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    The BEST Air Fryer Tilapia Recipe (Made In Under 15 Minutes)

    Feb 5, 2023 The Diet Chef

    Jump to Recipe

    This air fryer tilapia recipe is one of the best tilapia recipes you'll ever try. It combines tender, flaky tilapia filets with garlic butter and an array of cajun seasonings to create a dish that's to die for. And, best of all, this simple and easy tilapia recipe takes just 15  minutes to make!

    Two air fried tilapia fillets garnished with fresh chopped parsley and lemon slices on a white plate with a fork. Surrounding the plate is a bunch of fresh parsley, a plate of square hand pies, part of a small basket of lemons, and a tea towel.

    The Best Air Fryer Tilapia

    If you're looking for a fish recipe that everyone will love, you've got to give this air fryer tilapia recipe a shot. The tilapia cooks to perfection every single time, and it's coated in the most delicious spices and seasonings.

    Gah, it's just so, so good. And, as I mentioned, it's so easy to make this air fryer tilapia too. All you have to do is mix the seasoning blend, coat the tilapia fillets in it, and then let the air fryer take care of the rest. 

    Yup, that's really all there is to it, and since it's so effortless, you can make an equally delicious side to go with it - like this roasted kohlrabi or coleslaw.

    Close up of air fried tilapia fillets garnished with fresh chopped parsley and lemon slices on a white plate with a fork. Behind it is a small basket and some halved lemons.

    Ingredients

    Now, besides the tilapia filets, you'll only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this recipe. Plus, most of them are pantry staples, so you probably already have most - if not all of them - on hand already!

    With that said, here's everything you'll need to make this air fryer tilapia recipe:

    • ½ lb. tilapia fillets, preferably fresh
    • 2 tablespoon butter, melted
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon garlic paste
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • ½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning
    • Fresh lemon, for garnish
    • Chopped parsley, for garnish

    Simple stuff, right?!

    By the way, you can use a lot of these same ingredients to make this mahi-mahi recipe. If you like this air fryer tilapia, I can almost guarantee that you'll enjoy that one, too!

    Two raw tilapia fillets on a white plate, whole lemons, a bunch of fresh parsley, and small bowls of olive oil, melted butter, garlic paste, and Cajun seasoning.

    Ingredients Substitutions and Suggestions

    Now, I always make this recipe with the ingredients I listed above, but there are a few adjustments you can make to it, and it'll turn out just as delicious.

    So, although this recipe works best with fresh fish, frozen tilapia filets will work too. With that said, if you're starting with frozen tilapia, I recommend transferring them to a ziplock bag and submerging it in water until the fillets have completely thawed. Oh, and changing the water every 30 minutes will speed up the process.

    As for the seasonings, you can use a premade cajun seasoning blend for this recipe or you make your own. If you're planning on making your on DIY cajun seasoning I recommend using a mix of black pepper, white pepper, cayenne powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.

    Honestly though, this air fryer tilapia recipe is delicious with just about any seasoning. I've used Old Bay a few times to make it, and the results were bangin'.

    A glass bowl of butter and olive oil mixed with garlic paste and Cajun seasoning. Surrounding it are whole lemons and a bunch of fresh parsley.

    How to Cook Tilapia in the Air Fryer

    Honestly, I'm obsessed with how easy it is to cook tilapia filets in the air fryer. Literally, all you have to do is brush the tilapia fillets with your seasoning mix and then they're ready to cook.

    Plus, it's super quick to make tilapia this way too. In fact, from start to finish it'll take you just 15 minutes to whip up.

    Anyway, without further ado, let's dive into this easy tilapia recipe, and get cooking.

    Seasoned raw tilapia fillets on a white plate. Surrounding the plate are lemons and a bundle of fresh parsley.

    Step 1: Season the Tilapia Fillets

    First, you'll want to pat the tilapia filets dry with a paper towel and season both sides with some salt and pepper. Then, you'll want to use your hands to rub the salt and pepper into the fillets.

    Now that the base seasoning is on the tilapia, it's time to really elevate the flavor. So, to do that, you'll want to take out a small bowl and whisk together the melted butter, olive oil, garlic paste, and Cajun seasoning until it combines.Then, when that's looking good, you can brush the tilapia fillets with the seasoned butter mixture - make sure to really coat the surface of both sides.

    Raw seasoned tilapia fillets in an air fryer basket. Surrounding the basket are some whole lemons and a bundle of fresh parsley.

    Step 2: Air Fry the Tilapia

    Now that the tilapia is ready to go you, you'll want to arrange the tilapia fillets in one layer in your air fryer basket. If they're too big, you can cut the fish fillets in half, and then cook them like that. Also, if your air fryer basket is on the smaller side, you might have to cook them in batches.

    Anyway, once you've got your air fryer basket ready to go with your filets, you can air fry them for 5 minutes, then flip the fillets and air fry 'em for another 3 minutes.

    Finally, you can transfer the tilapia fillets to a plate and garnish 'em with parsley and lemon slices. Serve immediately and enjoy!

    Two air fried tilapia fillets garnished with fresh chopped parsley and lemon slices. Surrounding the plate are more lemon slices on a bunch of fresh parsley, a plate of square hand pies, and a tea towel.

    How to Store Leftover Tilapia

    This recipe for air fryer tilapia will make enough for 2 servings. However, you can always make two or three extra batches for a bigger group or to ensure you have leftovers of it to eat later in the week.

    Speaking of leftovers, you can store whatever leftover tilapia you have in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. 

    Alternatively, if you want to store it for even longer, you can transfer the fillets to a freezer-safe bag with the extra air squeezed out and freeze 'em for up to 2-3 months.

    Air fried tilapia fillets garnished with fresh chopped parsley and lemon slices on a white plate with a fork. Behind it is a small basket of lemons, some that have been halved, and a plate of hand pies.

    Wrapping It Up

    Well, that's how to make the best air fryer tilapia in just 15 minutes!

    There's honestly so much to love about this air fryer tilapia. I mean, it's fast, made with simple staple ingredients, and there's barely any hands-on cooking involved.

    Seriously, what more could you ask for?!

    Anyway, I hope you enjoy this air fryer tilapia recipe as much as I do. As always, if you make it, be sure to leave a comment below and let me know what you think.

    Air fried spiced tilapia fillets garnished with chopped parsley and lemon slices on a white plate with a fork. Surrounding the plate is a bundle of fresh parsley, lemons, and a tea towel.

    More Easy Fish Recipes

    If you love eating fish and are looking for some more delicious and easy fish recipes to make, I have a ton on the blog that you can try next!

    Here are some of my favorite ones.

    • Air fryer salmon
    • Easy baked snapper
    • Pan seared halibut
    • Blackened salmon
    • Grilled tilapia

    Oh, and don't forget to follow my TikTok, Instagram, and Youtube channel for even more delicious. I post new recipes on them all of the time!

    Print

    The BEST Air Fryer Tilapia Recipe (Made In Under 15 Minutes)

    Air fried tilapia fillets garnished with fresh chopped parsley and lemon slices on a white plate with a fork. Behind it is a small basket of lemons, some that have been halved, and a plate of hand pies.
    Print Recipe

    This air fryer tilapia recipe is one of the best tilapia recipes you'll ever try. It combines tender, flaky tilapia filets with garlic butter and an array of cajun seasonings to create a dish that's to die for. And, best of all, this simple and easy tilapia recipe takes just 15  minutes to make!

     

    • Author: The Diet Chef
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 9 minutes
    • Total Time: 14 minutes
    • Yield: 2 servings 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Air Fryer
    • Cuisine: Keto Low Carb

    Ingredients

    Scale

    ½ lb. tilapia fillets, preferably fresh

    2 tbsp butter, melted

    1 tbsp olive oil

    1 tsp garlic paste

    Salt and pepper, to taste

    ½ tbsp Cajun seasoning

    Fresh lemon, for garnish

    Chopped parsley, for garnish

    Instructions

    1. Season the tilapia with salt and pepper.
    2. In a bowl, whisk together butter, olive oil, garlic paste, and Cajun seasoning.
    3. Brush the tilapia with the prepared mixture.
    4. Place the tilapia in an air-fryer basket. If your fillets are large, cut them in half. 
    5. Cook the tilapia at 300°F for 5 minutes. Flip the fillets and cook for another 3 minutes.
    6. Serve tilapia warm, garnished with fresh lemon slices and chopped parsley.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 200
    • Fat: 13
    • Carbohydrates: 90
    • Protein: 20

    Keywords: air fryer tilapia, air fryer tilapia recipe, air fryer tilapia recipe easy, best air fryer tilapia recipe, best tilapia recipe, tilapia recipe, air fryer tilapia fillets, how to cook tilapia, air fryer tilapia recipe keto, healthy air fryer tilapia reicpes

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    Comments

    1. Cherie says

      March 17, 2023 at 11:40 am

      Question: will this work in a standard oven that has an air-fry setting?

      Reply
      • The Diet Chef says

        March 17, 2023 at 11:56 am

        Definitely!

        Reply

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Hey there! I'm Joe Duff - The Diet Chef, and I've been creating low carb keto recipes for over 15 years. Initally, I started making these recipes to help myself lose weight - I lost over 75 pounds doing so - but now I make recipes for the entire low carb keto community!
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