Baked tilapia
Mild, tender tilapia baked under garlic butter and paprika, the easiest fish there is to start with.
- 25 min total
- 10 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $2.37 a serving
- 220 calories
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 25 minutes.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 4 tilapia fillets, thawed if frozen
- 3 tbsp butter, melted
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, half juiced, half cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
From your pantry
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 220 calories, 29 g protein, 2 g carbs and 11 g fat, and costs about $2.37 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No tilapia fillets? Cod fillets work.
- No butter? Ghee works.
- No lemons? Limes work.
- No fresh parsley? Cilantro works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 400°F and line a with .
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
Parchment paper. Parchment paper is a nonstick, oven-safe paper for lining pans. Food lifts right off and cleanup is easy, but don’t swap in wax paper or put parchment under the broiler.
How you’ll know: It lies flat in the pan, and the food slides off when you lift it.
the tilapia dry and lay the fillets on the pan in a single layer.
Pat dry. Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.
How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.
the butter, garlic and lemon juice together and spoon it over the fish.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Sprinkle the paprika, salt and pepper evenly over the tops.
for 10 to 12 minutes, until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes easily with a fork.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Timer: 11 min
Dolly’s tip: Tilapia is thin, so it cooks fast. Start checking at 10 minutes.Food safety: Fish is done at 145°F, when the middle looks opaque and flakes apart easily with a fork.
Scatter the parsley over and serve with the lemon wedges.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
