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A close-up of a white baking dish with flaky fillets from a baked fish recipe, swimming in a lemon butter sauce with fresh herbs.

Garlic Butter Oven Baked Tilapia

A quick and flavorful weeknight meal, this oven-baked tilapia is infused with a rich garlic butter sauce and baked to flaky perfection. It's incredibly easy to make and delicious.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Seafood
Calories: 350
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Tilapia
  • 4 fillets tilapia (4-6 oz each), patted dry
For the Garlic Butter Sauce
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
For Baking
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for greasing

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch baking dish
  • Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl
  • Whisk
  • Tongs or spatula

Method
 

Prepare the Tilapia & Baking Dish
  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with olive oil.
  2. Pat tilapia fillets dry thoroughly with paper towels. This helps them crisp up and absorb the flavors better. Arrange them in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
Make the Garlic Butter Sauce
  1. In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over low heat. Alternatively, you can melt it in a microwave-safe bowl.
  2. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, chopped fresh parsley, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Whisk until all ingredients are well combined.
Bake the Tilapia
  1. Spoon or brush the garlic butter mixture generously over each tilapia fillet, ensuring an even and thorough coating.
  2. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the tilapia is opaque, flaky, and cooked through. The cooking time may vary slightly depending on the thickness of your fillets.
Serve
  1. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven. Serve the Garlic Butter Oven Baked Tilapia immediately, optionally garnished with a sprinkle of extra fresh parsley or lemon wedges.

Notes

For best results, do not overcrowd the baking dish. If cooking more than 4 fillets, use a larger dish or two dishes. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but fish is best enjoyed fresh.