. nonetheless, I want to thaw it first for extra even cooking.

how lengthy do you bake frozen tilapia?

frozen tilapia will take about 18-22 minutes to bake. bake till flakes simply and inner temperature reaches 140-145 levels f.

variations of baked tilapia recipes

this straightforward baked tilapia could be seasoned in many various methods:

• Baked Cajun Tilapia: Omit the lemon and use a Cajun seasoning rather than the ocean salt and black pepper.
• Parmesan Tilapia – This Parmesan-crusted tilapia is made with simply 4 easy components and is prepared in quarter-hour.
• Baked Tilapia Fish Tacos – Omit the lemon from this lemon tilapia recipe and add 1/4 teaspoon cumin. bake as directed and serve flaked in tortillas, tacos, or taco salads.
• Baked Blackened Tilapia: Use a standard seasoning made up of paprika, salt, onion powder, black pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and dried parsley. some variations additionally embrace brown sugar. (use my besti brown sweetener for a sugar free possibility).
• tilapia with previous bay seasoning – Simply swap out the ocean salt for the previous bay.

storage directions

• Storing: Retailer Lemon Butter Baked Tilapia within the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Reheating: Reheat tilapia in a scorching skillet or in a 350 diploma oven for finest outcomes. Reheating within the microwave just isn’t advisable, however may match if it is your solely possibility. microwave at half energy.
• Freeze: Freeze this baked tilapia recipe in an hermetic container for two-3 months.

what sides to serve with baked tilapia

Rice and potatoes could be conventional accompaniments to white fish meals, however do not skip the nutrient-dense greens:

• Salads: Salad recipes like Israeli Salad, Crispy Kale Salad, and Spring Salad pair effectively with Lemon Butter Tilapia.
• Stir-Fried Greens: Vegetable recipes like stir-fried broccoli, inexperienced beans with almonds, and stir-fried zucchini go nice with fish.
• Roasted Greens: Vegetable recipes like roasted asparagus, roasted broccoli, and packet inexperienced beans pair effectively with baked tilapia fillets.

simpler fish recipes

in the event you like this baked tilapia recipe, you may also like a few of these different straightforward fish recipes:

• fried tilapia
• grilled salmon
• lemon cod
• Parmesan Crusted Salmon
• baked rainbow trout