Grilled tilapia is tender, flaky, and loaded with flavor. Perfectly seasoned tilapia fillets are grilled to perfection and served with blistered tomato, a perfect healthy weeknight dinner recipe. It comes together in under 15 minutes.
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Perfectly seasoned grilled tilapia
Add the right amount of seasoning to tilapia fillets and grill them. You can grill it directly on a hot grill or use a grilling pan and do it over the stove top, tilapia turns out perfect. That’s not it, there are other ways you can cook tilapia fish, you can grill it in aluminum foil, and bake it in the oven.
Tilapia is one of the white fish that has a mild, sweet natural flavor. It’s versatile and can be played with any kind of flavor you prefer like Cajun seasoning, old bay seasoning, Jamaican jerk spice or simply grill with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and butter.
Due to the health scares on how tilapia fish is farmed, it’s advisable to choose wild-caught tilapia for health concerns. If you are uncertain and have concerns about feeding yourself and your family tilapia fish, by all means, please use another kind of white fish.
The grilled tilapia recipe is one of those easy-to-make, effortless dinners that you would make on repeat. It’s so simple to make and once grilled the flaky fish is bursting with savory flavors when you top it with sweet blistered cherry tomatoes with fresh basil, it is the ideal summer meal that’s perfect for entertaining or for weeknight dinner.
Ingredients you’ll need
Here’s what you’ll need-
- Tilapia fillet
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Cayenne
- Smoked paprika
- Pepper
- Salt
- Olive oil
- For Blistered tomato (optional)
- Olive oil
- Cherry tomatoes
- Pepper
- Salt
- Basil leaves
- To serve
- Lime wedges
All ingredients measurements are available in the recipe card below.
Tilapia – due to the health scares of how tilapia fish is farmed, it’s advisable to choose wild-caught tilapia for health concerns. If you are uncertain and have concerns about feeding yourself and your family tilapia fish, by all means, please use another kind of white fish like cod, monkfish, flounder, striped basa, catfish, or even scallops.
Olive oil – use extra virgin olive oil. Butter can also be used for taste.
Spices – you can use any seasoning of your choice for grilled tilapia fish recipe. I used garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
How to grill it
If using frozen fish, allow the fish to come to room temperature.
In a small bowl, mix garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, smoked paprika, pepper, and salt.
Rub tilapia with spice seasoning on both sides.
Let it rest for 10-15 minutes, you can rest it at room temperature or inside the refrigerator.
Heat the grill and wait for the grill to turn hot. If using the stove top method, heat the grilling pan on high heat.
Add olive oil to the pan. Reduce heat to medium.
Place seasoned tilapia fillet on hot grill. Wait for tilapia to cook completely on one side before you flip it, this ensures fillet does not break. It will take 3-4 minutes to cook on one side. Tilapia is more like translucent white when it’s raw, and when cooked it will turn solid white, when it turn solid white you can flip.
Flip and cook on other side. Remove grilled tilapia on a plate.
Optional step – in a skillet add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add halved blistered cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook stirring frequently until cherry tomatoes are softened/blistered.
Add torn fresh basil leaves to the pan and give it a mix.
Serve blistered tomatoes over grilled tilapia fish, and serve hot.
Tips for success
Don’t flip too soon. One of the biggest challenges of cooking on a grill is not knowing when it’s done, be it fish or meat. To keep the fish from sticking on the grill, don’t turn too soon. Wait until the fish is cooked enough on one side (at least 3-4 minutes) before you flip it. To prevent fish from falling through the grill gates use thick fillets.
Fresh is better. Fresh fish is best for this recipe. If you can’t get fresh fish, frozen can be used. Thaw fish in the refrigerator overnight; pat dry with a kitchen paper towel completely before cooking.
Substitute tilapia. Due to the health scares of how tilapia fish is farmed, it’s advisable to choose wild-caught tilapia for health concerns. If you are uncertain and have concerns about feeding yourself and your family tilapia fish, by all means, please use another kind of white fish like cod, monkfish, flounder, striped basa, catfish, or even scallops.
How to tell if tilapia is cooked through
Tilapia is more like translucent white when it’s raw, and when cooked it will turn solid white, when it turns solid white you can flip. Cook on the other side and when solid white, it is cooked and ready.
What to serve with grilled tilapia
This incredibly flavorful fish makes a healthy dinner that’s perfect for summer entertaining or even for a weeknight dinner.
You can serve grilled fish with a simple chopped salad on the side or serve it alongside Mediterranean salads like couscous salad. Other salads that pair well with this dish are – beetroot salad, tomato salad, Greek pasta salad, and Quinoa salad.
Grilled vegetables like grilled zucchini, grilled broccoli, and grilled Brussels sprouts can be added to the side too.
More tilapia recipes
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📋Easy Grilled Tilapia Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 4 ounces each Tilapia fillet best to choose wild-caught tilapia for health concerns
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne
- 1 ½ teaspoons Smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
For Blistered tomato (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Olive oil
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes halved
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- Generous pinch of Salt
- 6-8 fresh Basil leaves
To serve
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- If using frozen fish, allow the fish to come to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, mix garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, smoked paprika, pepper, and salt.
- Rub tilapia with spice seasoning on both sides.
- Let it rest for 10-15 minutes, you can rest it at room temperature or inside the refrigerator.
- Heat the grill and wait for the grill to turn hot. If using the stovetop method, heat the grilling pan on high heat.
- Add olive oil to the pan. Reduce heat to medium.
- Place seasoned tilapia fillet on a hot grill. Wait for tilapia to cook completely on one side before you flip it, this ensures the fillet does not break. It will take 3-4 minutes to cook on one side. Tilapia is more like translucent white when it’s raw, and when cooked it will turn solid white, when it turns solid white you can flip it.
- Flip and cook on the other side. Remove grilled tilapia on a plate.
- Optional step – in a skillet add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add halved blistered cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook stirring frequently until cherry tomatoes are softened/blistered.
- Add torn fresh basil leaves to the pan and give it a mix.
- Serve blistered tomatoes over grilled tilapia fish, and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Notes
Don’t flip too soon. One of the biggest challenges of cooking on a grill is not knowing when it’s done, be it fish or meat. To keep the fish from sticking on the grill, don’t turn too soon. Wait until the fish is cooked enough on one side (at least 3-4 minutes) before you flip it. To prevent fish from falling through the grill gates use thick fillets.
Fresh is better. Fresh fish is best for this recipe. If you can’t get fresh fish, frozen can be used. Thaw fish in the refrigerator overnight; pat dry with a kitchen paper towel completely before cooking.
Substitute tilapia. Due to health scares on how tilapia fish is farmed, it’s advisable to choose wild-caught tilapia for health concerns. If you are uncertain and have concerns about feeding yourself and your family tilapia fish, by all means, please use another kind of white fish like cod, monkfish, flounder, striped basa, catfish, or even scallops.
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
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I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2007 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
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