Air Fryer Tilapia
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With fresh citrus, herbs, and Parmesan in the topping, this non-fishy-tasting Air Fryer Tilapia recipe is one that kids and adults alike love. Plus, this weeknight meal is budget-friendly and only takes minutes to cook thanks to the air fryer.
Or try Parmesan Broiled Tilapia instead.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Texture and flavor – The topping made with fresh herbs, citrus, and Parmesan take this usually bland fish to another level. The air fryer makes sure it comes out a little crispy on top.
- Healthier – Air frying requires almost no oil, which reduces the overall fat content and calorie count compared to fried fish.
- Fast for a weeknight dinner – Takes less than 30 minutes.
- Kid-friendly – All ages love this one!
If you want to try a another healthy, kid-friendly air fryer recipe, give our Air Fryer Mini Chicken Burgers or Air Fryer Chicken Tenders a go!
Ingredients Needed
Plain and boring on its own, tilapia benefits greatly from the fresh herbs, lemon juice and zest, Parmesan cheese, and seasoning in the amazing topping. Make sure you have all these ingredients:
- Grated Parmesan cheese – I prefer freshly grated Parmesan, but the canister from the store will work.
- Salted butter, softened
- Mayonnaise – I like Avocado Mayo, since it has cleaner ingredients. I’ve also tested this recipe using plain, full-fat Greek yogurt and it works fine, as well.
- Lemon – You’ll use both the zest (the yellow portion on the outside that contains citrusy oils) and the juice. A microplane grater is the best tool for zesting citrus.
- Fresh parsley – Fresh is always best, but dried parsley can work in a pinch. You can also use other fresh herbs in place of the parsley, like chives, dill, or basil.
- Celery salt – This provides that “hmm, what is that?” flavor in the background. I love it in this recipe.
- Tilapia fillets – Ideally, you’ll want to completely thaw these in the fridge ahead of time. If you don’t have time, run under cold water for a few minutes until thawed.
How to Air Fry Tilapia
This tilapia recipe couldn’t be simpler to make. The full, printable recipe is at the bottom but here’s a quick overview of the recipe.
Mix Ingredients
Mix together the Parmesan, butter, mayo, lemon zest and juice, fresh herbs, black pepper, garlic powder, and celery salt until combined in a bowl.
Prepare Tilapia
Pat your thawed tilapia fillets dry. Season both sides lightly with salt and pepper. Spread the Parmesan topping over the tilapia pieces.
Air Fry
Preheat air fryer to 400°F. In two batches, air fry 2-3 filets at a time for 6-8 minutes. (Do not flip.) Serve warm with lemon wedges on the side.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Tilapia
Add a few fast and simple sides to serve up a tasty weeknight meal. I like to serve this tilapia with fresh fruit like cantaloupe or watermelon and one or two of the side dishes below.
Make It a Freezer Meal Kit
As we say again and again in our cookbooks and on Thriving Home, this recipe is a good one to double and freeze one for later. In fact, I was in a freezer club with friends for 7 years and this was voted as one of our “home run recipes” to make again and again.
So, as long as you’re mixing up the topping, freeze the extra batch (yes it freezes and thaws just fine!) along with some frozen tilapia fillets. Here’s how:
Freeze For Later: Follow Step 1. Place this mixture in a quart-sized freezer bag or small freezer container and seal. Freeze alongside the frozen tilapia filets (if not already frozen, then place the fish in a gallon-sized freezer bag).
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw the Parmesan mixture and the tilapia (preferably in the refrigerator overnight). Then, follow the cooking instructions starting with Step 2.
FAQs
Depending on the thickness of the filets, but usually 6-8 minutes at 400°F. It should register 145°F (63°C) when fully cooked.
Here are some tips to ensure even broiling of tilapia:
– Use uniformly-sized fillets.
– Don’t overcrowd the basket. Work in batches.
– Monitor cooking time to prevent overcooking.
– Consider using a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the fillet, and it should register 145°F (63°C) when fully cooked.
More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love
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Air Fryer Tilapia
With fresh citrus, herbs, and Parmesan in the topping, this non-fishy-tasting Air Fryer Tilapia recipe is one that kids and adults alike love. Plus, this weeknight meal is budget-friendly and only takes minutes to cook thanks to the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) salted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (sub: full-fat Greek yogurt)
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup minced parsley (sub: 1 tablespoon dried parsley or other fresh herbs like minced dill, chives, or basil)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
- 2 pounds tilapia fillets, completely thawed
- Salt and ground black pepper
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Make Topping: In a small mixing bowl, stir together the Parmesan, butter, mayo, lemon zest and juice, fresh herbs, black pepper, garlic powder, and celery salt until combined. Set aside.
- Prep Tilapia: Pat tilapia fillets dry. Season both sides lightly with salt and pepper. Generously spread the Parmesan topping over the tilapia pieces (I use the back of a spoon).
- Air Fry & Serve: Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Working in 2 or 3 batches, air fry 2-3 filets at a time for 6-8 minutes. (Do not flip.) Serve warm with lemon wedges on the side and fresh chopped parsley on top (optional).
Freeze For Later: Follow Step 1. Place this mixture in a quart-sized freezer bag or small freezer container and seal. Freeze alongside the frozen tilapia filets (if not already frozen, then place the fish in a gallon-sized freezer bag).
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw the Parmesan mixture and the tilapia (preferably in the refrigerator overnight). Then, follow the cooking instructions starting with Step 2.
Notes/Tips
- Consider using a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the fillet, and it should register 145°F (63°C) when fully cooked.
- Surprisingly, leftovers are really good.
- Want to use the oven? Use our Parmesan Broiled Tilapia recipe.
I, for one, really liked this. It was not magic for my fish-hating family, however, but they’ll come around. The mayo, lemon, cheese combo was a great topping. I had flaked parmesan so I put it all in a food processor at once to chop it nice and fine. I wonder if it would go well with chicken, too?
This is one of my favorites from freezer club many years ago. I’ve never thought to try it on chicken, but it certainly sounds like a good idea! Let us know if you do try it. And thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!