This Parmesan Crusted Tilapia recipe uses fresh or thawed frozen tilapia fillets, Parmesan cheese, and paprika, but without Panko breadcrumbs for crispy bake tilapia in under 30 minutes.
🐟Ingredients
Tilapia—fresh or thawed frozen fillets
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese—grated, fresh is preferred.
Pantry ingredients—paprika, parsley, salt, black pepper
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Featured Comments:
Simon said—"Great recipe. My wife and I loved it. Our new favorite way to make tilapia."
Sue said—"5 Stars! This recipe is amazing! I've made it several times using 3 different kinds of fish."
This fast recipe is a modification of a Rachel Ray recipe that's easy for a weeknight dinner but with weekend eloquence.
This tilapia recipe has become a standard in our home. It is an excellent fit for any low-carb or keto diet. It also fits a healthy, low-calorie diet and is naturally gluten-free.
Check out these other great tilapia recipes, like Baked Blackened Tilapia, Grilled Blackened Tilapia, or lemon butter tilapia. And don't miss my Baked Lemon Butter Salmon.
👨🍳How to Bake Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
- Mix topping of grated Parmesan cheese and seasonings.
- Brush tilapia with oil, then dredge in the topping and pat it on firmly.
- Place on a prepared baking sheet and pat more topping on the fish.
- Bake in a preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes until flaky.
This is a summary of the steps and ingredients. See the recipe card or the step-by-step photo instructions below for complete instructions.
⏰How long to cook tilapia in the oven?
It will get a very nice brown and take 10-12 minutes. The fish will also be flakey if you check. If you are unsure, the internal temperature should be 145°.
Seasoning options
- Sweet paprika is commonly used, but try hot or smoked paprika for a different flavor.
- I frequently add a touch of garlic powder or cayenne pepper.
- Or try other seasonings like lemon pepper, Old Bay, or cajan seasoning.
Can I use other fish?
Yes, you can make Parmesan crusted salmon, haddock, or cod with this recipe, and as long as the thickness is under 1 inch, the cooking time should be the same. Other white fish may be used, but it needs to be relatively firm.
🍽️What to serve with tilapia?
For a complete meal, serve tilapia with a fresh salad or a vegetable, like roasted asparagus, roasted cauliflower, or bacon-baked green beans. A potato dish like Parmesan Baked Potatoes, scalloped potatoes, baked French fries, or roasted red potatoes are excellent choices.
Round it out with bread, like healthy biscuits, Cheddar Bay Biscuits, or cornmeal biscuits.
Storage of leftovers
This dish is much better served fresh. The coating will not be as crispy and may fall off. But you can store leftovers by carefully sealing them in foil for 3 days. Then, to reheat, open the top of the foil completely and reheat in a 350° oven or air fryer.
❓FAQs
Yes, frozen is fine if fully thawed. Thaw frozen fish in the refrigerator overnight.
You need a good Parmesan since so much of the flavor is the cheese—quality matters.
I like to get a nice wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano and shred or grate as needed. I use lots of Parmesan, which will last at least six months.
First, be sure to dry your fish entirely before coating.
Second, thoroughly preheat the oven before cooking, and do not cook at a lower temperature.
Third, do not overcook. If thinner fillets, use a temperature of 140° and an instant-read thermometer to get it right.
Follow the instructions about mushy fish, dry thoroughly, use a preheated oven, and cook at the recommended temperature.
But some ovens will not brown as well as others due to the structure of the oven. Then, turn on the broiler for a minute or two.
🐟What is Tilapia?
Tilapia is frequently called "the chicken of fish" due to its mild taste and ease of mass production on farms.
They are generally freshwater, inhabiting shallow streams, ponds, rivers, and lakes. Tilapia is native to Africa and the Middle East. However, they've been distributed worldwide and farmed almost everywhere.
While you can attack any farm-raised fish for the method or any farm product, the facts still support tilapia as a good source of low-fat protein. Tilapia is lower in omega-3 than some wild fish but lower in mercury.
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 oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional. Thaw tilapia completely if frozen,. Wash and pat dry tilapia fillets.
Line a baking dish or sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, and brush the foil with oil or a very heavy spray of cooking spray.
Grate Parmesan if needed.
Mix Parmesan cheese, paprika, parsley, salt, and black pepper in a shallow pan.
Brush tilapia with oil on both sides and then dredge in the Parmesan mixture, patting the coating on. Place on the baking sheet. Take some of the remaining Parmesan mixture and pat it on the already-coated fish.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes until flaky.
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📖 Recipe
Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
Ingredients
- 1 pound Tilapia, fresh or thawed frozen - 4 fillets
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese - grated fresh if possible
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional. Thaw tilapia completely if frozen,. Wash and pat dry tilapia fillets.
- Line a baking dish or sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, and brush the foil with oil or a very heavy spray of cooking spray.
- Grate Parmesan if needed.
- Mix Parmesan cheese, paprika, parsley, salt, and black pepper in a shallow pan.
- Brush tilapia fillets with oil on both sides and then dredge in the Parmesan mixture, patting the coating on. Place on the baking sheet. Take some of the remaining Parmesan mixture and pat it on top of the already-coated fish.
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes until flaky and an internal temperature of 145°.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- You can use fresh or frozen tilapia that is completely thawed.
- Be sure to dry the tilapia well with paper towels before coating.
- The quality of the Parmesan cheese matters a lot in this recipe.
- I like to add a little extra topping just before going into the oven.
- If unsure, fish is done at 145° internal temperature in the thickest part.
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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Editor's Note: Originally Published on December 18, 2010, the blog's first year. The blog has grown 1000X since that time. Now updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Sallie
Made this tonight and my husband and I loved it. Mine didn't get brown like in the picture, how do you get it to brown more without over cooking
DrDan
Hi Sallie,
No real secret on the browning. The foil helps by reflecting so shiny side up. And one of my two convection ovens seems to brown better. They run at exactly the same temp (checked with an oven thermometer) but I think the Kitchenaid has more fan movement with the convection than the Jenn-Air.
You could "cheat" and do the last couple of minutes with the broiler.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Marti
Made this today it came out great! Added some panko bread crumbs, garlic, and lemon pepper!
Yolamda
Made it today it was so easy amd even my picky 3 1/2 yr old loved it. Best of all its not breaded or fried. Highly recommend making it and defenetly adding this to my cooking often recipe. Thankyou so much
Heather
You are saying preheat oven to 400 degrees convection . I do not have a convection oven
Unfortunately we have a gas oven because it came with the house. So what would be the
temperature to preheat a gas or
Electric oven ( for those who have one)
Can these ingredients work for any type
Of edible fish that I want to bake?
Please let me know by e-mailing me at
DrDan
Hi Heather,
First, the temperature for the non-convection oven is generally 25 degrees higher. Gas vs Electric shouldn't matter. See https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/oven-temperatures-abbreviations/ for more details.
Next about there fish. In a different recipe https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/oven-baked-blackened-tilapia/ I discuss the 10 minute rule about cooking fish which should answer those questions.
I emailed this reply but I have removed your email address from the comment for your privacy.
Dan
Ethel
In the oven right now. Made some creamy coleslaw and baked fries to go with it. Thanks for the recipe.
DrDan
Hi Ethel,
It is a nice fish.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Derek
Awesome dish. I added a little cayenne pepper and garlic then did half regular half smoked paprika and it really enhanced the flavor.
Barbara Karr
This was so easy!!! Do you have other fish recipes? The reason I don't eat more fish is that I don't know how to cook it. This was Excellent. Made it for me. Didn't even use the expensive parm. (Need to get some) Used real parmesan though. More fish recipes if you have them PLEASE. I have MS and need to eat healthier. Thanks for a great dinner!
DrDan
Hi Barbara,
Check the fish category, that is all I have for now. I grew up in Iowa so fish was not the most common dish. I have been experimenting this summer but have not had results I love. Recipes others sware by just don't work well for me. I guess I'm too dense. But I will keep trying.
Dan
Pamela Gail
Definitley trying this Tonight! Im a huge Fanatic about Fish. Love it! Did Yall know that Talapia is alao referred to as The JESUS Fish? Yes..how Marelous!
DrDan
Thanks for the note. I hope you enjoyed it.
Dan
Sue
5 Stars! This recipe is amazing! I've made it several times using 3 different kinds of fish. So far flounder is my favorite. It's so simple and so flavorful. Paprika happens to be one of my favorite spices. I was happy to find that you can buy parmesan cheese that's already grated. It's so much better than the powdered parmesan cheese. Thank you so much for sharing this fabulous recipe.
Cynthia Evans
This is one of our favorite recipes! 5 Stars!
Cynthia Evans
I've made this several times. It's one of our favorite tilapia recipes. 5 Stars!!
Teri
Made this last night. It was easy and very good. I did have to cook it about twice as long but that may be my convection oven. Thank you for the recipe!
halfadime7
Thank you, Dr. Dan, for bringing seafood back to our attention. It's a very healthy and tasty way to improve our diets and hearts. You ROCK!
DrDan
Hi halfadime7, I know you would like it. Thanks for the note.
Dan
Mar.ms
Amazing! I was just wishing for some crispy fish while driving home but had to make do with a salad and leftover chicken for supper. '
This. Tomorrow.
Oh the PUPPYISH. They look so huggable.
Kelly
I loveed this recipe. Thanks so much. :)
Trees Mills
Made it for dinner tonight - it was a hit! My husband said he could eat it every night. Will definitely make again. Maybe next time try on parchment paper so I don't lose the yummy coating that stuck to the aluminum foil.