Baked Tilapia with Herbs (Printable)

Light herb-infused tilapia baked to flaky perfection, ideal for a quick, nutritious dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 tilapia fillets (5 oz each)

→ Herbs & Aromatics

02 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
03 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Seasonings

06 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Other

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 lemon, thinly sliced
11 - Cooking spray or additional olive oil for greasing

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.
02 - Pat tilapia fillets dry with paper towels and place in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a small bowl, mix parsley, dill, basil, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
04 - Drizzle olive oil evenly over fillets, then sprinkle the herb mixture on top.
05 - Arrange lemon slices over the fillets to enhance flavor during baking.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork and appears opaque throughout.
07 - Serve immediately, optionally garnishing with additional fresh herbs.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's done in 30 minutes flat, making weeknight dinners feel less like a chore and more like actual cooking.
  • The fish stays incredibly tender because it steams gently in its own juices, and you get none of that dry, overcooked texture that ruins so many baked fish dishes.
  • You can taste every herb, every whisper of garlic and lemon, because there's nothing to hide behind—this is pure, honest food.
02 -
  • Tilapia is a mild fish that can taste bland if you're too timid with seasoning—this is not the place to hold back on salt or herbs, because everything happens so quickly there's no time for flavors to meld.
  • If your fillets seem wet after patting them dry, pat them again; excess moisture is the enemy of texture and will make everything taste steamed rather than baked.
  • Lemon zest is your secret weapon for brightness without acidity; it gives you that citrus zing without turning the fish's delicate flesh mushy or tough.
03 -
  • Invest in a thin lemon zester or microplane; zesting gives you brightness without the bitter white pith that grating brings.
  • If tilapia isn't available, this method works beautifully with cod, halibut, or any other mild white fish fillet of similar thickness.

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