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Baked Lemon Garlic Butter Tilapia

A delicious and simple dish featuring tender tilapia coated in a bright lemon garlic butter sauce, perfect for quick weeknight dinners or impressing guests.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 290
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fish and Seasoning
  • 1.5 pounds tilapia fillets About 3 to 4 fillets
  • 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 0.25 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes
Butter Mixture
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (1/2 stick)
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1/2 medium lemon)
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 0.5 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 0.5 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves (from 5 sprigs)
Serving
  • Lemon wedges For serving

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Heat the oven to 425ºF.
  2. 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.
  3. Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Season both sides evenly with kosher salt.
  4. Arrange the fillets in an even layer in a 9×13-inch baking dish, allowing slight overlap if necessary.
  5. Spoon the prepared lemon garlic butter mixture evenly over the tilapia fillets, making sure each piece is well coated.
Cooking
  1. 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.
  2. Remove the tilapia from the oven and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.
  3. Serve the baked fish with the buttery sauce from the baking dish and garnish with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes to avoid drying out. Frozen cooked tilapia can last up to two months.