Pan Seared Tilapia

This Pan Seared Tilapia is a super easy 25-minute dinner that is perfect for busy moms like us. The fish is lightly crusty on the outside and flaky on the inside.

Serve this meal on busy weeknights with our Mango Avocado Salsa and you’ll be in heaven!

We're totally having fun looking for easy dinner recipes that we can execute in about 30 minutes or less! As a busy mama, it is our goal to make family-friendly meals that do not require hours and hours of cooking!

So this Pan Seared Tilapia is right up our alley! You do not need to coat the tilapia in flour before frying, and you only need a few easy pantry staples.

• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Cook: 20 minutes
• Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients

For this easy weeknight dinner, all you need is some:

• Tilapia filets (they should be completely defrosted if frozen)
• Garlic powder
• Dried Basil
• Paprika: Regular or smoked paprika would work
• Black pepper
• Salt
• And olive oil.

This combination of seasoning makes the fish taste worth making again! You’ll enjoy this easy dinner whether you are a fish lover or not! Tilapia has a mild flavor so it really soaks up the seasoning.

We always keep a variety of dried spices and herbs at home, and you totally should do the same. They make life so easy!

For the full list of ingredients with measurements, check out the recipe card below.

Always pat your fish with paper towel before searing so you get a golden crust.

How it comes together

Here is how to make pan-fried tilapia in two easy steps:

Step 1. Rub the spices on both sides of the fish. Be sure that the spices get to every nook and cranny of the fish. There is no need to let the fish marinate first.

Step 2: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Preferably, use a cast iron skillet if you have one, but any other skillet, like a nonstick skillet, will do. Once the oil is hot, place two fillets in at a time. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until the fish flakes easily with a fork and is golden brown. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley as a garnish if you want to be a little extra!

Also, add some lime wedges on the side for squeezing over and enjoying. worth making again!

Two easy steps, a short cooking process, and you have the best tilapia recipe!

We could eat all of this fish in one sitting, we tell you. It is super flavorful. The blend of ingredients we use on them transforms boring tilapia into a restaurant quality dish.

Our whole family goes crazy for this! We strongly suggest doubling the recipe if you’re cooking for 4 or more people. In the unlikely event that you have leftovers, place them into a bowl with a tight-fitting lid and store in the fridge for an easy grab-and-warm lunch or dinner.

How to serve it

This pan-seared tilapia recipe pairs perfectly with our Mango Avocado Salsa! We enjoyed the fish and salsa with some corn chips on the side, a squeeze of lime juice, and we loved it! Serve it with boiled rice or garlic herb rice, green beans, couscous, fried plantains, and potato fries. Break up the fish and serve it in tacos, or pair it with any side dish you enjoy.

Hope this recipe brightens your life in the kitchen as it did ours!

How it comes together

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Other ways

• Make a lemon butter sauce to go with the fish.
• Season the tilapia and bake it in a shallow dish instead of cooking it on the stove top.
• Air-fry the seasoned tilapia instead.
• Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the fish just before serving or top each filet with lemon slices.
• Season the fish with a seasoning mix like Cajun seasoning, chili powder, or Italian seasoning.

Ingredients

• 1 pound tilapia fillets, 4 fillets
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Method

1. Place fillets on a large plate, then rub the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, dried basil and one tablespoon of olive oil all over them.
2. In a skillet (preferably cast iron) heat 1 tablespoon of oil on high heat for about 3 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium then add two fillets to the pan. Let them cook on one side for about 4 minutes then flip to the other side and let them cook for another 3-4 minutes.
3. Repeat the process with the remaining fillets and oil.
4. Serve warm with some lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the fish as needed. We love to serve this fish with our Mango Avocado Salsa on the side! You could also break it up and use in tacos or serve with any side dish you like. Enjoy, friends!