Pan Fried Tilapia Recipe

This tilapia recipe produces savory and crunchy fried tilapia fillets. Instead of bland, raw tilapia, these fillets morph into a deliciously juicy, and crispy fish in less than 30 minutes.

I love a good fish recipe — especially because I make fish for dinner at least once a week. We all need to get those omega-3’s, right? I introduced this tilapia recipe to my boys at a young age, and to this day it’s still one of their favorite proteins. I love how something so simple tastes so darn good. And when you add my homemade tartar sauce… it is next level good!

How to Pan-Fry Tilapia

Cooking tilapia might sound slightly intimidating, but with these four simple steps, you have nothing to fear.

• Combine the dry seasonings: In a shallow dish, combine the dry seasonings and flour.
• Preheat the pan: Preheat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add enough oil to cover the bottom.
• Season the tilapia: Pat the fish dry with a paper towel. Dip both sides of the fish into the shallow dish or bowl with seasonings, making sure to coat the fish well. Shake off any excess flour.
• Fry the fish: Fry the tilapia on each side until crispy and golden-brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Tilapia is done when it easily flakes with a fork, is opaque, and temperature reads 145°F when checked with a thermometer. Add more oil between each batch of fish.

Tips for Pan/Skillet Fried Tilapia

Pan-fried tilapia is crazy easy to make, but to ensure that your tilapia consistently stands out, here’s a few easy-to-follow tips.

• Use fresh or frozen tilapia: If frozen, quickly thaw frozen fillets by submerging them in cold water. When fully thawed, remove any excess moisture by patting the fillets dry with a paper towel. This helps the coating stick better.
• Use tilapia fillets: This simple fried tilapia recipe is best when using tilapia fillets, but you can substitute fillets with the whole fish, too!
• Fry in a non-stick pan: Tilapia fillets are thin, so they can easily stick. To prevent sticking, use a good quality nonstick skillet. Also, a fish spatula is great for flipping the entire fillet in one go.
• Preheat the oil: Preheating both the pan and the oil before adding the tilapia helps the fillets cook and crisp up evenly.
• Watch the heat: Every skillet cooks slightly differently, so be aware and adjust the heat and cooking time as needed. If the fish is burning, lower the heat. Alternatively, if the golden crust isn’t forming, increase the heat (making sure there is also enough oil in the pan).
• Switch up the flavor (optional): Smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper are the classic seasonings, but make this dish your own with your favorites, too! A popular addition is lemon juice, which brightens all the flavors.
• Garnish: Garnish the pan-fried tilapia fillets with lemon slices and parsley. This also adds a hint of additional citrus and herb flavor!

Serving Suggestions

Fried tilapia is incredibly versatile and can be served with anything you have on hand. For an easy and simple vegetable side that takes minimal time, try air fryer broccoli or marinated cucumbers or a cabbage salad. To round out your meal, make some herb baby potatoes, basmati rice, or orzo pasta. Or serve on top a salad like Israeli couscous salad.

On the other hand, flake the tilapia and place it into tortillas to make fish tacos. Top it with your favorite sauce and ingredients like cilantro, corn, avocado, pickled jalapeños, or tomatoes.

If you love sauces, add tartar sauce or tzatziki sauce to the side or a dollop on top of your fish. You can even make an open-faced fish sandwich with a slice of almost whole wheat sourdough bread, a layer of sauce, and a fried tilapia fillet.

Storing & Reheating Pan Fried Tilapia

For the maximum amount of tenderness, crisp, and best taste, enjoy the tilapia right away. In case of leftovers, here are some tips to store and reheat the remaining tilapia.

• Refrigerator: To keep for up to three days, store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
• Freezer: To keep for up to two months, store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Reheating: To reheat from the fridge, reheat on the stovetop with a teaspoon of olive oil on a hot nonstick pan. Reheating with olive oil will make the fish crispy again. Alternatively, reheat in the air fryer at 350°F until warm.

More Fish Recipes That’ll Have You Hooked

• Grilled Cod – Grilled garlic-lemon saltwater fish
• Parmesan Crusted Tilapia – Flaky, tender fish with a crispy Parmesan panko crust
• Tuna Salad – Protein rich tuna salad made with Greek yogurt
• Fish Soup (Ukha) – Salmon and potatoes cooked in an herb broth

Recipe

Pan Fried Tilapia Recipe

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Servings

6 servings

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin

This pan fried tilapia is the simplest, finest way to cook tilapia. It's flavored with a savory four-spice dry rub and fried to perfection – it's o'fish'ally the best!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp salt to taste
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 lbs tilapia fillets
• 1/4 cup oil avocado or olive

US Units – Metric

Instructions

• In a medium size plate or any shallow dish, combine the flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  
• Preheat a frying pan with enough oil to cover the the bottom of the pan.
  
• Pat dry the fish with a paper towel. Dip both sides of the tilapia into the seasoned flour.
  
• Fry both sides until crispy golden brown. Repeat by adding a bit more oil to the pan between each set of fish. Enjoy!
  

Nutrition Facts

Pan Fried Tilapia Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 325 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 2g10%

Trans Fat 0.04g

Polyunsaturated Fat 4g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 113mg38%

Sodium 1282mg53%

Potassium 728mg21%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 0.1g0%

Protein 46g92%

Vitamin A 576IU12%

Vitamin C 0.02mg0%

Calcium 29mg3%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.