Baked Tilapia Lemon Butter (Print Version)
Tender tilapia fillets baked with lemon, garlic, and butter for a quick, flavorful main course.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 tilapia fillets (5.3 oz each), fresh or thawed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Lemon Butter Sauce
03 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
06 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
10 - Lemon slices
11 - Additional chopped parsley (optional)
# How to Cook:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to arrange tilapia fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat each tilapia fillet dry using paper towels. Arrange fillets in the prepared dish and lightly brush both sides with olive oil.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped parsley, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
04 - Pour the lemon butter mixture evenly over the tilapia fillets, ensuring thorough coating on each piece.
05 - Place a lemon slice atop each fillet for added flavor and presentation.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and appears opaque throughout.
07 - Remove from the oven, garnish with additional chopped parsley if desired, and serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes elegant but takes barely thirty minutes from start to table.
- The fish stays impossibly tender while the lemon butter sauce does all the heavy lifting flavor-wise.
- You can have everything prepped before the oven even heats up.
02 -
- Don't skip drying the fish; wet fillets steam instead of bake, and you lose that light texture.
- Lemon zest matters more than you'd expect; the oils in the peel add complexity that juice alone can't deliver.
03 -
- Have all your ingredients measured and ready before the oven heats; this fish respects timing.
- The secret is using real butter and fresh lemon, not substitutes; they're what make this feel special rather than ordinary.