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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
This one has been the Best !!
Great! Easy & very tasty recipe. Thank you.
What would recipe be for one piece?
What would be cooking time, still 7-8 minutes?
And what air fryer temperature should I cook at?
I’d divide the ingredients by 4. The cooking time will remain the same and same temperature.
I really enjoyed this. 1st time ever using fish in a air fryer. I do not like fried breaded food. I usually bake foods/proteins or grill, fish included. I bought a air fryer a month and 1/2 ago. I dec8ded to try my air fryer vs my normal baked fish recipe. I found this in the search engine. I loved it, really. Was sold on it when i saw you use smoked paprika ( 1 of my favorite spices). Thanks for posting🙂
The recipe doesn’t list the smoked paprika and the 1/2 teaspoon garlic doesn’t say if it’s fresh garlic (chopped? minced?) or garlic powder or salt.
I’ve made it work for me and its delicious. But it would be nice to have the correct listing of the ingredients on the recipe.
I have never rated or sent comments about a recipe before but I have to do this now. This air fryer tilapia was delicious, and typically I do not like my cooking. I had enough of a filet left over to make a sandwich the next day and it was excellent! Just a couple of suggestions: under the ingredients section for the rub you did not list the smoked paprika and the amount. Under the sauce ingredients you listed The Parsley but not the cilantro. I just winged it and it still turned out delicious! I look forward to some of your other air fryer recipes.
The recipe calls for salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to be combined. But the list of ingredients and the video don’t include smoked paprika. How much smoked paprika should go into the salt and pepper mixture?
1/2 teaspoon 🙂
Delicious! Definitely keeping this recipe
Thanks, Stefany!
Easy and delicious. I added my zucchini
To the same pan. Quick and tasty meal for one.
So great to hear that, Meredith!
Easy and delicious
So easy and tasty! I make salmon in my air fryer often, but have never tried with tilapia and this made me a huge fan. It was delicious and flaky and I really enjoyed the flavor of the smoked paprika with it.
WOW! 😋this is the best fish recipe I have ever tried! I used halibut, my husband ate 3/4 of the piece I only got a quarter lol He said to me that the best halibut he ever tasted. I’m from the coast and always cooked halibut the traditional way. (Frying pan and butter) I was so impressed by this recipe I’m sending it to my sister. I can’t wait to try the Salmon one. I will never cook my halibut in a frying pan again.
really good a tasty fish. i have never tasted fish so good and i dont even like fish
Recipe came out much better than baking it in the oven, a lot more juicy and flavourful
This was wonderful. It was the best I’ve ever made
What a simple and delicious recipe. I have been searching for a recipe for a mild fish dish and this is perfect.
Great recipe especially for fish lovers
i don’t like fish but this was awesome
This is so good. Very tender and not too fishy. Will definitely be making this again Such an easy meal to prepare when you’re hungry or short on time
Thanks for the feedback, Sharron!
This recipe looks delicious 🤤. I will try it tomorrow for dinner.
My favorite fish comes out even better!
I’m new to the Air Fryer and Tilapia. I really liked using the Air Fryer to cook the fish. It was Yum. and Every easy.
This looks delicious. I’m going to try it in the oven as I don’t have an air fryer. It’s so simple and good protein. Thanks for the recipe. I’ve been wanting a recipe like this.
Easy and fast for a protein. Put it on a salad and done!
After searching for this recipe (and finding SO MANY MORE GREAT AIR FRYER RECIPES), I made this for lunch, using brill….doesn’t get any better than this….so many thanks!
So great to hear that, Theresa!
This was absolutely fabulous. I added capers to the sauce.
Smoked paprika?
How much?
1/2 teaspoon 🙂
Excellent recipe and so easy!
This a delicious recipe we gobbled up by tilapia and wish we had more
Based on the great reviews I made this for my husband and I; it was delicious, easy, and quick! My kind of meal.
Perfect. A family favorite now when all I have in the freezer is tilapia!
Love this recipe! So easy and delicious! My husband loved it too! It will be a weekly rotation recipe. THANK you so much!
Tilapia Dinner
serve with sauted spinach
Perfection on your plate…very easy to prepare and extremely tasty. Also a healthy meal with little fuss. My husband doesn’t like fish ,but finished every morsel. That is a testament to this recipe.
The instructions mention Paprika, yet Paprika is not on the ingredients list. How much do we use? Thanks!!
1/2 teaspoon
Excellent recipe for tilapia. Quick and easy to cook, and the flavor is fabulous. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Excellent recipe for tilapia. Quick and easy to cook, and the flavor is fabulous. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Absolutely fantastic! Even my husband – who generally doesn’t care for fish – loved it. Definitely going in the “Make it again” folder!
in the ingredient list, you don’t have the smoked paprika and garlic (I’ll assume powder since you say dry ingredients.) I’m gonna guess the same measurement as the salt and pepper??
It sounds yummy tho. Going to try it tonight.
Easy to make…tasted great….doing it in the air fries was fast, kept it moist, yet flaky
Fantastic recipe! My first time doing fish in the air fryer and it came out perfect! Husbamd 4 year old and my 7 minth old all devoured it. This will be put in the permanent rotation in our house
The tilapia came out perfectly, and the paprika is a nice touch!
How much a smoked paprika did you use. He doesn’t list it.
1/2 teaspoon
How much longer would you cook the Tilapia in the air fryer if they are frozen?
An extra 2-3 minutes per side works
Great recipe. I’m still getting used to air frying. I enjoyed it very much. Thanks
I’m new to using an air fryer. I really like using it as it makes the food so tasty. This recipe was so easy, fast and absolutely delicious! I’ll be making it again. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I’ve been obsessed with air frying lately, and this recipe is one that will be on my regular rotation! So easy and quick.
I don’t like Tilapia – taste to fishy watery like to me. I do like Swaii . Can you use the same spices on it as the Tilapia? Lemon??
I Love My Air Fryer Also! Just trying New things too. Thanks, and I’ve got to get Your Recipe Books!
Yes absolutely!