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My air fryer tilapia is a quick, easy, and delicious dinner idea that cooks in just 7 minutes! This tender white fish is perfect for those skeptical of seafood.
Love cooking fish in the air fryer? Try my air fryer salmon, air fryer cod, air fryer mahi mahi, and air fryer salmon bites next.
Tilapia is a fish I cook often because it’s super affordable, easy to find, and mild tasting enough that certain family members (*cough* sister *cough*) will not complain about easy fishy flavor.
My air fryer tilapia recipe is a weeknight staple. Unlike using the oven or the pan, I never have to worry about overcooking or undercooking the fish. It’s also incredibly quick, and the cleanup is minimal.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Easy and quick. No marinating is needed, and the tilapia takes just a few minutes to cook.
- Economical yet delicious. Compared to other fish, tilapia is affordable and easy to find at most grocery stores.
- Fresh or frozen. I’ve tested this recipe with both fresh and frozen fillets, and it works well either way.
- Healthy. Tilapia is a low-calorie and low-carb fish, with just 120 calories per 4-ounce serving (source).
- No fishy flavor. Unlike other seafood, it’s mildly flavored and can easily be customized. I mean, as someone who grew up not liking the taste of any fish, this one was an immediate winner!
★★★★★ REVIEW
“I have done this several times since I found it. It is absolutely delicious !! Thank you!” – Nicole
Ingredients needed
- Tilapia fillets. While fresh or frozen fillets work, always choose fresh tilapia fillets when possible. Also, try to choose equal-sized fillets so they cook evenly. I either buy this fish from my local fishmonger, but mainstream grocery stores have it too.
- Salt and pepper. To taste.
- Smoked paprika. Adds a lovely smokey flavor.
- Garlic powder. Adds a subtle garlic flavor without needing to use actual garlic.
- Lemon juice, garlic, and butter. To prepare the sauce. You can replace the butter with olive oil.
- Lemon wedges, cilantro, and parsley. To serve.
How to cook tilapia in the air fryer
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep the fish. Pat dry the tilapia fillets.
Step 2- Season the fish. Mix the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic in a bowl then rub it on both sides of your tilapia fillets using your hands.
Step 3- Air fry the tilapia. Add the fish to the air fryer basket and cook for 7 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Step 4- Make the sauce. Wwhisk together the butter, garlic, fresh lemon juice, and cilantro in a bowl.
Step 5- Season and serve. Brush the sauce generously on your cooked tilapia fillets and sprinkle with more cilantro.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket so your tilapia cooks evenly. If needed, cook the fish in batches.
- If you are worried that the fish will stick to the basket, you can use parchment paper to line the base. I’ve also recently tried using air fryer liners, which work quite well (the base of the fish won’t be as crispy).
- Flip the tilapia fillets during cooking to avoid over-cooking on one side. Once is more than enough.
- Use a meat thermometer. I find the easiest way to tell if the fish is cooked is to check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer. Tilapia is safe to eat once the thickest part reaches 145F (as per the FDA).
Flavor variations
The beauty of this fish is that it is so mild tasting, you can change up the spice mix a plethora of ways.
- Spicy– Add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the spice mix.
- Cajun– Coat the fish with Cajun or keto taco seasoning.
- Blackened– Make my blackened tilapia recipe.
- Teriyaki– Dredge the fillets in teriyaki sauce for ten minutes before air frying.
- Lemon pepper– The classic. Rub 1/2 large juiced lemon and black peppercorns over the fish.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover tilapia can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to three days.
To freeze: Place cooked and cooled tilapia in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to two months.
Reheating: Either microwave the fish for 20-30 seconds or reheat it in the air fryer for 2 minutes until crispy around the edges.
Frequently asked questions
It depends; you can thaw it or cook it without thawing. If the fish isn’t thawed, I find adding an extra 3 minutes to be sufficient.
Yes! I’ve breaded homemade fillets and also used frozen breaded fillets. I recommend spraying both sides of the breaded fish with cooking spray for extra crispiness. I also suggest air frying frozen fillets for an extra 3 minutes.
More delicious air fryer dinners
- Air fryer chicken breast
- Air fryer chicken thighs
- Air fryer pork chops
- Air fryer chicken drumsticks
- Air fryer chicken wings
- Or any of my air fryer recipes
Air Fryer Tilapia
Video
Ingredients
- 4 tilapia fillets 4-6 ounces each
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic
For the lemon butter sauce
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 200C/400F. Spray the basket with cooking spray.
- Pat dry the tilapia fillets. Mix the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic and using your hands, rub the spices over both sides of the fish.
- Add the tilapia filets in the air fryer basket and spray the top with cooking spray. Air fry for 7 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- While the fish is cooking, make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, garlic, lemon juice and parsley.
- Brush the lemon butter sauce generously over the top of the fish fillets and serve immediately.
I have made this several times since I have found it. It is absolutely delicious !! Thank you!
I’ll be making this again!
Not the biggest issue, but the Paprika is left out of the ingredient list. I assume it’s equal parts to the rest of the spices? Turned out lovely, tysm fit the easy and tasty recipe ☺️
very good! thank you