This amazing Lemon Dill Baked Tilapia Recipe takes mere minutes to prep, is loaded with delicious flavors from creamy butter, garlic, lemon, and dill, and bakes up perfectly every time. This tasty, healthy recipe is an absolute favorite of ours.
Perfect Oven Baked Tilapia
This quick and easy baked tilapia cooks up perfectly every time. It is ideal for busy weeknights yet elegant enough for company. I like serving it with fresh veggies like roasted asparagus, green beans almondine, Asian cucumber salad, or zucchini noodles.
How to bake Tilapia
Start by melting your butter in a saucepan over low heat. Then add the garlic, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper, and dill. Dry the fish fillets well with paper towels. Then, place the fish on a parchment-covered baking sheet or in a baking dish and brush with the butter mixture. Add fresh-cut lemon slices to the baking sheet.
Now bake for 10-15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily at its thickest part with a fork. Finally, garnish with chopped fresh parsley and, if desired, a little bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
How long to bake Tilapia
Do not overbake the tilapia. It will take about 10-15 minutes. Fish is done when it reaches 145 degrees. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the filet. If you do not have a thermometer, cook until it flakes easily with a fork at its thickest part.
Recipe Tips for Baked Tilapia
- Pat the tilapia dry with paper towels before brushing on the butter mixture.
- Fresh lemons, dill, and parsley are a must for full flavor if available, but see other spices and herbs below,
- The parchment paper keeps the fish from sticking and helps with easy cleanup. But you can easily cook it right on the baking sheet. Spray the fish filets with nonstick spray or brush lightly with the butter sauce.
- Do not overbake the fish. Fish is done when it reaches 145 degrees. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the filet. Cook until it flakes easily with a fork at its thickest part.
- Almost all tilapia is frozen or previously frozen, so I can not recommend refreezing it.
- This recipe is equally delicious with cod or halibut.
How to properly thaw fish
- The safest method is to remove the frozen fish from the freezer, puncture the vacuum packaging to introduce oxygen, and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight on a plate with a paper towel under the packaging. The refrigerator should be at 38 degrees or below. Read here for more safe tips on thawing fish.
- If you waited too long and need to thaw it fast. Remove the fish from the vacuum-sealed packaging and place it in a zipper freezer bag. Place the zipper bag in a bowl of very cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes to ensure that it stays cold. If the fish was not vacuum sealed, place it in a heavy-duty zipper bag, removing as much air as possible. Remove the fish from the cold water as soon as it is thawed and cook promptly. Store the thawed fish in the refrigerator while you are getting the rest of the ingredients together or preheating a grill.
- Do not thaw fish on the counter.
- Please do not thaw fish in warm water. It is not safe.
- Do not refreeze fish that was previously frozen and thawed.
- If the fish was thawed in the refrigerator, use it within 1-2 days. If the fish is thawed using the cold bowl method listed above, then cook promptly.
How to season oven Baked Tilapia
There are many seasonings that are delicious on tilapia. Many of these spices and herbs are delicious as a combination.
- lemon juice
- garlic
- lemon zest
- dill
- lemon pepper
- parsley
- garlic powder
- marjoram
- paprika
- thyme
- rosemary
- cayenne pepper
- tarragon
- onion powder
- fresh ground black pepper
- seasoned salt
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, wrap in an aluminum foil tent and place in a preheated 275-degree oven for about 15 minutes.
Freeze baked tilapia for up to 2 months in a zipper freeze bag or freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge overnight. To reheat, wrap in an aluminum foil tent and place in a preheated 275-degree oven for about 15 minutes.
More seafood recipes
Lemon Dill Baked Tilapia
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dilll
- 20-24 ounces tilapia fillets
- lemon slices
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped Italian Parsley
- Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese optional
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Dry the fish filets will with paper towels.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and dill.
- Dry the fish filets well with paper towels. Place the fish on the prepared baking sheet or baking pan. Brush with the butter mixture. Add fresh cut lemon slices to the baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily at its thickest part with a fork. Fish is done when it reaches 145 degrees. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the filet. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and if desired a little bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
Notes
-
- Pat the tilapia dry with paper towels before brushing on the butter mixture.
- Fresh lemons, dill, and parsley are a must for full flavor if available, but see other spices and herbs below,
- The parchment paper keeps the fish from sticking and helps with easy cleanup. But you can easily cook it right on the baking sheet. Spray the fish filets with nonstick spray or brush lightly with the butter sauce.
- Do not overbake the fish. Fish is done when it reaches 145 degrees. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the filet. Cook until it flakes easily with a fork at its thickest part.
- Almost all tilapia is frozen or previously frozen, so I can not recommend refreezing it.
- This recipe is equally delicious with cod or halibut.
Nutrition
On the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Harold
Great tilapia recipe. Lemon and dill is always a tasty combination especially on baked fish, I can’t wait to try it on other kinds of fish. I wonder how it would taste on grouper?
Beth Pierce
It would be delicious!
Toni
My mouth is watering! I’ve been really enjoying fish this month in my new year’s reset so will be adding this recipe to the weeknight menu!
Allyson
This was absolutely the perfect dinner! i served it with some rice and your sauteed asparagus. Thank you so much for the recipes.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine!
Lavanda
Now that was delicious! I never knew that baked tilapia would be so easy to make and taste so darn yummy. I think we need to add more fish to our diet.
Beth Pierce
That sounds like a great plan!
Lily
The dill and lemon give it a nice pop of flavor that we loved. I told my family that fish can taste delicious and now they believe me. Thank you!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine Lily!
Erica
This is the best way to cook it. I loved every bite! Tender, flaky, and flavorful. Try saying that ten times fast.
Yeah Lifestyle
Lemon and dill is such a classic combination and always tastes so fresh. I love how healthy the baked fish tastes and we had a little salad with it too.
Beth Pierce
Wonderful! I am glad that you enjoyed it!
Tony M
Your Lemon Dill Baked Tilapia Recipe had my taste buds tingling! The combination of creamy butter, garlic, lemon, and dill was absolutely delightful. Thanks for sharing this mouthwatering dish! Everyone loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Tony!
Janice
This tilapia was so delicious and well seasoned! Thank you for sharing your recipe. This will be on repeat at my house.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Janice! So happy that you liked it!
Catalina
I tried the lemon dill baked tilapia, and it was a burst of freshness on my taste buds! The combination of lemon and dill with the perfectly baked tilapia is divine!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Catalina!
Brianna Lynn Pearse
The ingredients in this recipe go so amazingly perfect together, it’s almost like they were created for.each other. And the sauce doesn’t just compliment the mild tilapia, it’s just as good on any fish or seafood. Dill isn’t usually my go-to, but married with the garlic, butter and lemon, it gives the PERFECT touch to the entire dish!
Beth Pierce
I agree Brianna Lynn! So true!
Stephanie
I started adding more fish meals to my family dinners for the New Year. This lemon dill tilapia was a winner with the family. I am going to try it with cod as we like it a little better. The lemon and dill is a great combination for fish.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Stephanie! I could not agree more!
Sandra
I love how elegant this dish is yet so easy to make! The lemon and the dill really make this pop. Next time I am going to try it with cod. I bet it will be equally delicious!
Beth Pierce
It is just as good with cod! Enjoy!
Janey
Yay! A new recipe for fish that I love. I think I can use this same recipe for many types of light or white fish.
Beth Pierce
Yes, Janey! You sure can. This recipe is equally delicious with cod or halibut.
April
This was the best tilapia recipe ever! So tasty, super quick and easy – we all loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, April!