Garlic Lemon Tilapia Recipe (30 minutes)
Sep 09, 2021, Updated May 31, 2022
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Ready in 30 minutes, this garlic lemon tilapia recipe makes the perfect dinner. This is one of the best tilapia recipes out there and it’s so easy to make!
Our seafood recipes are definitely some of my all time favorites. From easy Greek mahi mahi and baked cod to fancier recipes such as our orange glazed salmon and grilled branzino there is a recipe for everyone to try. Today’s recipe is one of the best tilapia recipes out there, trust me, and I can’t wait to share it with you!
Table of Contents
About this recipe
Beside being unbelievably delicious and easy to make, this seared tilapia is a healthy choice for a quick dinner that’s ready under 30 minutes. It’s perfect for picky eaters because tilapia doesn’t smell or taste fishy at all and is quite mild.
Moreover, this is the perfect recipe for the novice cook. You don’t need any special skills to make a delicious tilapia recipe that makes everyone ask for seconds.
Is tilapia good for you?
Tilapia is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids and protein. It’s best to get your fish, including tilapia from a reliable source. Wild caught is always best but responsibly farmed is pretty healthy, too.
Ingredients
- Tilapia: Boneless fillets work best for this recipe. I opted for frozen tilapia fillets and thawed them before cooking, but you can use fresh fish, too.
- Spices: You need a combination of salt, pepper, Aleppo pepper (can use chili flakes instead), cumin, coriander and allspice.
- Flour: This pan seared tilapia recipe uses all purpose flour to create a light coating for the fish.
Instructions
- If using frozen tilapia fillets, thaw them completely.
- In a shallow bowl mix the olive oil with lemon juice and all the spices. Place the flour in a separate shallow bowl or a plate.
- Melt some butter in a pan over medium low heat. Dip the fillets in the olive oil and lemon juice mixture and then dredge in the flour mixture. Shake to get rid of the excess flour and place it in the pan. Repeat with the remaining fillets.
- Sear for about 4 minutes on each side until golden. Then pour the olive oil and lemon juice mixture over the fillets and crank up the heat to bring it to a low simmer. If anything is stuck to the pan, gently scrape it using a spatula. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened and the fish is fully cooked.
How long to cook tilapia fillets
This depends on the size and thickness of the fillets. The thicker the fillet, the longer it takes to cook. Like many other seafoods, tilapia cooks pretty fast and would take about 4 to 6 minutes on each side. Keep a close eye to avoid overcooking and dry fish.
Serving suggestions
This lemon tilapia recipe is ready in just 30 minutes and I love it for a quick dinner. You can serve it with different side dishes such as Persian sabzi polo (herb rice), Mediterranean salad, Turkish rice pilaf with orzo, Greek fries or some Mediterranean potato salad. You can also follow my instructions for Greek salmon salad and use pan seared tilapia instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use vegetable oil or canola oil to sear the fish as well. If using olive oil, make sure it’s not too hot or smoking.
Yes, you can either use gluten free flour to dredge the fish, or use almond flour as a gluten free option.
No one wants to bite into a piece of raw or half-cooked fish. You know your fish is cooked completely when the color is solid and the fish feels firm to touch and flakes easily using a fork.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. It’s best to reheat the fish in a pan over medium low heat for about 5 minutes on each side.
More fish and seafood recipes
Seafood and Fish
Greek Style Baked Mahi Mahi Recipe
Mediterranean recipes
Pan Seared Salmon Recipe
Summer Recipes
Grilled Branzino
Mediterranean recipes
Dijon Salmon Recipe
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!
Garlic Lemon Tilapia Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tilapia fillets, boneless
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, juice of
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
Garnish
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Pat dry the tilapia fillets and set the aside.
- In a shallow bowl mix olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, black pepper, Aleppo pepper, cumin, coriander and allspice.
- Place the flour in another shallow bowl or a plate.
- Melt the butter in a large non stick pan over medium low heat.
- Dip the fish fillets in the olive oil mixture and then dredge in the flour. Shake to get rid of excess flour and place the fillet in the pan. Repeat with the remaining fillets.
- Cook the fillets for about 4 minutes on each side until they are golden.
- Pour the remaining olive oil and lemon juice mixture in the pan and turn the heat to medium. If anything has stuck to the pan, gently scrape it using a spatula. Cook for another 5-8 minutes until the sauce has thickened a bit and the fish is cooked completely.
- Plate and drizzle some sauce on top. Finish with lemon slices and chopped parsley.
Notes
- If using frozen tilapia fillets, make sure they’re completely thawed.
- You can use vegetable or canola oil to sear the fish.
- If Aleppo pepper is not available, use chili pepper flakes.
- For gluten free option, use gluten free flour or almond flour.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Soooo good! We didn’t have allspice and replaced it with Sadaf’s Mediterranean Spice blend. We serve it over basmati rice with roasted almonds and a tiny bit of cinnamon in the rice cooker. Yum!!!
My husband took one bite and said “I would reorder this every time if it was on a restaurant menu”! We’re new to middle eastern spices and we’re now obsessed. Thank you for adding to our repertoire.
Hi Karina! Thank you for your kind comment, I’m glad you guys enjoyed this recipe!
This tilapia is perfectly seasoned and crispy. What an awesome dinner idea for busy weeknights.
So easy and delicious! I made this last night for my family and everyone loved it. Definitely making it again. Thanks for such an easy and tasty recipe!
I love tilapia but I’ve always been nervous to make it at home. Your recipe was so easy and delicious and everyone loved it. Thank you!!
I tried this for the first time tonight. I messed up and failed to shake off the excess flour before putting the fish in the pan. Also, all I had was whole wheat flour. So the result was that it wasn’t as pretty as yours, but it tasted great! I will make it again soon and make the necessary adjustments. Another wonderful recipe! Çok teşsekkür ederim!
Glad you like the recipe!
Love that its ready in 30 minutes! Great flavor combo too!
I love making tilapia because it is so budget-friendly. And this recipe is perfect since it is ready in 30 minutes!