Easy Garlic Butter Oven Baked Tilapia: A Flavorful & Quick Weeknight Meal

Discover the ultimate recipe for a quick, healthy, and incredibly delicious dinner: Garlic Butter Oven Baked Tilapia. This recipe proves that you don’t need hours in the kitchen to create a meal bursting with fresh flavors. Perfect for busy weeknights or families seeking a nutritious yet simple option, this easy baked tilapia comes together in about 20 minutes, from prep to plate. By combining tender, mild white fish with a luscious blend of zesty lemon, aromatic garlic, and rich butter, you’ll achieve a succulent dinner that the entire family will adore.

Our garlic butter tilapia recipe relies on fresh, high-quality ingredients to allow the naturally sweet flavor of the fish to truly shine. Beyond its irresistible taste, this easy baked tilapia is also a fantastic choice for those adhering to specific dietary needs. It’s naturally low carb, gluten-free, and keto-friendly, making it a versatile addition to any healthy eating plan. The resulting dish is wonderfully flaky, moist, and tender, offering a light yet satisfying dinner option for those evenings when you crave something wholesome and utterly delicious.

For more inspiration involving the irresistible combination of garlic and butter, explore these delightful recipes:

• Roasted Garlic Butter Mushrooms
• Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers
• Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Why You’ll Love This Easy Oven Baked Tilapia Recipe

This oven baked tilapia recipe is a true weeknight hero, celebrated for its simplicity, speed, and health benefits. Here’s why it’s bound to become a staple in your meal rotation:

• Lightning-Fast Preparation: Say goodbye to lengthy cooking sessions! Preparing this garlic butter tilapia is incredibly straightforward. With minimal prep time and a quick bake in the oven, you can have flaky, perfectly cooked white fish on the table in under 20 minutes. It’s the ideal solution for those busy evenings when time is of the essence but you still want a homemade, satisfying meal.
• Packed with Nutrition: Fish, especially tilapia, is an excellent source of lean protein, which is essential for muscle repair and keeps you feeling full and satisfied. This recipe is naturally low in carbohydrates, free of gluten, and fits perfectly into a ketogenic diet, making it a healthy choice for a wide range of dietary preferences. It provides a light yet filling option without compromising on flavor.
• Appeals to All Palates: Tilapia boasts a mild, delicate flavor that isn’t overpowering, making it a superb choice for even the pickiest eaters or those who are new to cooking fish. Its subtle taste readily absorbs the vibrant flavors of the garlic, butter, and lemon, creating a harmonious and universally appealing dish. This makes it an excellent gateway fish for anyone unsure about incorporating more seafood into their diet.
• Simple Ingredients, Incredible Flavor: You don’t need an extensive shopping list to create something extraordinary. The beauty of this recipe lies in its use of common pantry staples and fresh components that come together to form a truly memorable meal. The magic happens with just a few key ingredients transformed into a symphony of tastes.

Essential Ingredients for Garlic Butter Tilapia

Crafting the perfect garlic butter oven baked tilapia requires a handful of fresh, simple ingredients that work in harmony to create its signature taste. Here’s what you’ll need and some tips for selection:

• Tilapia Filets: For best results, select four tilapia fillets that are uniform in size and thickness. This ensures even cooking and consistent texture across all portions. If tilapia isn’t readily available or if you prefer another mild white fish, cod or halibut make excellent substitutes. Always aim for fresh fillets if possible, or properly thawed frozen ones.
• Unsalted Butter: Melted unsalted butter forms the rich, flavorful base of our sauce. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall saltiness of the dish more precisely. If you only have salted butter, simply reduce the amount of added salt in the recipe.
• Fresh Garlic: The soul of this dish! Freshly minced garlic delivers an unparalleled depth of flavor and aroma that garlic powder simply can’t match. Aim for finely minced garlic to ensure it blends seamlessly into the butter sauce and infuses the fish beautifully.
• Lemon (Juice and Zest): Fresh lemon is indispensable. The juice brightens the flavors and adds a tangy counterpoint to the richness of the butter and garlic, while the zest provides a concentrated burst of citrus aroma. Don’t skip the zest – it makes a huge difference! Also, keep a fresh lemon on hand for slicing to garnish your finished dish.
• Paprika: We recommend sweet paprika for its mild, earthy flavor and beautiful color. However, if you enjoy a subtle smoky note, smoked paprika can be a wonderful alternative, adding another layer of complexity to the dish.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: These add a gentle warmth and a hint of spice, elevating the overall flavor profile. Adjust the quantity according to your personal preference for heat – add more for a spicier kick, or less for a milder experience.
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Proper seasoning is key to bringing out the best in any dish. Use kosher salt for its clean taste and coarser texture, and freshly ground black pepper for its superior aroma and flavor compared to pre-ground varieties.
• Chopped Fresh Parsley: A final sprinkle of fresh parsley adds a vibrant touch of color and a fresh, herbaceous note, completing the dish both visually and in terms of taste. Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley is generally preferred for its stronger flavor.

How To Make Easy Garlic Butter Oven Baked Tilapia

Making this delightful garlic butter oven baked tilapia is a breeze. Follow these simple steps for a perfect, flaky fish dinner every time:

1. Prepare Your Equipment and Tilapia: Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). While the oven heats, gently pat your tilapia fillets dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. This crucial step helps remove excess moisture, which prevents the fish from steaming and ensures a more desirable texture as it bakes. Set the dried fillets aside.

2. Whip Up the Garlic Butter Sauce: In a small mixing bowl, combine the melted unsalted butter with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, freshly ground black pepper, and kosher salt. Stir all these ingredients together thoroughly until they are well combined and the spices are evenly distributed throughout the buttery mixture. This fragrant sauce is the heart of the dish.

3. Arrange and Bake to Perfection: Take a 9×13 inch baking dish and arrange the lemon slices across the bottom. These not only add flavor to the fish but also prevent it from sticking and make for a beautiful presentation. Place your prepared tilapia fillets on top of the lemon slices. Evenly pour the savory garlic butter mixture over each fillet, ensuring they are well coated. Bake the tilapia in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. The fish is cooked through when it easily flakes with a fork and appears opaque throughout. Cooking time may vary slightly depending on the thickness of your fillets.
4. Garnish and Serve Immediately: Once baked, carefully remove the tilapia from the oven. Arrange the delicious fillets on your serving plates. Garnish generously with freshly chopped parsley and additional fresh lemon slices for an extra burst of citrus and visual appeal. Serve hot and enjoy your perfectly cooked, flavorful lemon garlic butter tilapia!

Expert Tips for Perfectly Baked Tilapia in Oven

Achieving perfectly cooked, flaky oven baked tilapia is simple with a few expert tips. Follow these guidelines to ensure your garlic butter tilapia turns out moist and delicious every time:

• Choose Uniform Filets: For consistent results and even cooking, always select tilapia fillets that are similar in size and thickness. If some fillets are significantly thicker than others, they will cook at different rates, leading to some parts being overcooked and dry while others are just right.
• Alternative Fish Options: If tilapia is not available or if you prefer a different white fish, cod or halibut are excellent mild-flavored substitutes that will work beautifully with this garlic butter recipe. Adjust baking times slightly for thicker cuts.
• Remove Skin for Best Flavor: Most tilapia is sold skinless. However, if your fillets come with skin, it’s advisable to remove it. Tilapia skin can sometimes impart a slightly bitter taste, which can detract from the delicate flavors of the dish.
• Even Thickness for Uniform Cooking: Should you find that one end of your fish fillet is considerably thinner than the rest, you can fold the thinner section underneath the thicker part. This creates a more uniform thickness across the fillet, promoting even cooking and preventing the thinner edge from drying out.
• Thoroughly Pat Dry: Before placing the tilapia in your baking dish, make sure to thoroughly pat both sides dry with paper towels. Excess moisture on the surface of the fish can cause it to steam rather than bake, resulting in a less desirable texture. A dry surface also helps the butter sauce adhere better.
• Monitor Cooking Closely: Fish cooks very quickly, especially thin fillets like tilapia. Keep a close eye on it to avoid overcooking, which can lead to dry, rubbery fish. Begin checking for doneness around the 10-minute mark.
• Signs of Doneness: Cooked fish should flake easily with a fork and appear opaque throughout. There should be no translucent or raw-looking areas.
• Use a Meat Thermometer: For absolute precision and food safety, use a meat thermometer. Fish is fully cooked when its internal temperature reaches a minimum of 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius) at its thickest part.
• Achieve a Golden Crust: If you desire a beautifully golden and slightly crispy crust on your tilapia, consider broiling the fish for 1-2 minutes at the very end of the cooking time. Watch it extremely closely under the broiler as it can brown quickly and burn.
• Don’t Crowd the Pan: Ensure there is enough space between the fillets in your baking dish. Overcrowding the pan can lead to steaming instead of baking, affecting the texture and flakiness of the fish.

Frequently Asked Questions About Baking Tilapia

Here are answers to some common questions about preparing and enjoying your garlic butter oven baked tilapia:

More Garlicky Seafood Recipes to Explore

If you loved the rich, aromatic flavors of this garlic butter oven baked tilapia, you’ll certainly want to try these other garlicky seafood delights:

• Grilled Garlic Shrimp Skewers
• Grilled Garlic Shrimp Kabobs
• Grilled Honey Garlic Butter Salmon
• Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp
• Spicy Lemon Baked Tilapia Recipe
• Lemon Garlic Butter Scallops

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Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (based on 1 vote)

Garlic Butter Oven Baked Tilapia

By: Mariam Ezzeddine

Garlic Butter Oven Baked Tilapia is fresh, flavorful, and ready in a flash. You can easily prepare garlic butter tilapia in oven in about 20 minutes, so it’s perfect for weeknights and busy families. This easy baked tilapia recipe combines tender white fish with lemon, garlic and butter for a succulent dinner the whole family will love.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
• Chopped parsley, to garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Pat dry the tilapia fillets with a kitchen towel and keep them aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, paprika, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt. Mix to combine.
4. Arrange the lemon slices in a 9X13 baking dish and place the tilapia fillet on top.
5. Pour the prepared garlic butter over the fillet and bake the tilapia for 10-15 minutes until they are cooked and look opaque.
6. Arrange the tilapia on a serving plate, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve with lemon slices.

Notes

• Look for fillets that are similar in size and thickness for even cooking.
• Use cod or halibut if you can’t find tilapia.
• Most tilapia is sold without the skin, but it can be bitter, so be sure to remove it if it is included.
• If one end of the fillet is much thinner than the other, you can fold it under to help the fish cook more evenly.
• Thoroughly dry the tilapia with paper towels before placing it in the baking dish.
• Fish cooks quickly, so watch it closely to avoid overcooking.
• Fish should flake easily and be opaque in color when it is done.
• Fish should be cooked to a minimum temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C) when checked with a meat thermometer.
• Want a golden crust? Broil the fish for 1-2 minutes at the end of the cooking time, watching carefully.

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 585mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 678IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

We hope you thoroughly enjoy this delicious and easy-to-make Garlic Butter Oven Baked Tilapia recipe. It’s a testament to how simple ingredients can create extraordinary flavors, perfect for any occasion. Give it a try, savor every bite, and share this wonderful recipe with your friends and family!

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