This simple blackened Tilapia Fish Recipe is so delicious and ready in under 15 minutes! Tender and flakey tilapia fillets in a homemade seasoning blend, so good!
This tilapia recipe joins our Cod Fish and the easy Sauteed Shrimp for the easiest dinner recipes whenever you are craving seafood.
TILAPIA FISH RECIPE-
You are going to LOVE this tilapia fish recipe, the fillets are seasoned in a delicious seasoning blend and then the fillets are pan-fried until crispy yet tender and flakey.
This recipe is so easy and such a HEALTHY dinner idea.
What does blackened tilapia mean? What blackened fish means is that you just simply rub the fish with a blackened seasoning mixture. Some brush the fish with oil before seasoning, then you usually pan-fry the fish.
Ingredients-
With just a few simple ingredients, you can have yourself an amazing seafood dinner!
- Fish– For this recipe you want to use fresh tilapia fillets. You can also use frozen fillets that are thawed and patted dry. You want to make sure the fish is a good quality for the best results. We like to get ours at the local grocery store at the fresh seafood/meat department.
- Oil– This recipe calls for olive oil but you can use any oil that you have on hand.
- Blackening Seasoning– The seasoning is what gives the fish it’s amazing taste! For the blackened seasoning we use paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, onion powder, chili pepper, and Italian seasoning. You can also use our Cajun seasoning for this recipe.
HOW TO MAKE TILAPIA FISH-
This recipe comes together so quickly so be sure to have the sides ready to be served.
- Prep– Combine all of the ingredients for the seasoning in a bowl.
- Season fish– With a paper towel, pat the fish dry. Generously season the tilapia on both sides.
- Cook– Heat the oil in the skillet, once hot add the fish fillets and cook over high for about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Garnish– Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and enjoy with desired side dishes.
METHOD OF COOKING TILAPIA FISH:
There are so many cooking methods for the easy fish and all will result in amazing fish!
- OVEN BAKED– Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Add tilapia and cook in a preheated oven to 400°F 10-15 minutes, uncovered. Baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish.
- GRILLED– Grease grill grates and heat grill to med/high heat. Add tipalipa and cook for 5-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
- PAN-FRIED– Heat oil in a skillet over med/high heat. Cook fish 4-6 minutes, carefully flipping halfway through cooking. If you like butter, you can substitute butter for oil.
- AIR FRYER– Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Grease the basket and add fish, careful not to overcrowd. Cook 5-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
SERVING IDEAS-
There are several different ways to serve the dish! We love making this for a quick weeknight dinner along with some delicious side dishes. Here are some sides to serve this fish with:
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Grilled Vegetables
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Roasted Veggies
- Mashed Potatoes
- Air Fryer Baked Potato
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS-
Like all fish, tilapia is loaded with minerals and vitamins. It’s a wonderful source of omega-3 fatty acids giving your body the nutrients you need. Especially if the fish is wild-caught and not farmed tilapia.
If you don’t like tilapia or don’t have it on hand, any white fish will work in this seasoning blend. The cooking time may slightly vary depending on the fish you use and the thickness of it.
Use our classic Fish Taco recipe and just substitute the cod with this tilapia fish.
Yes, you season the tilapia several hours in advance and refrigerate it until it’s ready to be cooked. This makes for a really easy dinner.
Drizzle skillet with oil. Reheat in a skillet over low with the lid covered until reheated.
No, you cannot cook frozen tilapia. Since the fish cooks really quickly, it must be thawed, or else the outsides will burn while the inside of the fish will be uncooked.
I hope you love this recipe as much as our family does, it’s that perfect easy dinner that is on the table in less than 15 minutes!
More Seafood Recipes-
- Cod in Skillet
- Crab Stuffed Salmon
- Shrimp Bowl
- Bang Bang Shrimp
- Tilapia Casserole
- Flounder with Vegetables
Blackened Tilapia Fish Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb tilapia fillets, thawed
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
seasoning-
- 1 ½ Tbsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp italian seasoning