This amazing Lemon Dill Baked Tilapia Recipe takes mere minutes to prepare. It is loaded with delicious flavors from creamy butter, garlic, lemon, and dill and bakes perfectly every time. This tasty, healthy recipe is an absolute favorite of ours.
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.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Butter: salted or unsalted. If using salted butter reduce the amount of added salt to 1/4 teaspoon.
- Seasonings: Fresh lemons, dill, and parsley are a must for full flavor if available, but see other spices and herbs below,
- Tilapia filets: This recipe is equally delicious with cod or halibut.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is worth every penny. It has a better texture, tastes better, and melts better than pre-grated Parmesan. Use a microplane or box grater to grate the cheese.
How to Bake Tilapia
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
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.
Preparation Tips
- Pat the tilapia dry with paper towels before brushing on the butter mixture.
- 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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
There are many seasonings that are delicious on tilapia. Many of these spices and herbs are delicious as a combination. Try lemon juice, garlic, lemon zest, dill, lemon pepper, parsley, garlic powder, marjoram, paprika, thyme, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and tarragon.
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.
- 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.
Nutrition
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Karen
Tilapia is one of my favorite fish…Your recipe was delicious…The lemon and dill gave it an amazing taste, I love it.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Karen! I am so glad that you liked it!
Harmony
I am not a lemon flavor fan but this was delicious. I loved the flavor and the texture!
Joseph
This was such a delicious recipe! The dill and lemon were the perfect seasonings for tilapia. I served it with cilantro lime rice and roasted asparagus.
Beth Pierce
Sounds like a delicious meal.