Baked Lemon Garlic Butter Tilapia
A delightful dish that combines zesty lemon flavor with rich buttery goodness. Perfect for busy weeknights, this recipe is both simple to prepare and nutritious.
Ingredients
Fish & Flavorings
- 1.5 pounds tilapia fillets (3 to 4)
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- 0.25 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1/2 medium lemon)
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
- 0.5 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves (from 5 sprigs)
Serving Suggestions
- as needed Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
Preparation
- Heat the oven to 425ºF.
- In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, freshly squeezed lemon juice, finely chopped garlic, dried thyme, paprika, and black pepper until well combined.
- Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Season both sides evenly with kosher salt.
- Arrange the fillets in an even layer in a 9x13-inch baking dish, allowing slight overlap if necessary.
- Spoon the prepared lemon garlic butter mixture evenly over the tilapia fillets, making sure each piece is well coated.
Cooking
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the tilapia for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the fish is opaque, flakes easily with a fork, and is cooked through.
- Remove the tilapia from the oven and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.
Serving
- Serve the baked fish with the buttery sauce from the baking dish and garnish with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.
Notes
Always pat the fish dry before seasoning for better flavor absorption. Experiment with herbs like basil or dill for varied flavors. For spice, consider adding finely chopped jalapeños to the mixture.