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    Home » Dinner Recipes

    PUBLISHED: Jul 10, 2020 · UPDATED: Jun 20, 2022 by Precious · This post may contain affiliate links · 55 Comments

    Pan Seared Tilapia

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    This Pan Seared Tilapia is a super easy 25-minute dinner that is perfect for busy moms like me. The fish is lightly crusty on the inside and flaky on the inside. Serve this with my Mango Avocado Salsa and you will be in heaven!

    Pan Seared Tilapia on a plate with lime wedges

    I am totally having fun with looking for meal ideas that I can execute in about 30 minutes! As a busy mama, it is my goal to make family-friendly meals that do not require hours and hours of cooking!

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

    Close up shot of Pan Seared Tilapia

    How to Make Pan Seared Tilapia

    All you need is some fillets (they should be completely defrosted), garlic powder, basil, paprika, black pepper, salt, and olive oil. This combination of seasoning makes the fish taste so good!

    I always keep a lot of dry ingredients at home and you totally should do the same. They make life so easy!

    Tilapia Fillets on a Plate and Dried Spices on a Plate

    Step 1. Rub the spices all over 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.

    Fillets with seasoning rubbed on

    Step 2: Heat up some oil in a skillet. Preferably use a cast iron skillet if you have one but any other skillet will do. Once the oil is hot, place two fillets in at a time. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley as a garnish if you want to be a little extra!

    Pan Seared Tilapia on a tray

    Also add some lime wedges on the side for squeezing over and enjoying. So good!

    Pan Seared Tilapia on a Serving Tray with lime wedges

    Two easy steps and you have insanely good Pan Seared Tilapia!

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

    My whole family goes crazy for this! I strongly suggest you double the recipe if 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.

    This Pan Seared Tilapia goes so well with my Mango Avocado Salsa! I enjoyed the fish and salsa with some corn chips on the side and I loved it! Serve it with some boiled rice, couscous, some fried plantains, some potato fries, break up the fish and serve in tacos or serve with any side dish you enjoy!

    Pan Seared Tilapia on a plate with Mango Avocado Salsa and tortilla chips

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

    Watch How To Make Pan Seared Tilapia

    Watch me making Pan Seared Tilapia in the video below. Also, SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel so you do not miss any of my videos!

    Pan Seared Tilapia on a serving tray with lime wedges

    Pan Seared Tilapia

    This Pan Seared Tilapia is a great way to cook tilapia fillets to taste really good! Trust me, you will want to double this recipe. I tested the recipe using 1 pound of fillets but my family of 2 adults and 3 kids finished 2 pounds at one go! The fish is out-of-this-world good!
    5 from 20 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: Western
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 170kcal
    Author: Precious

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound tilapia fillets 4 fillets
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon dried basil
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil

    Instructions

    • Place fillets on a large plate then rub the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, dried basil and olive oil all over them.
    • 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.
    • Repeat the process with the remaining fillets and oil.
    • Serve warm with some lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the fish as needed. I love to serve this fish with my 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!

    Notes

    Use completely defrosted fillets for this recipe. I defrosted my fish in the fridge for 24 hours but you can all place the fish fillets in a Ziploc bag then place in a bowl of water to quickly defrost. Defrosting the fish completely ensures that the fillets cook evenly.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 355mg | Potassium: 357mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.04g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preciouscore or tag #preciouscore!
    Collage of two photos of pan seared tilapia
    pre-signature-pro

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    Sharing is caring!

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    About Precious

    Welcome to my core! I am Precious Nkeih, the recipe developer and writer right here on my blog, Precious Core. My goal is to show you insanely delicious recipes you can replicate in your kitchen. And I love to tell stories too. Hope you find recipes here that will make cooking easier for you! Check me out on YouTube at YouTube.com/PreciousKitchen.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mr. N says

      March 22, 2019 at 9:17 pm

      This is so yummy!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        March 25, 2019 at 5:36 pm

        Yes it is, darling.

        Reply
    2. Connie Hixson says

      March 23, 2019 at 12:14 pm

      I absolutely love all your recipes!! Keep them coming! (and THANK YOU!)

      Reply
      • Precious says

        March 25, 2019 at 5:35 pm

        Thanks so much, Connie!

        Reply
        • mbanweicentis says

          May 04, 2020 at 1:25 pm

          So delicious I Wii try this for family

          Reply
          • Precious says

            May 04, 2020 at 10:46 pm

            Thank you. Please let me know how it goes.

            Reply
    3. Ajoke says

      March 23, 2019 at 1:40 pm

      Great pictures and most importantly, the recipe is very easy to follow.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        March 25, 2019 at 5:35 pm

        Awww, thank you so much, Ajoke. I really appreciate your comment.

        Reply
    4. Diane says

      January 13, 2020 at 4:19 pm

      Everyone loved this recipe...even my children that don’t really like fish. I don’t need to keep looking for the perfect tilapia recipe, I found it! Thank you, and welcome to Minnesota. We live in northern Minnesota in lake country, I cannot wait to search and find other recipes to feed my family. Diane

      Reply
      • Precious says

        January 15, 2020 at 1:22 am

        Diane, reading this made me so happy! Thank you so much for the feedback! My family moved from MN one year ago. Minnesota is special to us because it was our first home in the United States. Hope you find other recipes you love here.

        Reply
    5. Suzanne says

      January 20, 2020 at 3:38 pm

      The yummiest tilapia I've ever made using this recipe and cook time. Thank you. Will be my go to from now on

      Reply
      • Precious says

        January 21, 2020 at 6:32 am

        This warms my heart, Suzanne. Thanks for the feedback.

        Reply
        • Anna Harris says

          June 06, 2020 at 6:02 am

          This seared Tilapia is ABSOLUTELY the Best recipe ever! I don’t leave comments and I usually don’t eat fish unless it is fried. My husband fell asleep while I was cooking and he is lucky he got any! LOL. We might have it again tonight. Thank you so much!! It’s a keeper.

          Reply
          • Precious says

            June 07, 2020 at 10:25 pm

            This makes me so happy, Anna! Thank you for taking time to let me know.

            Reply
    6. amy says

      June 06, 2020 at 5:19 pm

      mygoins@gmail.com

      We made this tonight using flounder. My family loved it! Thank you for this recipe.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        June 07, 2020 at 10:24 pm

        So glad you loved it, Amy!

        Reply
    7. Charity Jackson says

      June 09, 2020 at 8:09 am

      I found this recipe and had my teenage daughter use it for our dinner. I also made the mango salsa. Delicious! It's simple and not time consuming. Thank you and will look for more of your recipes.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        June 09, 2020 at 1:58 pm

        So glad you loved it! Thank you for coming back to let me know. Hope you find other recipes here that you enjoy.

        Reply
      • Joshua rozek says

        January 10, 2021 at 3:56 pm

        I'm a busy son taking care of my parents its hard work cooking meals for them and this was excellent and not hard to cook my family loves it thank you.

        Reply
        • Precious says

          January 11, 2021 at 7:37 am

          You are so welcome, Joshua.

          Reply
    8. Stacey Wolfe says

      July 21, 2020 at 4:20 pm

      Oh my stars! So easy and DELICIOUS! Thank you for this wonderful recipe... We will add this to our weekly rotation for sure!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        July 23, 2020 at 5:49 am

        So glad you loved it Stacey! Thank you for the feedback!

        Reply
    9. Fran says

      July 26, 2020 at 4:58 pm

      made this tonight and it was delicious!!! thanks

      Reply
      • Precious says

        July 27, 2020 at 3:08 pm

        So glad to hear that, Fran! Thanks for the feedback!

        Reply
    10. Lisa says

      August 20, 2020 at 3:50 am

      This was just perfect. I had this as fillets and as fish tacos - tasted great. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        August 20, 2020 at 11:01 am

        So glad you loved it, Lisa! Thanks for the feedback!

        Reply
    11. Jennifer says

      October 19, 2020 at 6:27 pm

      The recipe says to add the oil and spices to the uncooked fillets but then says to add 2 tbsp to pan to cook. So is this a total of 4 tbsp for the recipe?

      Reply
      • Precious says

        October 21, 2020 at 8:42 am

        Hi Jennifer, you need 2 tablespoons of oil for this recipe. You either add to the fillets or you add to the pan to cook. Thanks for pointing that out.

        Reply
        • Jennifer says

          October 21, 2020 at 9:24 am

          Thank you. It’s a yummy easy recipe!

          Reply
          • Precious says

            October 28, 2020 at 5:55 am

            You're welcome! Glad you loved it!

            Reply
    12. Erik S says

      November 12, 2020 at 4:22 pm

      I’m 61 years old, and have never cooked a proper meal. I followed your instructions & made dinner for my daughter & myself & it came out great! Thank you, this inspires me to try other recipes. -Erik

      Reply
      • Precious says

        November 13, 2020 at 11:06 pm

        You are so welcome, Erik. This makes me so happy!

        Reply
    13. Latha says

      July 12, 2021 at 7:43 pm

      Best tasting and quick fish recipe
      Thanks for the recipe
      God bless you

      Reply
      • Precious says

        July 26, 2021 at 1:24 pm

        Thank you Latha! So glad you loved it!

        Reply
    14. Tree says

      December 06, 2021 at 10:34 am

      Absolutely delicious, quick and simple recipe!!!! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        December 08, 2021 at 10:17 am

        Glad you loved it!

        Reply
    15. Sandra Wright says

      February 09, 2022 at 7:36 pm

      The seasoning on this was so delicious. Even my incredibly picky kids loved it. Thank you for giving me a recipe I can add to my rotation.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        February 10, 2022 at 4:54 pm

        You are so welcome, Sandra. Thank you for the good feedback.

        Reply
    16. Brenda Morgan says

      August 07, 2022 at 2:59 pm

      This recipe is easy and incredibly delicious! My two daughters love this recipe!! And I do too. Thank you so very much for sharing this. Have used about 6 times and always perfect

      Reply
      • Precious says

        August 08, 2022 at 10:48 am

        So glad to hear that, Brenda. Thank you for sharing this with me.

        Reply
    17. Brenda says

      August 13, 2022 at 2:34 pm

      This is the tastiest ever! My husband and father are not a fan of fish but they LOVE this and so do I. It’s a keeper for sure. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        August 16, 2022 at 12:46 am

        Thank you for the wonderful feedback, Brenda!

        Reply
    18. Joanna says

      September 10, 2022 at 5:01 pm

      This was delicious and my family loved it! I did have trouble with sticking. Had to really scrape it off the cast iron pan with a spatula to flip--tongs caused it to fall apart. Thanks for the awesome recipe!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        September 12, 2022 at 7:28 pm

        You are welcome, Joanna. Next time, try adding a little more oil to the pan before adding the fish so it flips easily.

        Reply
    19. MPT says

      September 20, 2022 at 7:27 pm

      This is the best version of pan-fried tilapia I've ever tasted! I only used two tilapia since I cooked it for one person but it was delicious.

      Reply
      • Precious says

        September 21, 2022 at 8:45 pm

        Thank you so much for the great feedback!

        Reply
    20. Gini Fanter says

      October 11, 2022 at 5:56 pm

      Soo good and quick, and basic ingredients we had on hand. I would have posted a photo but we devoured it too quickly. We’re going to run out and get more tilapia. Thanks for sharing this !

      Reply
      • Precious says

        October 12, 2022 at 7:29 am

        You are welcome, Gini. Glad you loved it!

        Reply
    21. JB says

      October 16, 2022 at 4:24 pm

      Very easy and delicious. My idea of a 5 star. (I did use extra seasoning to get good coverage). Everyone enjoyed and fought over the pan scrapings. Immediately added this recipe to my rotation.

      Reply
    22. Rhea Le says

      November 07, 2022 at 11:31 am

      Made this for be and my bf and we both loved it!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        November 07, 2022 at 4:21 pm

        Happy to hear that, Rhea! Thank you for the great feedback!

        Reply
    23. angie says

      November 29, 2022 at 4:39 pm

      Very Good! I added some Old Bay to my seasoning mix

      Reply
      • Precious says

        November 30, 2022 at 1:38 pm

        That's a great addition, Angie! Thank you for the review!

        Reply
    24. Heather Fisher says

      January 21, 2023 at 3:36 pm

      Yummy! I don’t like tilapia, so I used swai instead!

      Reply
      • Precious says

        January 22, 2023 at 7:58 pm

        Glad you loved it, Heather!

        Reply

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