Blackened Tilapia
Homemade blackening seasoning is incredibly easy to either make ahead and keep on hand or mix in just a few minutes. It includes paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and brown sugar. It’s a beautiful combination of spicy, sweet, and savory. I also include 3 methods of preparing blackened fish!
Tilapia is a soft, light, and flaky fish with mild flavor. This fish is growing more and more popular because it’s an inexpensive and lean protein. Its mild flavor goes very well with whatever seasoning or sauce you serve on it. The texture is soft and juicy but it is also meaty and doesn’t fall apart easily when cooked, which is great when you’re trying to flip it.
Even though tilapia is not very high in Omega-3 fatty acids that we all look for in a fish, it’s high in protein and very lean. Blackened tilapia and a great choice for an easy, 20-minute dinner.
3 Ways To Cook Blackened Tilapia
- Before cooking: Melt butter in a wide, shallow bowl. I usually find that about 20-40 seconds in the microwave is enough to melt butter, depending on the amount. Also, I recommend using a microwave cover as some brands of butter do splatter.
- Seasoning: Mix the seasoning well and spread it in a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (This will help with the mess and make clean up much easier.)
- Pat the fish fillets dry with a paper towel. Dip a fillet in melted butter on both sides and let access drip off. Place the fish in the seasoning and PAT to coat it evenly on both sides. Do NOT rub!
- Pour leftover melted butter into a cast iron skillet and spread it around. Preheat the skillet first, before adding fish either in the oven or on the stove.
Baking In the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and place the empty skillet in there to preheat for a few minutes. Carefully take it out and add seasoned fish fillets. (Remember your oven mitts!)
- Bake fish for 12-13 minutes.
Cooking Under the Broiler:
- Turn on broiler to high and let it preheat for a few minutes. Set the rack so the skillet is about 6-8 inches away from the broiler. Preheat the skillet in the hot oven for a few minutes and then take it out to add the fish. (Use your oven mitts!)
- Set the broiler temperature to low broil to cook the fish.
- Cook for about 6-8 minutes, until tilapia is cooked through. Do keep an eye on it.
Pan Searing:
- Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat first. Lower the heat to medium.
- Add the fish and cook it for about 4 minutes on each side. (Use a fish spatula to flip)
What to Serve with Blackened Fish
- Blackened tilapia (or salmon ) is great on its own, served with light sides. Serve it with vegetables of your choice or a side salad.
- You can also flake the fish into chunks and make blackened fish tacos with coleslaw. Top it off with Mango Salsa too for a beautiful sweet and spicy flavor combination.
- Make a sandwich with blackened fish and serve it on a soft Brioche bun with some avocado and lettuce. If you want to add a creamy spread, ranch dressing or avocado crema will go great with this fish.
- Crisp and refreshing white wines go best with blackened tilapia. When choosing your wine, so with Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling, and even dry champagne.
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Blackened Tilapia Recipe
Ingredients
Blackening Seasoning:
- 1 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp brown sugar packed
Blackened Tilapia:
- 1 lb tilapia
- 3-4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2-4 wedges of lime for topping
Instructions
- Melt butter in a wide, shallow bowl.
- Combine all the ingredients for the seasoning in one bowl and mix it well. Spread the seasoning in a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (This will help with easy cleanup.)
- Pat the fish fillets dry with a paper towel.
- Dip a fillet in melted butter on both sides and let some access butter drip off. Place the fish in the seasoning and pat to coat it evenly on both sides. Repeat with the other fish fillet.
- Pour leftover melted butter into a cast iron skillet and spread it around.
Cooking In The Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and place the empty skillet in there to preheat for a few minutes. Take it out and add seasoned fish fillets.
- Bake fish for 12-13 minutes.
Cooking Under Broiler:
- Turn on broiler to high and let it preheat for a few minutes. Set the rack so the skillet is about 6-8 inches away from the broiler. Preheat the skillet in the hot oven for a few minutes and then take it out to add the fish.
- Set the broiler temperature to low broil to cook the fish.
- Cook for about 6-8 minutes, until tilapia is cooked through. Do keep an eye on it.
On The Stove:
- Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat first. Lower the heat to medium.
- Add the fish and cook it for about 4 minutes on each side.
Notes
- Storing: store leftover fish in an air-tight food storage container, in the refrigerator for about 2 days.
- Leftovers: you can add cold fish to salads, sandwiches, or tacos if you wish or you can reheat it.
- Reheating: it’s best to reheat leftover fish in a cooking pan, over medium-low heat, and just until heated through. Don’t overcook.
Nutrition
More Fish Recipes To Try
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on July 20, 2019.
All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Delicious and so easy. Thanks
You are so welcome I am glad you liked it!
I enjoyed this—very delicious! Thank you!!
Thank you, Christine!
This was delicious! Made the seasoning and used some on a piece of tilapia for me and boneless chicken for my husband that I cooked separately on the grill. I didn’t use it all, so I have some saved aside for another night. I served it with some Mango & pineapple salsa and rice pilaf. It was a perfect combination.
That sounds like a very tasty combo! I am so glad you liked it!
I made this for supper last night. It was easy and delicious. I deglazed the pan with a bit of water and served over cream grits. Will definitely make it again.
Yum! That is an excellent idea to serve it over grits, I will have to try that! Thanks for taking the time to comment, Michele!
Nice level of spice and combination of salvor for this blackened tilapia recipe!!
I am glad you liked it, Sharon!
You can use fake butter that is in the tubs or olive oil. I hope you enjoy it!
Is there a good substitute for the butter in this recipe?
The fish in the picture – was it oven baked?
Hi Vickie,
The picture is of oven-baked tilapia. That is my preferred method because you won’t have to flip it. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! 🙂
This recipe was horrible! Wayyyyy too much salt and also I added even less than 1 1/2 tsp…
Hi, Alina! I am sorry that it was too salty for you! The lime and sugar is meant to balance out salt and spice. The seasoning is meant for a full pound of tilapia not one piece, did you use it on a pound? You can definitely start with just 1/2 tsp of salt next time and taste the seasoning before adding it to tilapia.
This looks delicious! I’ve been told I need to eat more fish.
Thanks, Traci! I have some other great fish recipes as well 😉