Baked Lemon Pepper Tilapia Recipe

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This baked lemon pepper tilapia recipe is not only low-carb and gluten-free but also ready in just 15 minutes for an easy, healthy dinner.

The unbeatable combination of tangy lemon pepper seasoning, butter, and garlic is not just for Lemon Pepper Chicken or lemon garlic zucchini noodles.

It's also a winner in this delicious recipe for oven-baked tilapia packed with fresh flavors. It's safe to say this flavor combination is fantastic every time I use it.

And I use it a lot because all you need to do is layer and bake. It's perfect with a simple side dish. And it's equally delicious flaked into fish tacos or on a salad.

So, if there's white fish chilling in your freezer, a mouthwatering dinner is just moments away.

Here's why you'll love this easy recipe for lemon pepper tilapia:

• It's ready quickly, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
• The light, delicate texture makes it a family-friendly recipe that also happens to be low in carbs.
• If you've forgotten to defrost, no worries! Tilapia thaws in a jiffy, so this recipe is still a great choice!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Directions with Pictures
• Storage
• What to Serve with Lemon Pepper Tilapia
• More Easy Fish Recipes
• 📋 Recipe

Ingredients

Stock a few simple ingredients, and delicious lemon pepper tilapia will always be minutes away!

• Tilapia filets - This recipe works well with any flaky white fish. We've used it with turbot, halibut, haddock, cod, catfish, corvina, and lemony baked basa.
• Butter - Slice off thin pats of salted or unsalted butter that will melt over the tilapia as it bakes. Olive oil can be drizzled over the fish instead.
• Fresh lemon juice or fresh-squeezed from a bottle.
• Garlic powder gives this dish the garlic flavor. Fresh garlic can be used but does not uniformly cover the fish.
• Paprika flavors the tilapia but also gives it a dash of color. We used sweet paprika but smoked paprika can be used for a different flavor profile.
• Lemon pepper seasoning - There are lots of choices for this spice. Ideally, choose a product without added sugar and salt. The one we used is linked in the recipe card.
• Salt to taste!
• Green onion - If you have some on hand, definitely use it! It adds a pop of color. The tilapia will still taste great if you leave the onions off!
• Parsley - Same deal with the parsley!

Looking for a bit of heat? Use a dash of cayenne pepper too!

Please refer to the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and detailed instructions.

Directions with Pictures

This simple recipe for baked tilapia is a more or less technique. While ingredient amounts are provided in the recipe card, you can add as much or as little of any ingredient.

You only need to measure the first time you make it. After that, it's a matter of sprinkling the ingredients over the tilapia according to your preferences.

1. Pat fish fillets dry with a paper towel and place in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
2. Pour lemon juice and place pats of butter over the fish.
   • Melt butter first, if desired, for a prettier appearance. Otherwise, an unseasoned spot remains where the butter was placed.
3. Evenly sprinkle the remaining ingredients over the fish.
   • I use my fingertips to get more even coverage when topping the fish with spices.
4. Bake uncovered until the fish flakes with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. The cooking time will vary based on the thickness of the tilapia and oven. But it shouldn't take longer than 15 minutes. Serve with lemon pepper slices and garnish with more fresh herbs if you have some on hand.

If you want to really supercharge the lemony flavor, sprinkle lemon zest on top!

Storage

Store leftover lemon pepper tilapia in an airtight container for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

What to Serve with Lemon Pepper Tilapia

Quick and easy sides that take less than 15 minutes to make include:

• Zucchini noodles - Sautee on the stovetop. Check zucchini ribbons and Parmesan garlic zucchini noodles!
• Cauliflower rice cooked on the stovetop. Or make roasted cauliflower rice while the fish cooks.
• Couscous
• Wilted spinach
• Crispy green beans
• Asparagus
• Marinated tomatoes
• Microwave corn on the cob in the husk in minutes.
• Fresh salad
• Pineapple salsa, which is a fun topping for tacos too.

Tip: Most of these sides can be seasoned with any or all of the ingredients used to make this recipe!

If you have a little more time or plan ahead:

• Vegetable rice pilaf
• Risotto
• Crock-pot mashed potatoes

Easy baked tilapia can even become the base for another dish like fish tacos.

More Easy Fish Recipes

📋 Recipe

This recipe was originally published on 10/22/2018. It was updated to improve the reader experience.