Cooking fish doesn’t have to be hard! Try this air fryer tilapia recipe to get delicious, flaky fish without any stress at all! You only need about 15 minutes to make this easy recipe!
Air Fryer Tilapia
I’ve always enjoyed fish but never felt like I could make it myself at home. My air fryer definitely changed that for me. It makes it so easy that anyone can do it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Family friendly change of pace: This is an easy way to change out protein for dinner. We eat a lot of chicken and hamburger so being able to add in tilapia is a great change of pace. Tilapia also has a very mild flavor so it’s a very family friendly fish.
- Frozen or fresh: To make this recipe even more convenient, you can make it with either fresh or frozen tilapia fillets.
- Quick & easy: Using the air fryer, you can have tilapia on the table in 15 minutes. Plus, clean up is always easy with the air fryer. So if you need a quick weeknight dinner idea, give this a try!
Ingredients & Equipment
For this recipe, you need fish and a collection of seasonings you may already have in your kitchen. Here’s what you need:
- Tilapia filets
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Parmesan cheese
- Lemon wedges, to garnish
Exact measurements can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You’ll also need a few things from your kitchen, including:
- Air fryer
- Silicone brush
- Measuring spoons
- Tongs – to flip the fish
How to Cook Tilapia in the Air Fryer
This recipe makes 4 servings. It takes 5 minutes prep time and approximately 10 minutes cooking time depending on your air fryer model.
Step 1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
Step 2. Brush the tilapia filets with olive oil and lemon juice on both sides.
Step 3. Sprinkle half the garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika on top of the fish. Repeat on the other side of the tilapia.
Step 4. Place two filets in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer and cook for 12 minutes, flipping the fish halfway through the cooking time.
Step 5. After flipping the filets, top with half the parmesan cheese and continue cooking until they are golden, tender, and flaky.
Step 6. Repeat with the two remaining filets. (You can cook as many fish filets as fit in your air fryer basket.)
Step 7. Garnish the filets with lemon wedges and serve with your favorite side dish.
Leftovers & Reheating
You can store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
I recommend that you air fry tilapia to reheat it. Heat the air fryer to 400°F and spray the basket lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the fish in the basket and heat for 3-4 minutes or until heated through.
You can also reheat tilapia filets in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then heat in 10 second intervals until warmed.
What to Eat as a Side with Tilapia
I love pretty much any vegetable side dish with tilapia. Rice always pairs well with white fish. But you can also make your side in the air fryer with some of these easy recipes:
- Potatoes: Air Fryer Potato Wedges, Air Fryer Baked Potato, and Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Air Fryer Zucchini
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash
And if you’re looking for a side dish that isn’t a vegetable, try Air Fryer Mac & Cheese with fish!
You can also make Air Fryer Dinner Rolls to go with the meal!
Tips & Tricks
- The fish is done when it flakes with a fork and is golden brown. It should also have an internal temperature of 145°F.
- You can try different seasonings to change up the flavor of the fish. Try Cajun seasoning or italian seasoning!
- Don’t layer the tilapia filets, they need space for the air to circulate around them.
- If you’re worried about the fish sticking in the air fryer basket, you can spray it lightly with nonstick cooking spray but the olive oil should help with sticking. You can also use parchment paper in the air fryer basket.
- You can also use this tilapia (or any leftovers) to make fish tacos!
FAQs
Can you make frozen tilapia filets in the air fryer?
Yes, you can use fresh or frozen. If you’re cooking them from frozen, you may need to add an additional 3-4 minutes to cooking time. For frozen tilapia, I do recommend using a light spray of nonstick cooking spray in the air fryer basket to prevent sticking.
Do you have to thaw frozen fish filets before air frying them?
You don’t have to. If you put them in frozen, just add extra cooking time. If you want to thaw them beforehand, you can and then just follow the recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 Tilapia filets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Brush the tilapia filets with olive oil and lemon juice on both sides.
- Sprinkle half the garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika on top of the fish. Repeat on the other side of the tilapia.
- Place two filets in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer and cook for 12 minutes, flipping the fish halfway through the cooking time.
- After flipping the filets, top with half the parmesan cheese and continue cooking until they are golden, tender, and flaky.
- Repeat with the two remaining filets. (You can cook as many fish filets as fit in your air fryer basket.)
- Garnish the filets with lemon wedges and serve with your favorite side dish.
Pin this Post
Leave a Reply