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An easy way to make grilled tilapia without worrying about it sticking to the grates or overcooking. Ready in less than 30 minutes, you can serve with a fresh salad for a delicious summer dinner!
We have so many grilling recipes, but I got to say, I have a special place in my heart for grilled seafood! Whether it’s grilled salmon or grilled branzino, we always have room for some delicious seafood on the barbecue table. This grilled tilapia in foil makes for an easy dinner that everyone can easily modify to their liking and use their favorite add-ons. Let’s make it!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Customizable: What I love the most about this grilled tilapia recipe is that you have the main and the sides in one pack. You can add or remove vegetables and spices to your liking to make this dish your own. More on that below.
- Easy: Just pack, wrap and grill. No need to worry about the fish being overcooked or sticking to the grates. This is the perfect recipe for those who are unsure about how to grill tilapia.
- Quick: These cook in less than 20 minutes, making them the perfect dinner for any day of the week.
Ingredients
- Tilapia: You can use fresh or frozen tilapia for this recipe. Tilapia is an inexpensive fish available at almost every supermarket. It has a mild and delicate flavor and when cooked, it flakes easily. Make sure to check out our garlic lemon tilapia as well.
- Spices: A combination of oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper adds a lot of flavor to this grilled fish recipe.
- Vegetables: I used a combination of corn, peppers and onions, but you can use other vegetables such as cauliflower or broccolini for this recipe.
- Lemon: The lemon slices get soft while grilling and once you open the foil packs, you can release their juice by pressing them with a fork.
How To Make Grilled Tilapia In Foil
- Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Place the foil sheets on a flat surface like countertop or a table and coat them with cooking spray. Mix all the spices in a small bowl and set it aside.
- Place the fish fillets on the foil and top with the vegetables. Top with the spice mix and lemon slices. Drizzle some olive oil on the fish and vegetables.
- Bring the long sides of the aluminum foil together and seal. Then fold in the short sides to seal. Make sure there is no tear in the foil pack.
- Place the tilapia foil packs on the grill grates and grill for 12 to 15 minutes. You’ll know the fish is cooked if you can flake it easily.
Variations
What I love the most about grilling tilapia its versatility. You can add or leave out the ingredients and spices and basically modify each foil pack to your family members’ preference. Here are a few suggestions:
- Use vegetables such as cauliflower, zucchini, mini peppers or broccolini.
- Add other spices like paprika, cumin, coriander and turmeric.
- Jazz it up with other ingredients such as smoky sausages or preserved lemons.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this grilled tilapia with some hearty salads such as Turkish white bean salad (piyaz) or Mediterranean potato salad. You can also top it with condiments such as ezme, zhoug or balsamic glaze.
If you’re looking for grilled side dishes, try our Mediterranean grilled vegetables or grilled asparagus with tahini sauce.
Storage and leftovers
Tilapia is best served and eaten right away. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container (without the foil) for up to 2 days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat or in the oven at 300 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes.
I don’t recommend freezing cooked tilapia as the flavor and texture will change and won’t be as good anymore.
Frequently Asked Questions
It usually takes 12 to 15 minutes for tilapia to cook on a medium high grill. You’ll know it’s cooked once you can easily flake it.
Yes, you can use mahi mahi or cod, however, keep in mind that the cooking time might be longer since the fillets are thicker.
Using aluminum foil to grill fish is a good way to lock in the moisture and you can make sure that the fish doesn’t stick to the grates or dries out.
More Seafood Recipes
Mediterranean recipes
Grilled Branzino
Quick and Easy Dinner
Honey Lemon Baked Salmon in Foil Recipe
Seafood and Fish
Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Lemon Herb Sauce
Seafood and Fish
Greek Style Baked Mahi Mahi 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!
Grilled Tilapia In Foil
Ingredients
- 4 pieces tilapia fillets
- 1 ear corn, cut into 4 pieces
- 2 red or orange peppers, cut into chunks
- 1 onion, cut into quarters
- 2 lemons, sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Spice mix
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium high. Place 4 pieces of aluminum foil on the counter and coat them with cooking spray. Make the spice mix by combining all the spices in a small bowl.
- Place one piece of fish on the aluminum foil and top it with your vegetables of choice. Top everything with your spice mix, lemon slices and olive oil.
- Bring the long sides of the foil together and seal. Then fold the short sides and seal as well. Place the foil packets on the grates and grill for 12 minutes. The fish is cooked once it's opaque and flakes easily using a fork.
Video
Notes
- You can use other spices including paprika, turmeric, sumac or chili pepper flakes.
- Use either fresh or frozen tilapia. If using frozen, make sure it’s fully thawed.
- Grilled tilapia is best served right away. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and reheat in the oven at 300 degrees F for 15 minutes until heated through.
- You can easily double and triple this recipe to feel a crowd.
- It’s possible to use other white fish such as mahi mahi or cod for this recipe. Cooking time might vary.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Flavorful and delicious grilled tilapia. Thanks for the recipe.