Make Easy Baked Tilapia in just 20 Minutes

Keep simple meals like this 20-minute Easy Baked Tilapia on your meal plan for busy weeknights. It's one of the easiest ways to cook tilapia so it's definitely a favorite of mine.

We eat a lot of tilapia, and this is my go-to recipe for busy nights when I don't have time to cook anything more complicated.

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When you're struggling to get dinner on the table, to save money, to feed your family healthy foods–you need quick and easy meals like this Easy Baked Tilapia recipe.

I like the easy combination of protein + grain + veggie for a simple meal that takes about 20 minutes to pull together. There's a reason this simple recipe is in my meal plan rotation. It's delicious and is ready so quickly!

This recipe is flavorful and so simple to make, and the flavors could go just as well with chicken or pork if you'd prefer (just increase the cooking time).

This is also an example of a naturally gluten-free meal. It's perfect for busy weeknights when you want to feed the family a healthy dinner.

Easy Baked Tilapia

While it's baking, I pull together some brown rice or quinoa and a green veggie for a simple, healthy dinner.

If you want to try some other tilapia recipes, my kids also love Asian Fish in a Packet and these Tilapia Recipes for Kids.

What you'll need to make this recipe at home: 

This is such an easy recipe. You'll likely have most of what you need to make this one at home already. Just add the fish to your grocery list and you'll be all set.

I like to keep frozen tilapia fillets on hand so that I can pull them out, thaw, and whip up this great recipe the same day! It's perfect in a pinch and it keeps me focused on healthy options.

• 1 lb. tilapia fillets
• olive oil or melted butter
• salt and pepper
• minced garlic
• dried parsley
• lemon wedges (optional)

How to make your own baked tilapia:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Lay tilapia in baking pan and drizzle olive oil or melted butter over fillets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Add garlic and sprinkle with parsley.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.
5. Before serving, squeeze lemon over the fish (my kids don't like that, but I love the flavor!).

What kitchen supplies do I need to make this great dinner recipe? 

My favorite kitchen supplies make cooking at home easy:

• Pyrex Oblong Baking Pan
• Slotted Spatula
• Oval Serving Platter

Why bake tilapia?

There are so many ways to make tilapia, but I prefer to bake it for two reasons: 1) it's hands-off so I can focus on side dishes and 2) it's healthier that way!

If your kids are used to fish sticks, you may want to try pan fried tilapia which is also very lightly-seasoned for kids. You can also make homemade tilapia fish sticks to avoid buying processed frozen food.

Can I have this delicious baked tilapia on Weight Watchers? 

I've been doing WW since March 2017, so I've added this frequent meal to my app.

According to the app, each serving of Easy Baked Tilapia is just 2 Freestyle points. That's if you use olive oil. If you use butter instead, it's a little higher.

If you are trying to make this a zero point dinner you can forego the oils and butter altogether for a “free” meal.

I love pairing this recipe up with healthy veggies which are also zero points on the Freestyle program.

If you have points leftover you can even pair this delicious recipe up with some brown rice or quinoa! 

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More family friendly fish recipes

Here's the great thing about fish…it cooks SO quickly. I love that on busy weeknights I can have a nutritious dinner recipe on the table in no time.

The problem is that not all kids like fish. Here are some great family friendly fish recipes so you can work on getting your family to eat more of these easy, wholesome, delicious meals:

• 17 Easy Tilapia Recipes for the Whole Family
• Super Salmon Recipes that Kids Will Eat
• 5 Tilapia Recipes for Kids

That's right, fish recipes that even young kids will beg for! I love finding creative ways to get my kids eating more fish.

It's so healthy and easy to make. Plus, encouraging them to be adventurous eaters at a young age helps set them up for better nutrition, healthy choices later in life, and less stress in the kitchen for me.

Printable Easy Baked Tilapia Recipe: 

Can't make this delicious tilapia tonight? That's all right! Here's an easy way to print and save the recipe for future use.

You can always come back here to find the recipe but the printable version below means you have a one page printout on hand for the next time you need a quick, simple, and delicious dinner recipe.