Beautifully golden on the outside and perfectly flakey and moist inside, this tilapia recipe comes together super quickly. It only requires a handful of healthy and flavorful ingredients, making it perfect if you need a last-minute dinner idea for your family. Tilapia is mild in flavor, so even if you have a picky eater on your hands, this pan fried fish will be gobbled up in no time.
Tilapia is a great fish to cook with if you’re looking to eat more fish. It’s budget-friendly, easy to find, and an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein. If you’d like another easy fish recipe for the week, you should try my Air Fryer Salmon as well!
Key Ingredients You Need
- Tilapia – If you’re trying to add more fish to your diet, tilapia is an excellent choice as the fish does not have a fishy taste and has a mild sweet flavor. Ideally, if you can find wild-caught tilapia, it’s preferred over farmed tilapia but if you cannot find wild tilapia, aim to purchase farmed fish from the United States or Canada.
- Flour — I use all-purpose flour, but you can swap for gluten-free flour if you would like for this fried tilapia recipe to be gluten-free.
How to Make Pan Fried Tilapia
Step 1: Season tilapia fillets with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
Step 2: Place the flour onto a plate or shallow baking dish and then dredge each filet in the flour to lightly coat both sides of the fish.
Step 3: Shake off any excess flour from the filets.
Step 4: Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the fillets 1 or 2 at a time, depending on the size of your pan.
Step 5: Cook the fillets for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown.
Step 6: Garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped parsley.
Tips For This Recipe
- If the fillets are damp, be sure to pat them dry before dredging them in flour so the flour can stick better.
- Make sure to give the skillet time to heat up with the olive oil and butter. If the pan is not hot enough, the tilapia will not crisp up but instead absorb too much oil, making them soggy.
- You may need to add additional butter and olive oil when cooking in batches.
- Tilapia cooks up quickly! Avoid overcooking, or the fish will be tough. The fillets should flake easily with a fork once cooked through.
- Allow the pan fried tilapia to rest a couple of minutes before serving to help the fillet retain moisture.
- Add some cayenne pepper to the seasoning if you’d like to add a kick of heat to the fish.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use frozen instead of fresh tilapia. Frozen fillets are often more convenient and easier to find. Just be sure to thaw the fillets before cooking. Avoid thawing the fish on the counter. The best way to thaw tilapia is in the fridge overnight or under cold running water in the sink. There may be extra moisture on the fillets as they were frozen, so pat the fillets dry before cooking.
Leftover fish has a shorter shelf life. Store leftover pan fried tilapia in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Tilapia is delicate and will take on smells easily, so avoid leaving it uncovered in the refrigerator or storing it in the same container as strong-scented side dishes.
Some of my favorite side dishes to go with this tilapia recipe are my Mango Salsa, Air Fryer Green Beans, Pico de Gallo, and Instant Pot Smashed Potatoes.
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If you’ve tried this recipe, then don’t forget to leave me a 5 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Pan Fried Tilapia
Ingredients
- 4 4 oz tilapia fillets
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- garnish with lemon juice and chopped parsley
Instructions
- Season tilapia fillets with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Place the flour onto a plate or shallow baking dish and then dredge each filet in the flour to lightly coat both sides of the fish. Shake off any excess flour from the filets.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the filets for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown.
- Garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped parsley.
Video
Notes
- If the fillets are damp, be sure to pat them dry before dredging them in flour so the flour can stick better.
- Make sure to give the skillet time to heat up with the olive oil and butter. If the pan is not hot enough, the tilapia will not crisp up but instead absorb too much oil, making them soggy.
- You may need to add additional butter and olive oil when cooking in batches.
- Tilapia cooks up quickly! Avoid overcooking, or the fish will be tough. The fillets should flake easily with a fork once cooked through.
- Allow the tilapia to rest a couple of minutes before serving to help the fillet retain moisture.
- Avoid cooking this recipe in a cast-iron skillet. The fish is quite delicate, and a stainless-steel nonstick skillet makes it easier to flip.
- Add some cayenne pepper to the seasoning if you’d like to add a kick of heat to the fish.
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