Lemon Dill Baked Tilapia

March 21, 2022 by Beth Pierce 41 Comments

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This amazing Lemon Dill Baked Tilapia Recipe takes mere minutes to prep, is loaded with delicious flavors from creamy butter, garlic, lemon, and dill, and bakes up perfectly every time. This tasty, healthy recipe is a real favorite of ours. I love to serve it with fresh asparagus, angel hair pasta, rice, or potatoes.

Baked Lemon Dill Tilapia with garlic and lemon slices.

How to make Lemon Dill Baked Tilapia

Start by melting your butter in a saucepan over low heat. Then add the garlic, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper, and dill. Dry the fish fillets well with paper towels. Then place the fish on a parchment-covered baking sheet or in a baking dish and brush with the butter mixture. Add fresh-cut lemon slices to the baking sheet.

Now bake for about 8 minutes or until the fish flakes easily at its thickest part with a fork. Finally, garnish with chopped fresh parsley and, if desired, a little bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Prepare the butter mixture and lather it on the fish filets before baking.

Recipe notes and helpful tips

Pat the tilapia dry with paper towels before brushing on the butter mixture.
Fresh lemons, dill, and parsley are a must for full flavor if available.
The parchment paper keeps the fish from sticking and helps with easy cleanup. But you can easily cook it right on the baking sheet. Spray the fish filets with nonstick spray or brush lightly with the butter sauce.
Do not overbake the fish. Cook just until it flakes easily with a fork at its thickest part.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, wrap in an aluminum foil tent and place in a preheated 275-degree oven for about 15 minutes.
Almost all tilapia is frozen or previously frozen, so I can not recommend refreezing it.
This recipe is equally delicious with cod or halibut.

Baked Tilapia filets with lemon, dill, garlic, and parsley.

How to properly thaw fish

The safest method is to remove the frozen fish from the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. The refrigerator should be at 38 degrees or below. It is best to leave it in its original vacuum seal packaging.
If you waited too long and need to thaw it fast. Remove the fish from the vacuum-sealed packaging and place it in a zipper freezer bag. Place the zipper bag in a bowl of very cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes to ensure that it stays cold. If the fish was not vacuum sealed, place it in a heavy-duty zipper bag removing as much air as possible. Remove the fish from the cold water as soon as it is thawed and cook promptly. Store the thawed fish in the refrigerator while you are getting the rest of the ingredients together or preheating a grill.
Do not thaw fish on the counter.
Please do not thaw fish in warm water.
Do not refreeze fish that was previously frozen and thawed.
If the fish was thawed in the refrigerator, use it within 1-2 days. If the fish is thawed using the cold bowl method listed above, then cook promptly.

Baked lemon dill tilapia filets on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

How to season Baked Tilapia

There are many seasonings that are delicious on tilapia. Many of these spices and herb are delicious as a combination.

lemon juice
garlic
lemon zest
dill
lemon pepper
parsley
garlic powder
marjoram
thyme
rosemary
tarragon
onion powder
fresh ground black pepper
seasoned salt

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