Garlic Butter Tilapia 🧄🧈 Flaky, Fast, and Full of Rich Garlic-Lemon Butter Flavor

Garlic Butter Tilapia is your go-to easy seafood dinner — tender white fish seared or baked in a pan-sauce of melted butter, fresh garlic, bright lemon, and herbs.

It’s clean but rich, fast but satisfying, and pairs with almost anything on the plate.

Ingredients (Serves 2–3)

• 2–3 tilapia fillets (about 5–6 oz each)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil (or use part butter for extra richness)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Zest of ½ lemon (optional)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or chives
• Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions

Step 1: Season the Fish

Pat tilapia dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Let rest at room temp while you prep the sauce ingredients.

Step 2: Sear the Fillets

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tilapia and sear for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and flaky. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Step 3: Make the Garlic Butter

Lower heat to medium. Add butter and garlic to the same pan. Sauté for 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Stir in lemon juice, zest, and optional red pepper flakes. Scrape up any browned bits.

Step 4: Finish and Serve

Return tilapia to the pan and spoon sauce over the top, or plate the fish and drizzle sauce just before serving. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve immediately.

Flavor Variations

• Add capers and a splash of white wine for a piccata-style finish
• Swap lemon for lime and parsley for cilantro for a tropical vibe
• Add sliced cherry tomatoes and spinach for a full skillet dinner
• Use ghee or browned butter for a nuttier flavor profile

Serving Ideas

• Over garlic rice, quinoa, or cauliflower mash
• With roasted vegetables or steamed green beans
• In fish tacos with slaw and avocado crema
• Flaked into a salad with arugula, lemon vinaigrette, and crusty bread

Pro Tips

• Use a nonstick or well-oiled stainless skillet for delicate tilapia
• Don’t overcrowd the pan — sear in batches if needed
• Tilapia cooks fast — it’s done when it flakes easily with a fork
• Let the garlic toast but not burn — bitterness ruins the sauce

Final Thoughts

Garlic Butter Tilapia is a no-stress seafood dinner that feels polished and comforting in equal measure. With crisp edges, buttery garlic richness, and a squeeze of lemon brightness, it’s the kind of dish that delivers every time — even on your busiest night.

Sear fast. Spoon butter. Serve fresh. 🧄🧈🐟

🦐 More Coastal Seafood Recipes

From cozy casseroles to zesty grilled fish and elegant seafood pastas, this collection of Seafood Recipes covers every ocean-inspired craving — whether you’re planning a dinner party or a quick weeknight win.

• 🐟 Classic Seafood Dish Recipes – Think pan-seared salmon with lemon dill and timeless coastal favorites.
• 🦞 Delicious Seafood Boil Recipes – Spicy, saucy boils packed with crab, shrimp, and corn. The ultimate feast.
• 🍝 Seafood Pasta Recipes – Elegant and indulgent, like shrimp linguine in a white wine sauce.
• 🍤 Shrimp Recipes – Versatile, fast, and flavor-packed; smoky grills to sizzling stir-fries
• 🐟 Salmon Recipes – Baking & grilling to bowls, pastas, and more — healthy, flavorful, and easy to make/
• 🦞 Seafood Casseroles – Bubbly, Buttery & Oven-Ready. Comfort food meets coastal flavor.
• 🥣 Flavorful Seafood Soups – Rich chowders, bisques, and broth-based favorites.
• 🍽️ Easy Seafood Dinner Recipes – Quick, delicious, easy recipes bring bold flavor with minimal prep and cleanup
• 🥗 Healthy Seafood Recipes – Light, fresh & packed with protein and omega-3s with bright, satisfying flavor
• 🍚 Risotto Recipes with Seafood – Creamy, silky rice dishes meet the richness of the sea.
• 🌊 Seafood Stews – Mediterranean, Latin to classic American, hearty stews with satisfying depth in your bowl.
• 🍝🧀 Seafood Lasagna – Lasagna meets the sea in these rich and satisfying delicious twist classic bakes.

🧄 Garlic Butter Recipes Collection

Explore them all → Rich, golden, and versatile — garlic butter is the flavor bomb your weeknight meals (and fancy dinners) need.

🔥 Garlic Butter Proteins (Main Dishes)

• Garlic Butter Shrimp – Fast, juicy shrimp with bold garlic butter flavor.
• Garlic Butter Chicken – Crispy thighs smothered in a buttery garlic glaze.
• Garlic Butter Chicken Bites – Bite-sized skillet gold.
• Garlic Butter Steak Bites – Quick-seared steak cubes in sizzling garlic butter.
• Garlic Butter Tilapia – Mild fish with a rich, buttery finish.
• Garlic Butter Salmon – Buttery, flaky salmon perfect for weeknight dinner.

🍝 Garlic Butter Pastas & Noodles

• Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta – Seafood and carbs in harmony.
• Garlic Butter Pasta – Minimalist magic with max flavor.
• Garlic Butter Noodles – A simple classic that pairs with anything.
• Garlic Butter Lobster Mac & Cheese – Rich, decadent, and over-the-top good.
• Garlic Butter Parmesan Fettuccine – Creamy, cheesy, and craveable.
• Garlic Seafood Pasta Bake – Bubbly and golden with garlic and seafood.
• Garlic Butter Seafood Lasagna Rolls – Creamy, rolled seafood pasta baked in butter sauce.

🍚 Garlic Butter Sides, Bases & Sauces

• Garlic Butter Rice – Buttery rice with bold flavor and fluff.
• Garlic Butter Sauce – Base for seafood, pasta, and more.
• Garlic Butter Seafood Boil Sauce – Bold, spicy, and ready for dunking.
• Garlic Butter Mashed Potatoes – Creamy with a garlicky punch.
• Garlic Butter Green Beans / Asparagus – Your favorite veg made crave-worthy.
• Garlic Bread with Homemade Garlic Butter Spread – Essential upgrade for any carb lover.

🌶️ Garlic Butter Fusion Recipes (Flavor Bombs)

• Garlic Butter Cajun Shrimp – Spicy, buttery, and bold.
• Garlic Butter Shrimp Tacos – Crispy shells, buttery shrimp.
• Garlic Butter Chicken Alfredo – Creamy fusion of two comfort classics.
• Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi – Bright lemon and rich butter make magic.
• Garlic Butter Ramen Noodles – Lazy, comforting, deeply satisfying.