Go Back Email Link
–+ servings

Baked Blackened Tilapia

flacking Blackened Tilapia on a white plate
Blackened Tilapia is a delicious way to have healthy baked tilapia in the oven bursting with taste and spicy goodness. With a great flavor profile, you can easily adjust or eliminate most of the heat—a super easy 20-minute dinner recipe.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 178kcal
Author: Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Tilapia fillets about four
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Blackening Rub- More than you need - Keep sealed for future use.

  • 3 tablespoons paprika of your choice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Simple Tartar Sauce - optional

  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional.
    Spices for blackening seasoning
  • Line a sheet pan or baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with PAM or add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and brush over the foil.
    brushing oil on baking tray
  • This makes more blackened seasoning than you need. Store the extra for later sealed airtight.
    In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ¼ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon dry thyme, one teaspoon dry oregano, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. The cayenne heat level will be 9/10 at 1 teaspoon, 7/10 at ½ teaspoon, and 3-4/10 at ¼ teaspoon.
    mixing rub ingredients in metal bowl
  • Rinse and pat dry with paper towels 1 pound of tilapia.
    drying tilapia filets with paper towel
  • Brush the tilapia with olive oil.
    brushing tilapia with oil
  • Cover the fillets with the spice mixture and rub it on both sides. You will only need about ¼ to ⅓ of the spice mix you made. DO NOT USE ALL THE MIX.
    rubbing spices onto tilapia
  • Place on the oiled pan and give the fish a light spray of PAM. Place in the preheated oven.
    spraying tilapia with PAM
  • Cook until nicely brown and flaky. This is 8-9 minutes for big fillets and a minute or two less for small to medium fillets. For safety, fish needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°
    cooked blackened tilapia on the baking tray
  • If you want a homemade tartar sauce, combine ⅓ cup mayo, 2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish, and ¼ teaspoon onion powder. Mix well.
    ingredients for simple tarter sauce

MY PRIVATE NOTES:

Click here to add your own private notes.

Notes

Pro Tips

  1. The spice mix makes more than you need. You only need ¼ to ⅓ of the mix for one pound of fish. Save the rest sealed tightly for another cooking.
  2. The cayenne heat level will be 9/10 at 1 teaspoon, 7/10 at ½ teaspoon, and 3-4/10 at ¼ teaspoon. Or skip it if you want.
  3. Use a cajun seasoning or any other seasoning you want.
  4. Remember, you can cook fish with different seasonings on the same tray.
  5. Generally, there will be about four filets of tilapia per pound.
  6. You may use other fish. Be sure frozen fish is completely before using these instructions. If you want to cook frozen fish, cook by temperature.
  7. Fish needs to reach 145° for safety and should be flaky when done.
  8. Cooking time is about 5 minutes per half-inch thickness of the fish.
  9. The oven temperature should be 400° to 450°. I like 425° convection, which gives a better texture.
  10. A light spray of oil (PAM) helps prevent a dry surface.
  11. Check the fish a minute or two early.
  12. Nutritional information does not include the tarter sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 563mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 4.1mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2.3mg

All nutritional values are estimated.

© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.