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Easy Lemon Butter Tilapia Recipe (Quick & Flavorful)

Easy Lemon Butter Tilapia Recipe

Tender tilapia fillets bake in a quick lemon-butter garlic sauce for a fresh, flavorful dinner in about 20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges, parsley, and your favorite simple side dishes.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 4 fillets Tilapia fillets, about 5–6 ounces each
Lemon Butter Sauce
  • 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
  • 3 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
Garnish
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh parsley, chopped
  • as needed Lemon wedges

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish or line it with parchment, then pat the tilapia fillets dry and arrange them in a single layer.
  2. Whisk together the melted butter, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Pour or brush the lemon-butter mixture evenly over the fillets.
  3. Bake the tilapia for 10–12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Check the thickest point with an instant-read thermometer and remove the fish when it reaches 145°F and flakes easily with a fork.
  4. Spoon some of the warm pan juices over each fillet. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Notes

Pat the fish dry so the sauce clings well and the pan juices do not become watery. Thin fillets may cook in 8–10 minutes, while thicker fillets may need 12–15 minutes, but always use 145°F as the doneness check.