Baked alongside lime wedges and coated in olive oil + a simple seasoning blend, this oven baked tilapia recipe is as quick and easy as it is delicious and nutritious!
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Because it tends to be really quick to prepare, seafood is one of my very favorite ways to get a nutritious meal on the table, especially when I’m short on time.
Some of my very favorite seafood dishes on the website: Lemon Butter Baked White Fish, Lemon Garlic Baked Cod with Cherry Tomatoes, Blackened Salmon Bowls with Coconut Rice, Cilantro Lime Salmon Bake with Tomato Avocado Salsa, Herb Crusted Salmon & Potato Bake, and Baked Halibut Sheet Pan Dinner.
Each of these dishes, along with this baked tilapia dinner, is easy, really quick, and very nutritious!
If you’re new to the world of seafood, tilapia is a GREAT place to start. It tends to be pretty mild in flavor and because of that, it really takes on the flavor of whatever you’re cooking/seasoning it with. Also, because we’re baking the tilapia here, the oven does most of the work for you, making this meal as easy as it gets!
Ingredients Needed
The ingredients here are really minimal, y’all, but that’s the really beautiful thing about a dish like this! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Tilapia – to start, you will, of course, need tilapia! Most often, you’ll find tilapia filets in the freezer section of the grocery store in individually portioned vacuum-sealed pouches. Tilapia is almost always farm-raised.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – you’ll also need 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil here.
- Lime Juice – the lime juice will help to give the fish some flavor, while still keeping things really fresh and bright! You’ll need 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice.
- Sea Salt + Black Pepper – a ½ teaspoon of sea salt and a ¼ teaspoon of black pepper really go a long way in seasoning the fish!
- Lime Wedges – you’ll want to grab an extra lime to cut into wedges. This will sit alongside the tilapia as it bakes.
How To Bake Tilapia
The process is about as simple as the ingredients! Here’s how you’ll do it:
- Preheat the oven – to start, go ahead and preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Prepare the tilapia – to get the tilapia ready to go into the oven, you’ll want to place it in a 9×13 baking dish or on a rimmed baking sheet and rub it with the olive oil + lime juice, and then season it with the salt and pepper. Once the tilapia is seasoned, arrange the lime wedges in the baking dish around it.
- Bake – bake the tilapia for 15 minutes, until it flakes easily with a fork.
- Serve – let the tilapia cool slightly, squeeze the baked lime wedges over top, serve, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Serve your baked tilapia alongside a green veggie and a starchy side. Here are our very favorite picks from each category:
Starchy Sides
Veggie Sides
Salad Sides
- Italian Side Salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Best Spinach Salad with a Spicy Lemon Salad Dressing
- Lemon Sea Salt Arugula Salad
How to Store and Reheat
Fish is definitely best enjoyed the day you cook it, but if you have extra to save, be sure to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stored this way, it’ll last for up to 3 days.
To reheat, either pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or heat it in a skillet on the stovetop for a few minutes, until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
This tilapia goes into the oven uncovered. Because the baking time is so short (15 minutes), there really isn’t any need to cover the fish to keep the top of it from burning.
It is! As mentioned above, it’s a flaky white fish that is mild in flavor, so it’s really great for those who don’t love “fishy” fish but still want the benefits of seafood.
More Favorite Seafood Recipes
Oven Baked Tilapia
Ingredients
- 4 tilapia filets about 1 pound total
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lime cut into wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Place the tilapia in a 9×13 inch baking dish or on a rimmed baking sheet and rub with the olive oil and lime juice. Season with the salt and pepper, then arrange the lime wedges around the tilapia.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tilapia flakes easily with a fork. Let cool slightly, then squeeze the baked lime wedges over top and eat!
Recipe Notes
- For a different flavor profile, try seasoning the tilapia with about 1 tablespoon of your favorite spice blend. Lemon pepper, Cajun seasoning, or an herb blend like herbs de Provence are all great options!
Nutrition
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