Easy Pan Fried Tilapia Recipe (Made In Under 15 Minutes)

This tender, flaky, golden brown pan fried tilapia recipe combines fresh tilapia filets with the perfect blend of spices and seasonings to create the ultimate fish fry dinner! Plus, it's also a breeze to make. In fact, this quick and easy fish recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes!

The Best Fried Tilapia

If you've been looking for the best way to cook tilapia, look no further. This pan fried tilapia recipe is one that will impress and leave everyone feeling like they just ate a five-star meal from a restaurant. 

The recipe calls for tilapia fillets to be coated in a simple combination of flour and spices, then it's quickly pan seared until golden brown and crisp on the outside while still tender and flakey on the inside.

Trust me, even if you aren't a big seafood person - or you're trying tilapia for the first time - this recipe is the perfect place to start. Since tilapia is a pretty mild white fish with a subtly sweet flavor, it takes on the seasonings in this recipe and has a great flavor. 

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Quick and easy to make. You can have the tilapia ready and on the table for dinner in less than 15 minutes.

Versatile. You can literally serve this fried tilapia with anything you want, and it'll be delicious!

It's nutritious. Tilapia is naturally low in fat and calories and super high in protein. It's also an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals. 

Affordable yet delicious. Tilapia is inexpensive compared to other types of mild white fish, but it comes out tasting like it came from a five-star restaurant! 

Ingredients

The ingredient list for this pan fried tilapia recipe is oh-so simple. Once you've got your tilapia fillets, the rest of the things you need are all just kitchen/pantry staples.

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make this pan fried tilapia recipe:

• Two 6oz. tilapia fillets
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
• Lime and/or lemon slices to serve with

Simple stuff, right?

By the way, you can use all of these ingredients to make this baked haddock recipe as well. So you might want to give that recipe a try next!

Ingredient Substitutions and Additions 

Now, I always make this pan fried tilapia recipe with the exact ingredients above because I think it turns out best that way. But with that said, there's definitely room to switch it up.

First, making a quick lemon butter sauce can be a great way to add flavor to this recipe. It doesn't have to be fancy - just swap the olive oil in this recipe for unsalted butter, then after you've cooked the tilapia fillets, add a heavy squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the pan. To finish up, drizzle the lemon butter sauce over your finished tilapia, and you're good to go.

Also, as you may have noticed, this recipe calls for fresh or thawed tilapia fillet, but if you're in a pinch, you can use frozen filets as well. If you do end up using frozen tilapia filets, just make sure you defrost them before using 'em. Either allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge or transfer 'em to a Ziplock bag and submerge 'em under cold water for about 20 minutes before cooking.

How To Make Fried Tilapia

Now it's almost time to make some fried tilapia!

And when I said this recipe was easy, I meant it. Even if you've never cooked tilapia or much fish at all, I guarantee you'll have no problem making this recipe.

Anyway, let's stop wasting time and get cooking!

Step 1: Season The Tilapia

First, you'll want to pat the tilapia fillets dry with some paper towels. Then, you can generously season the tilapia with salt and pepper on both sides.

Now, after you've got them seasoned with the salt and pepper you can set 'em aside while you work on the flour mixture. 

Step 2: Coat The Tilapia 

In a medium-sized bowl, you can combine the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and cumin powder. Then, you can give these ingredients a good mix with a fork until they combine.

Next, you'll want to coat the fish fillets in the flour mixture on each side and place them on a wire rack.

Now, heat the oil up in a medium-sized skillet set over medium heat.

Step 3: Fry The Tilapia

Once the oil is hot, you can add the seasoned tilapia fillets to the pan and fry 'em for about 3-4 minutes on each side - or until they're golden brown. 

Then, when your pan seared tilapia is done cooking, you can remove it from the heat and serve your fried fish warm with lime or lemon slices.

Enjoy!

Tips To Make The Best Recipe

• Make sure the tilapia is completely dry before coating it in the seasonings. 
• Evenly coat the tilapia on each side with the flour.
• Let the oil heat to about 350°F-375°F before frying the fish.
• You'll know the tilapia is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 145°F checked at the thickest part with a meat thermometer.

How To Store Fried Tilapia

In the fridge: If you have any leftovers, you can store 'em in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3-4 days.

In the freezer: If you want your fried tilapia to last even longer, you can freeze the leftover fillets in an airtight container - or freezer-safe bag - and store 'em in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheating: Put the tilapia back in a skillet with a bit of oil and cook over medium heat. Just make sure to flip them every 2-3 minutes until they're fully warmed through.

FAQs About This Fried Tilapia Recipe

Can you pan fry frozen tilapia?

Yes! It's surprisingly easy to pan fry frozen tilapia. All you have to do is cook the fillets in a pan set over medium heat for around about 6-8 minutes a side. 

How do you pan fry tilapia without it sticking?

The best way to avoid your tilapia from sticking to the pan you're cooking it in is to heat the pan up slowly rather than cranking up the heat. Then, once the pan and oil are both sufficiently hot, you can add the tilapia to it. Also, make sure there's plenty of oil in the pan before you add the fish! Having enough oil in your pan helps keep the fish from sticking to it as well.

What can I serve with tilapia?

If you're looking for what to serve with tilapia, the opportunities are endless! Here are some of my favorite sides to get you started: 

• Kani salad
• Grit cakes
• Redskin mashed potatoes
• Crack green beans
• Roasted veggies
• Wrap the tilapia in tortillas to make fish tacos

More Seafood Recipes

If you enjoyed this fried tilapia recipe, we have a ton of other easy seafood recipes you can try next! 

Here are some of our most popular ones:

• Fried grouper
• Pan seared cod
• Fried mahi mahi
• Deep fried salmon
• Blackened shrimp
  

Oh, and as always, make sure to check us out on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube! We post new recipes on them every day.

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