Parmesan Tilapia is a really fast and delicious dinner, perfect for any weeknight. Flaky and tender tilapia is topped with a savory parmesan sauce and broiled. This is a kick ass dinner that is ready in about 15 MINUTES, from start to finish!
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The flavors of this Broiled Parmesan Tilapia are similar to this Caesar Chicken if you would prefer to eat chicken instead of fish.
Why This Recipe Works
- Tilapia is a quick baking fish, making is a really great weeknight dinner.
- Baking the tilapia under the broiler allows it to cook quickly.
- The broiler browns the parmesan sauce perfectly, while finishing the tilapia.
- The capers and lemon add a nice bright flavor to the parmesan topping.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you need to make this Parmesan Tilapia for dinner, and some special tips on a few ingredients.
Tilapia Fillets – When looking for quality Tilapia Fillets they should have a nice white to light pink, firm flesh and not have little to no odor.
You can buy fresh or frozen tilapia fillets for this recipe. If you buy frozen you will want to thaw completely before baking.
- Overnight Thaw – Place the frozen fillets in a glass dish and place in the fridge overnight to thaw.
- Quick Thaw – Place in original vacuum sealed packaging (or in a zip lock if you already unpackaged them) in a bowl of room temp/warm water. Change the water every 5 minutes until they are thawed completely.
Step by Step Picture Instructions
This recipe is super easy to make! You will have dinner on the table in 15 minutes! Let’s get started…
Preheat your broiler. Also move the oven rack to the top position in the oven, about 6 inches from the broiler heating element.
Make the Parmesan Sauce by stirring together the parmesan, mayo, sour cream, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, onion powder, dill, capers and hot sauce. Set aside.
Pro Tip: Use fresh grated parmesan cheese, it melts better than pre-grated.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with baking/cooking spray or oil.
Lay the tilapia fillets on the baking sheet.
Pop the tilapia in the oven and broil for 3 minutes.
Remove from the oven and flip the tilapia over.
Pro Tip: Use a spatula to flip the fish, it will become tender and flaky as it bakes.
Divide the parmesan sauce evenly between the fillets. Spread completely over the top of the tilapia.
Pop back in the oven and broil for another 4-5 minutes.
Pro Tip: your tilapia is cooked though at 145 degrees. You can check this with an instant read thermometer.
Serving
This Broiled Parmesan Tilapia is amazing served with lemon wedges, couscous or rice pilaf, and roasted asparagus.
Recipe Tips
- Zest your lemon before you squeeze the juice.
- Use fresh grated parmesan cheese, it melts much creamier than pre-shredded.
- Don’t overcook your tilapia. 145 degree internal temp is all you need.
- Buy quality tilapia that has firm flesh, looks white to light pink and has little to no smell.
- Use a fish spatula or large spatula to turn and transfer the fish. It will become flaky and tender as it bakes.
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Easy 15 Minute Parmesan Tilapia
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 : 6-8 oz Tilapia Fillets
- ½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoon sour cream
- 3 tablespoon butter - softened
- zest of half a lemon
- 1 ½ tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoon capers - drained
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce - Tabasco (this is optional!)
- baking or cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven broiler. Move an oven rack to the top position, about 6 inches from the broiler.
- In a small bowl stir together the grated parmesan, mayo, sour cream, softened butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, onion powder, capers, dill, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Set aside.
- Prepare a rimmed baking sheet by covering it with foil and then spraying the foil with baking/cooking spray.Lay the tilapia fillets on the baking sheet, not overlapping.
- Pop the tilapia under the broiler for 3 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, flip the fillets over. Pro Tip – use a spatula to flip the fillets, they will be tender and flaky after baking.Divide the parmesan sauce evenly between the 4 fillets and spread over the uncooked side of the fish.
- Return to the oven and broil for another 4-5 minutes. The fish will be cooked at 145° internal temp.
- Serve immediately.
- your Parmesan Tilapia goes great with couscous or rice pilaf and asparagus or broccoli.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?!
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Recipe Tips and Notes:
- Overnight Thaw – Place the frozen fillets in a glass dish and place in the fridge overnight to thaw.
- Quick Thaw – Place in original vacuum sealed packaging (or in a zip lock if you already unpackaged them) in a bowl of room temp/warm water. Change the water every 5 minutes until they are thawed completely.
- Zest your lemon before you squeeze the juice.
- Use fresh grated parmesan cheese, it melts much creamier than pre-shredded.
- Don’t overcook your tilapia. 145 degree internal temp is all you need.
- Buy quality tilapia that has firm flesh, looks white to light pink and has little to no smell.
- Use a fish spatula or large spatula to turn and transfer the fish. It will become flaky and tender as it bakes.
Tara Lynn
I made this last night… OMGoodness. One of the best fish recipes I have ever made. You must try this, you will not be disappointed! 6 stars!!!
Susie Weinrich
Six Stars!!! Love it!!
Christine
So good! What to do with Tilapia? I came across the recipe and I had fresh grated parmesan cheese, cracked peppercorns (love grinding that pepper!), but no capers around, which did not harm the recipe at all! So good and simple!
Lauren
The dill and lemon were an amazing combination.
karen
I have a son that doesn’t like fish…. But this recipe… he adored! You can always trust mom’s dinner. The foodies… and minimal foodies in my house call all of these recipes…. WINNER WINNER!
Walter
Perfect!