Meet your new favorite fish recipe. Healthy eating has never been so good or easy as this wonderfully spicy, grilled, blackened tilapia.

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It is time to get some fish in your diet with this spicy, super easy, and fast recipe that will become your personal favorite. Only 2 minutes per side to get you a grilled masterpiece. I have included options for cooking tools (basket vs. griddle) and different levels of heat.
This recipe is based on my oven-baked blackened tilapia, The original recipe was pan-fried. I converted that to an oven and now using it on the grill for crispier results.
Check out these other great tilapia recipes, like baked parmesan tilapia or lemon butter tilapia. Serve tilapia with smashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, healthy biscuits, Cheddar Bay Biscuits, or cornmeal biscuits.
Ingredients
- Tilapia
- Butter
- Blackening Seasoning
- Paprika
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Dry thyme
- Dry oregano
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Cayenne pepper
👨🍳How to Grill Blackened Tilapia
- Rinse and pat dry 1 pound of tilapia. Brush with melted butter and coat with blackening, Cajun, or Creole seasoning
- Use a flexible grill basket or a griddle on the grill on grill preheated on high.
- Place the tilapia on preheated grill. The lid may be open or closed—grill for only 2 minutes. Flip and grill for another 2 minutes. Check temperature (145°) and color. You may need a few minutes or so more.
- While the thinner fish in a grill basket is generally done in about 4-5 minutes total time—thicker fish may take 6-8 minutes—to cook to good color, and 145° minimum temperature.
- Serve immediately, and I suggest with Simple Tartar Sauce.
🐟The tilapia
Tilapia is a mild white fish that is commonly farm-raised but can be caught in the wild. You can use fresh or fully thawed frozen tilapia.
The thickness of tilapia can vary a lot, so cooking time will usually take 2-3 minutes per side, but thick filets may take 4 minutes.
Other fish may be used and time adjusted for the thickness.
🔥How spicing to make the seasoning
Lastly, the heat. I use ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper here. This was a 7/10 hot. I suspect most people will want ¼ teaspoon. I have done this with ¼ teaspoon, which is a 3-4/10 heat level. The original recipe used a full teaspoon which I did once. It was what I call a manly man level of 10/10.
♨️Grilling tips
I used a Brinkmann®️ Steel Flexible Grilling Basket cost about $15 at Home Depot. You can also get one at Amazon. Highly rated by Consumers Report, but I'm sure there are similar devices.
You can also use a preheated griddle, large grill pan, or even directly grill on the grates, but the fish might fall apart with even minimal sticking.
Since the fish is thin and uses high heat, you can cook with the grill lid open or closed—it does not matter.
Grilling Time
While the thinner fish in a grill basket is generally done in about 4-5 minutes, thicker fish may take 6-8 minutes or more—Cook to good color and 145° minimum temperature.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat the grill to as high as it will go. For me, that is 600°+. If using a griddle instead of a grill basket, then place it on the grill to preheat.
Combine 3 tablespoons paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon onion powder, one teaspoon black pepper, one teaspoon dry thyme, one teaspoon dry oregano, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Also, add cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon for normal (3/10 heat), ½ teaspoon for spicy (7/10), and one teaspoon for manly man 10/10 heat.
Rinse and pat dry 1 pound of tilapia.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a microwave. About 15 seconds.
Brush both sides of tilapia with the melted butter.
Coat both sides of the tilapia with a generous amount of rub. You won't need all the rub.
Spray a flexible grill basket with a generous amount of PAM.
Load the tilapia in the grill basket. Alternatively, if using a griddle, then add a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil to the preheated griddle. Do not use olive oil since it smokes at high temperatures.
Place the tilapia on preheated grill. The lid may be open or closed—grill for only 2 minutes. Flip and grill another 2 minutes. Check temperature (145°) and color. You may need few minutes or so more.
While the thinner fish in a grill basket is generally done in about 4-5 minutes total time, thicker fish may take 6-8 minutes—Cook to good color and 145° minimum temperature.
Serve immediately.
📖 Recipe
Grilled Blackened Tilapia
Ingredients
- 1 pound Tilapia
- 1 tablespoon butter
Blackening Rub-makes enough for 2 pounds
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to as high as it will go. For me, that is 600°+. If using a griddle instead of a grill basket, then place it on the grill to preheat.
- Combine 3 tablespoons paprika, one teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon onion powder, one teaspoon black pepper, one teaspoon dry thyme, one teaspoon dry oregano, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Also, add cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon for normal (3/10 heat), ½ teaspoon for spicy (7/10), and one teaspoon for manly man 10/10 heat.
- Rinse and pat dry 1 pound of tilapia.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a microwave—about 15 seconds.
- Brush both sides of tilapia with the melted butter.
- Coat both sides of the tilapia with a generous amount of the rub—you don't need all the rub.
- Spray a flexible grill basket with a generous amount of PAM.
- Load the tilapia in the grill basket. Alternatively, if using a griddle, then add a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil to the preheated griddle. Do not use olive oil since it smokes at high temperatures.
- Place the tilapia on preheated grill. The lid may be open or closed—grill for only 2 minutes. Flip and grill another 2 minutes. Check temperature (145°) and color. You may need few minutes or so more.
- While the thinner fish in a grill basket is generally done in about 4-5 minutes total time—thicker fish may take 6-8 minutes—cook to good color, and 145° minimum temperature.
- Done. Serve immediately.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- You may be grilled with the hood open or closed.
- I use ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper here. This was a 7/10 hot. I suspect most people will want ¼ teaspoon, which is a 3-4/10 heat level. The original recipe used a full teaspoon which I did once. It was what I call manly man level of 10/10.
- Store extra seasoning sealed tightly for next time. This is enough for about 2 pounds.
- While the thinner fish in a grill basket is generally done in about 4-5 minutes total time, thicker fish may take 6-8 minutes—cook to good color, and 145° minimum temperature.
- You may use other fish but need to adjust cooking time by thickness. Thicker fish should be grilled with the grill hood closed.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Originally published May 11, 2013. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Jason
Thank you so much for your beautiful recipe, i just finished making Tilapia on the barbecue using your rub recipe and it's now gone. Keep up the good work in the kitchen.
NickL
The last time, the spices stuck to my hand, the plate and less so the fish. What am I doing wrong to cause this?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Nick,
Welcome to the blog.
A couple of things will help. Give the butter a few minutes to firm up on the fish. Be sure some butter is on the plate. Put it on and pat with a spoon. Flip with a fork. And move to the grill basket with a fork. Don't be afraid to add a bit more to "patch" it or just more flavor.
Dan
Alex Jones
I've cooked this numerous time in a cast iron on the stovetop, but always missed that grilled flavor. Finally bought a grill grate and turned out phenomenal. We put ours in tacos with some slaw mix that I toss with some quick and easy ingredients, my wife makes an amazing jalapeno cilantro and lime dressing to top it with. One of our favorite meals! Great recipe
Nick L
Well, tried this for this first time and I’m not the home cook specialist. Used a cast iron pan, on the gas grill, no paprika but everything else. Turned out great!! Better half rarely if every eats fish - but liked this and would consider it again. Thank you!
Can this work with other fish besides Tilapia?
Alex Jones
I have done it with other white fish such as cod, but I wouldn't recommend using a basket for this but rather a griddle style pan on the grill