Baked Tilapia Lemon Garlic (Printable Version)

Tender tilapia fillets coated with lemon garlic butter and baked to flaky, flavorful perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 tilapia fillets (5–6 oz each), fresh or thawed
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Lemon Garlic Butter

04 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon)
07 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
09 - ½ teaspoon paprika

→ Garnish

10 - Lemon slices
11 - Extra fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish or line it with parchment paper.
02 - Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels and arrange them in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
03 - Season both sides of the fillets with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
04 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped parsley, and paprika. Mix thoroughly.
05 - Pour the lemon garlic butter mixture evenly over the tilapia fillets, ensuring all are well coated.
06 - Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and is opaque throughout.
07 - Remove from oven, garnish with additional parsley and lemon slices, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in 30 minutes from start to table, with barely 10 minutes of actual prep work.
  • The fish stays impossibly tender while the butter sauce turns golden and glossy, tasting far more impressive than the effort requires.
  • Naturally gluten-free and works beautifully for anyone eating lighter without sacrificing flavor.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the fish—wet fillets steam instead of baking, and you'll lose that delicate texture that makes tilapia special.
  • Watch the oven time carefully; even five minutes of overcooking turns tender fish into something that falls apart and tastes dry.
  • Fresh lemon juice makes an enormous difference here—it's not a shortcut you want to compromise on.
03 -
  • Room-temperature fish cooks more evenly than cold fish straight from the fridge—pull it out 10 minutes before baking and you'll notice the difference.
  • Keep an eye on the oven around the 15-minute mark; every oven runs a little differently, and the last few minutes are where the magic happens or where it gets overdone.

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