I didn’t think I could love fish so much, but this recipe has proved me wrong! Parmesan Crusted Tilapia is crispy, tender, and full of lemon-parmesan flavor. It’s perfect for drizzling with Garlic Aioli! This easy dinner has tons of flavor and is done in 30 minutes or less, my friends. Plus it’s healthy and high in protein! Can’t beat that! Crispy, cheesy perfection. I’m in love.
Okay I have a tilapia recipe for you today that is SO INCREDIBLY FAST, you will not believe it. And my goodness friends, I am going to need an easy meal after the morning we had!
Today is officially the LAST day of school, but my kids have been completely checked out since last week sometime. They’re watching movies in all their classes, bringing treats for their potlucks, and wearing swimsuits for their outdoor play days. It’s the best!
But I wasn’t sure if we were going to make it this morning, not gonna lie. Eric and I put the kids to bed on time last night (…mostly) but Charlotte still slept through the first 30 minutes of her alarm (as only a 15-year-old can do, amiright??)
Truman convinced us that we should let him cut the last day of school so that he could make an epic lemonade stand with his buddies, and I couldn’t even say no, because what is he going to be learning in class today that is more educational than his own entrepreneurial pursuits?? Mom of the year award over here.
Valentine couldn’t find her shoes for a solid 20 minutes before school. I was about to throw her in the car barefoot. She was pulling on her knee-high cowboy boots 6 minutes before the bell rang, when I found her lost shoe halfway up the stairs (exactly where I told her it was, of course.)
Edison had his kindergarten promotion. Most kids comb their hair and wear a tie for this event, but Edison decided the best way to show up was to wear his new (adult-large) tie-dye shirt that he made at a church activity last week. But it was in the wash. So after throwing his laundry all over his room in a tornado-rage (and losing several privileges in the process), he finally pulled on a too-small St. Patrick’s Day Yoda t-shirt. AND he didn’t comb his hair. He literally looks like a homeless child next to all these other clean-shaven kindergarteners.
Hoo boy. Well, here’s to the end of the year! We made it! Talk about crawling to the finish line, haha!
But now it’s over: on to EASY DINNER.
You are going to love this Tilapia!
I love this recipe because it is SO INCREDIBLY FAST. Fish is a blessing, that way. Other types of meat just take longer to cook, but not the blessed fish filet. We are talking 6 minutes under the broiler and you are DONE. The most time consuming part of this recipe is shredding the Parmesan and juicing the lemon.
I love to make this with frozen tilapia. It thaws super fast (I’m always forgetting to take stuff out of the freezer.) You season both sides with some salt and pepper and paprika, then broil for a couple minutes.
Then you top it with the magic sauce: butter, mayo, lemon, and lots of Parmesan. And PANKO. The panko bread crumbs are what make the sauce thick enough to stay on top of the fish, and they give your fish that perfect crispy edge.
This recipe has been on my blog since 2013, it’s an oldie but a goodie. (Scroll down below the recipe card to see my old photo and read the old story!) It was a really popular recipe on Allrecipes (remember Allrecipes??) I’ve changed it up and adapted to our tastes. Valentine declared this her favorite meal, after Honey Lime Salmon, of course. She’s my healthy eater!!
OH! I almost forgot to mention the best part. After the tilapia comes out of the broiler, be sure to serve it with Homemade Garlic Aioli! What’s a crispy-crisp without a good saucy-sauce? The flavors meld perfectly. To make it a whole meal I like to serve it with Instant Pot Brown Rice and Roasted Broccoli. Dinner in 30 minutes, tops!!
Key ingredients
I love a recipe where the ingredients are super simple but the end product definitely makes you feel a little fancy. Be sure to look at the recipe card for the full list, but let’s go over some of the clutch ingredients that totally make this dish!
- Mayonnaise is such a great option when baking meat. It coats the fish and helps seal in tons of moisture and adds richness!
- Parmesan cheese, of course. It’s a total umami powerhouse (literally, it has super high natural levels of glutamate!) and adds a rich, nutty layer to the fish.
- Lemon is a key flavor in this dish! We’re using an entire lemon just for the sauce, and I also recommend adding lemon to whatever sides you are fixing to go with the fish. It adds the perfect brightness.
- Panko bread crumbs or bust! This is the ingredient that adds the *crisp* to our fish, so don’t skip it. And the panko type of bread crumb is essential. You just won’t be able to get that same crunchy, crispy crust using normal bread crumbs, so no subs!
How to make Parmesan crusted tilapia
Here is everything you need to make this recipe! It could not be easier, especially when you start with frozen fish.
Use paper towel to pat your fish dry. This helps the fish to brown, and also helps the sauce stick better to the fish later!
Put together some salt and pepper and paprika…
And sprinkle it on BOTH sides of the tilapia.
Then broil for 2 minutes!
Get your parmesan sauce all ready to go. Soften some butter in the microwave…don’t melt it all the way! We just want it soft enough to stir and spread.
Squeeze in a big lemon, about 1/4 cup of juice is what you want.
Add in the mayo and all the spices.
Shred some parmesan cheese with the fine grater. Add it to the sauce along with the panko crumbs:
Stir it all together, then spoon it on top of each filet. The mixture should be thick enough that it won’t fall off. This is why we’re not using melted butter! If it’s not staying on, refrigerate the sauce for a few minutes.
Ta-da! Here she is all crusty and broiled. Doesn’t this look so good??
Here is a too-close up shot of me adding lemon juice to my Instant Pot full of Brown rice. 😂 You can serve this tilapia with whatever you want, but I highly recommend adding butter and lemon to whatever else you are making! Add some butter and lemon to some pasta, or Mashed Potatoes, or White Rice! Can’t go wrong.
The other thing that I love adding to this meal is some simple Aioli! You can make homemade aioli or the cheater version, which is basically just adding lemon and garlic to mayonnaise. It makes this tilapia taste SOOO good!
What to serve with this tilapia
This is an easy answer for me, since I almost always choose Brown Rice cooked in my Instant Pot and the easiest Roasted Broccoli recipe that my kids literally scarf up. I’m listing a few other options here, and you can always check out all the other Side Dishes on the blog!
- Colcannon >> how can you go wrong with buttery potatoes with cabbage and bacon?! If you’ve never had it, GO make this!
- Easy Broccoli Bacon Salad Recipe >> if you don’t want to turn on your oven, this would be an amazing alternative to the roasted broccoli
- Lemon Arugula Salad >> The Food Charlatan house salad – I eat this salad all.the.time and it goes with everything!
How to store leftovers
Add the cooled fish to a container with an airtight lid and keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The sooner you get to the leftovers, the better! To reheat, the best options are an air fryer or the oven (or toaster oven if you have one) to recreate the crispiness of the crust. Arrange the fish in a single layer and heat at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes in the air fryer and anywhere from 8-12 minutes in the oven or toaster oven. Make sure you check it regularly and pull it out as soon as it’s warm. If it overheats it will be very dry and rubbery, yuck.
You can also freeze the leftovers! Put the filets on a baking sheet in a single layer and flash freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to a ziplock freezer bag, get out as much air as you can, and seal. It will last in the freezer for 1-2 months. Thaw the fish in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat for 3-5 minutes in a 350 degree air fryer or 8-12 minutes in an oven/toaster oven.
More delicious seafood recipes!
I love adding seafood to our dinner rotation. It’s generally pretty healthy and cooks so fast, so it makes for a great weeknight option. Here are a few favorites!
Recipes for Dinner
Creamy Tuscan Salmon (30 Minute Dinner!)
Quick and Easy Dinners
15 Minute Shrimp Scampi
Seafood Recipes
Honey Sriracha Salmon Bowls
Seafood Recipes
Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Sauce
Baked Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
Ingredients
For the tilapia:
- 1 and 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets, (6-8 fillets), thawed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the crispy parmesan topping
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, juice from 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
For the brown rice
- 1 batch Instant Pot Brown Rice
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 large lemon
Serve with
- 1 batch Roasted Broccoli
- 1 batch Garlic Aioli
Instructions
- Prep the side dishes: If you plan to serve this with Instant Pot Brown Rice, start that first so it's ready to go. The tilapia cooks fast! Make the rice recipe as instructed, but add 1/4 cup butter and a 1/4 cup lemon juice at the end.
- You could also prep the Roasted Broccoli ahead of time.
- Make the tilapia: Let 1 and 1/2 pounds tilapia thaw completely, if you are using frozen filets.
- Use a paper towel to pat dry each tilapia filet.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray, or grease with oil.* Lay out the tilapia filets. Sprinkle with half of the salt and paprika mixture. Flip each filet and sprinkle the rest of the seasoning on the tilapia.
- Make the parmesan sauce. In a medium bowl, add 1/4 cup butter. If it's not soft, microwave it for 10-20 seconds until it is spreadable (don't melt it).
- Add 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon celery seed, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs. Stir to combine.
- Turn your broiler on to high heat and move the oven racks up to the top.
- Broil the tilapia a few inches from the heat for 2 minutes.
- Remove the tilapia from the oven and use a spoon to add all of the parmesan mixture to the top of each filet. (There is no need to flip the fish) The mixture is thick and will stay put on top.
- Return the tilapia to the broiler, with the rack still up high close to the heat.
- Broil for another 4-6 minutes. Don't walk away! Keep an eye on it. The broiler takes things from toasty to on fire really quick. Take the tilapia out when the topping is browned and crispy, and even starting to blacken in some spots. The fish should flake easily with a fork.
- The total broiling time (including the first two minutes without the parmesan sauce) should be 6-8 minutes.
- Serve the tilapia with Instant Pot Brown Rice, White Rice, or pasta. (You could add butter and lemon juice to any of these!) And serve with Roasted Broccoli, Lemon Almond Green Beans, or Oven Roasted Asparagus.
- Add sauce: Whatever you do, don't forget to drizzle your whole meal with Homemade Garlic Aioli! It's a game changer!!
Notes
Nutrition
I posted this recipe in 2013
Here is what was going on back then!
Today I cleaned out a fireplace that hasn’t seen the light of day since like 1922. (This exaggeration may actually be accurate. I’m not sure exactly when our home was built, but I’m guessing it was in the 20s or 30s.) I had to empty the vacuum 3 times. Three times. And there were snail shells. What? Snails? In a fireplace? Yes, snails. They left their tracks all up and down the bricks. How did they get there? And if something as big as a snail can get into my fireplace, what else is crawling into my house?
We move in on Saturday. I’m super excited. I’ve been working my butt off getting it all cleaned and painted and ready. Can I get a round of applause for TSP? Trisodium Phosphate. I didn’t even know this stuff existed until my mom told me about it last week, but it is an old home’s best friend. You would not believe how much soot and dirt came off those walls.
We painted the built-in wood bookshelves and paneling that surrounds the fireplace. It was oak, and very 70s looking. We painted it white, at the independent advice of 2 people way more stylish than us. I read on a blog somewhere that men always want to keep the wood paneling and women always want to paint it a light color. My brother was using my computer the other day and saw all the pages I had open with before and afters. Sure enough, he said that he liked all the befores better…the afters looked sissy.
Sissy or not, it’s all done now. I congratulated myself out loud when I finished my last touch up today. Good job Karen! You are freaking awesome! Sometimes when no one else is around to give me my compliment fix, I fill in. The paneling took me the better part of a week. (Eric was at work so I was on my own. We would have done it last weekend but we went on a little getaway instead. Still don’t regret that.)
Wish us luck moving our piano. Or just show up to help. That would be great too. I’ll make you this tilapia if you do.
You wouldn’t regret it. This is one of the best fish I have ever put in my mouth. Oh and? Done in 15 minutes. Done, I tell you.
So super easy and love the crunch! A new favorite. Thanks!
So glad you’re moved in and happy with how things turned out. I can vouch for this recipe also. After Sandi made it for us, I came home and served it to our good neighbors who are not easy to impress, being quite the food connoisseurs. It was a complete success! Thank you, thank you. I will serve this often and I am NOT a fish person. Easy. Delicious. Thank you. Fun blog. So glad Sandi has you near by. Maybe not as good as living together, but next best.
I’m so glad you loved this Joan! Impressing picky neighbors is always fun :)
Your house sounds awesome, sans snails, and this fish looks delectable. I won’t tell you the grossest thing I’ve ever cleaned because this is a food blog, and no one would want to cook anything after hearing about it. Could fresh bread crumbs be used for this recipe, or is the panko necessary for adequate crunchiness?
Out with it Sarah. If readers can’t handle it they belong on a different blog :) and yes regular old breadcrumbs will work fine, I just like the texture of Panko best.
I always compliment myself when I’m alone, too, and now that Mike works from home, it turns out that I’m not even alone for these moments. He’ll call from the office, “So you’re so happy with yourself right now?”
Haha! Glad to know I’m not alone.
Snail shells?! How funny. And not funny. But it makes for an interesting story. :)
I’m not usually much of a fish person either, but I do love tilapia. Unfortunately my husband HATES fish, hates it so much that he doesn’t even want me to cook it in our house. I imagine that if he ever goes away on a trip, I will eat fish every day that he is gone. ;)
Make it when he’s not home, then feed it to him and tell him it’s chicken. I bet he will like it. I’m not above deception in the name of food. :) Hope you like it!!