Easy Lemon Butter Tilapia
This lemon butter tilapia pan-sears thin fillets, then finishes them in a quick garlic, lemon, and butter sauce made in the same skillet. A light fish dinner ready in 20 minutes.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 275kcal
Equipment
- Large skillet (12-inch)
- Fish spatula
- Paper towels
- Microplane or zester
Ingredients
- 4 tilapia fillets about 6 ounces each, thawed if frozen
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lemon zested, plus 2 tablespoons juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Pat the tilapia dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams.
- Add the fillets in a single layer, working in two batches if they do not fit. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until golden underneath, then flip and cook for 2–3 minutes more, until the fish is opaque, flakes easily with a fork, and reaches 145°F (63°C). Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds, stirring, until fragrant but not browned.
- Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, scraping up any browned bits.
- Return the fillets to the pan, spoon the sauce over them, sprinkle with parsley if using, and serve right away.
Notes
Thicker fillets need an extra 1–2 minutes per side. Check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer.
Frozen fillets must be fully thawed and patted dry, or they will steam instead of browning.
Nutrition is an estimate per serving from USDA values, without sides.