Parmesan crusted tilapia
A crisp, golden parmesan crust on mild, flaky tilapia, baked on one pan with no breading station and no frying.
- 25 min total
- 10 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $2.49 a serving
- 240 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
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ½ lemon, cut into wedges
From your pantry
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 240 calories, 32 g protein, 3 g carbs and 11 g fat, and costs about $2.49 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No tilapia fillets? Cod fillets work.
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
- No lemons? Limes work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 425°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 parmesan, garlic powder, paprika, dried parsley and pepper together on a plate.
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.
the tilapia dry and spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over the top of each fillet.
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.
Dolly’s tip: The mayo is just glue for the cheese. It melts away and keeps the fish moist.Press the mayo side of each fillet into the parmesan mix, then lay them on the pan crust side up and pat any leftover cheese on top.
for 10 to 12 minutes, until the crust is and the fish 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.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Timer: 11 min
Food safety: Fish is done at 145°F, when the middle looks opaque and flakes apart easily with a fork.
For extra crunch, turn on the for the last 1 to 2 minutes and watch it closely.
Broil. Broiling means cooking under the oven’s top heating element, with strong heat from above. It browns and crisps the top in minutes, and it can burn fast, so stay close.
How you’ll know: The top bubbles and spots golden brown; check every minute and pull it before it blackens.
Timer: 1 min 30 sec
Dolly’s tip: Broilers work fast. Stand at the oven door and pull it the moment it’s deep golden.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.
