Description
Succulent garlic butter oven baked tilapia highlights Mediterranean coastal cooking with simple ingredients. Delicate fish fillets promise restaurant-quality results right from home kitchens.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 tilapia fillets (about 1.5 lbs / 680 g total)
- 3 tbsps (45 mL) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 400F (200C) and prepare a baking dish with a light oil coating or parchment paper lining.
- Flavor Creation: Whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, paprika, salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning in a mixing bowl to create a robust marinade.
- Fish Preparation: Carefully lay tilapia fillets in the prepared baking dish, thoroughly coating each piece with the garlic butter sauce, ensuring complete coverage and flavor penetration.
- Baking Process: Roast the seasoned fillets in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, monitoring until the fish turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Larger fillets may require up to 18 minutes of cooking time.
- Finishing Touch: Remove from oven and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side, allowing guests to add an extra citrusy zest to the delicate fish.
Notes
- Check Fish Freshness: Select fresh, high-quality tilapia fillets with a clean, mild ocean scent and firm, translucent appearance to ensure optimal taste and texture.
- Prevent Overcooking: Monitor fish closely during baking, as tilapia cooks quickly and can become dry and tough if left in the oven too long; use a fork to test flakiness and translucency.
- Maximize Flavor Absorption: Let the garlic butter sauce sit on the fish for 5-10 minutes before baking to allow seasonings to deeply penetrate and enhance the overall taste profile.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Swap butter with olive oil for a lighter version, use gluten-free seasonings for sensitive diets, or replace tilapia with other white fish like cod or halibut for variety.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg