Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
94 Comments
Posted: 07/16/19
Updated: 09/04/21
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Parmesan Crusted Tilapia is a quick and easy dinner recipe that is ready in under 30 minutes! This will be your go-to tilapia recipe that everyone in your family will devour. It has a simple Panko and Parmesan cheese coating that gives it a nice crunchy coating. If you are looking to mix in more fish recipes in your dinners this tilapia recipe is a simple, delicious recipe!
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Quick & Easy Parmesan Crusted Tilapia!
Is fish part of your dinner rotation? I like tucking in a fish dish here and there (like Cauliflower Rice Fish Taco Bowls!) for my family just to keep things interesting and this Parmesan Crusted Tilapia is one of our favorites! My family loves Mexican Fish Stick Tacos and Cheesy Fish Stick Hashbrown Casserole, so I knew the first time I made this Parmesan Crusted Tilapia they would love it. It’s crispy like their favorite fish sticks, but made from scratch with fresh tilapia fillets!
I know fish isn’t always the most requested dinner, but when you bread some tilapia and pop it in the oven to bake it comes out hot and crispy. It’s almost like fried fish but so much healthier. My family loves fried food and I like that I can make this crispy baked fish without all the oil (and mess!) from frying.
It’s also super simple to make – you only need four ingredients and 30 minutes to make it!
What do I need to make Parmesan Crusted Tilapia?
If you’d rather skip my (very helpful, I think) tips and tricks, essential cooking info, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to this delicious easy Parmesan Crusted Tilapia recipe – simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you can find the printable recipe card.
- tilapia fillets
- panko bread crumbs
- Parmesan cheese
- melted butter
How do I make Parmesan Crusted Tilapia?
This Parmesan Crusted Tilapia is so, so simple to make!
- Preheat Oven – Preheat your oven to 425F and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Mix Ingredients – In a bowl mix the panko, cheese, and butter..
- Prepare Tilapia – Place the tilapia on the baking sheet and cover the top of each fillet with the panko mixture.
- Bake – Bake the fish for 15 to 20 minutes.
That’s it! Easy, right? It’s almost as easy as baking up a batch of fish sticks and I promise this Parmesan Crusted Tilapia is so good! When it comes out of the oven it has a golden, crispy bread crumb coating. Your family is going to love it!
Tips & Tricks for Parmesan Crusted Tilapia!
If you’ve never cooked tilapia here are some answers to some frequently asked questions. If we didn’t answer your question please leave a comment and we will do our best to answer it!
What does Tilapia taste like?
Tilapia has a very mild taste. So mild, in fact, that some people don’t think it has any flavor at all! Its mild flavor is what I like best, though, because if you have picky eaters or you haven’t cooked much fish it’s a great fish to introduce to your family. I love it breaded, but the mild flavor also means you can dress it up with other flavors so it’s very versatile.
How do you know when Tilapia is done?
The easiest way to know when tilapia is done is by checking with a fork. Fish that is fully cooked will be opaque, but since this tilapia is breaded you might not be able to see that easily. So, grab a fork and poke it into the thickest part of the fish. When you turn the fork the fish should easily flake. Fish cooks pretty fast so be sure to check it so you don’t over bake it.
How to store leftover Parmesan Crusted Tilapia?
This Parmesan Crusted Tilapia is best hot from the oven. If you have leftovers you can wrap them and keep them in the refrigerator for three to four days, but that crispy panko coating may go a little soft on you and probably won’t crisp up when you reheat it.
We recommend heating it in the oven if you can to keep the crispy coating as much as possible, but you can use the microwave just beware that it won’t be as crispy! Still good, just not as crispy.
How long does leftover Tilapia last?
Leftover cooked tilapia will keep in the refrigerator for up three to four days. You can also freeze cooked tilapia for up to three months as long as you tightly wrap it and store it in an airtight container. Keep in mind these storage tips are for plain cooked tilapia!
I know you’re going to love this Parmesan Crusted Tilapia! It’s a quick 30-minute dinner and you’re going to want a side dish so be sure to check out some of our favorite side dish recipes!
Side Dish Recipes to serve with Parmesan Crusted Tilapia!
- Garlic Cheddar Biscuits
- Smashed Potatoes
- Easy Oven Roasted Vegetables
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
- Roasted Parmesan Green Beans
We love this easy dinner recipe! If you love this recipe be sure to give this family favorite five stars!! Tag me with your photos at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your delicious dinners!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Parmesan Crusted Tilapia Recipe
Quick and Easy Baked Tilapia recipe in a delicious Panko and Parmesan topping!
Ingredients
- 4 Tilapia fillets
- 1/2 c. Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1/2 c. Parmesan Cheese shredded
- 3 Tbsp butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix butter, Panko and Parmesan cheese together in a bowl. Lay Tilapia fillets on cookie sheet. Top with Parmesan mixture.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 472kcal (24%), Carbohydrates: 22g (7%), Protein: 49g (98%), Fat: 21g (32%), Saturated Fat: 12g (75%), Cholesterol: 128mg (43%), Sodium: 855mg (37%), Potassium: 599mg (17%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 2g (2%), Vitamin A: 495IU (10%), Calcium: 424mg (42%), Iron: 2.6mg (14%)
Gail Pearsall says
Easy and delicious! I brushed fish with butter and dredged in Parmesan/Panko mixture. Sprayed pan and top of fish. Crispy on both sides.
Lillie says
Simple, quick and yummy! I added a bit of garlic powder to the mix and a squeeze of lemon to serve 🙂 it was a hit!
Julie Evink says
Great additions! So glad you enjoyed it!
Reyne says
Easy, simple & good! Great for a quick dinner, also with the smashed potatoes.
Julie Evink says
Awesome to hear Reyne! Thanks for rating and commenting on the recipe!
Mary says
This was delicious! I don’t often review recipes but this one was devoured by my husband and all three of my kids. They all complain every time I say I’m making tilapia, but this dish got rave reviews. I will definitely be making this again!
Julie Evink says
This is awesome to hear Mary! So glad it’s a hit with the entire family!
Patty says
Simple and incredibly delicious! I used a pyrex dish coated with nonstick spray to bake, and leftovers made great sandwiches.
Julie Evink says
Love the leftover tip!! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Patty says
Ready and delicious. I added lemon zest, in addition to the lemon juice.
Cheryl says
Is there a way to place the fish on a baking rack( like a cookie cooling rack) on a sheet pan and bake the fish? Sometimes the bottom gets kind of soggy?
Julie Evink says
Yup I would do just that, my only concern is if you have thinner tilapia fillets they might slip through the cooling rack openings.
Ann says
My favorite way to cook fish! Make sure not to overcook, I learned the hard way. Whoops!
Julie Evink says
Great to hear!! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Lindsey says
Would these freeze and reheat well? Thinking of doing a large prep and freeze for quick dinners or easy lunches
Julie Evink says
I’m sorry I haven’t tried to freeze this, but if I do I would reheat it in the oven to keep the crust crunchy!
Reba says
I haven’t made baked tilapia in ages… Not sure why… But this recipe assures that I will be making it more frequently now! I added cayenne pepper and dried parsley. It was delicious with a little “zing”!!
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it Reba! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Liz says
Easy and fast
Julie Evink says
Great to hear Liz! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
CORINNE SCHALDENBRAND says
Not a huge fish person but husband is. Tried this and WOW! It was great and so simple to make. Will make this anytime!!
Julie Evink says
YAY! This is amazing to hear!
Xio says
Live this making for the 1st time silly question bake uncovered right? I also used Pablo breadcrumbs and Parmesan Asiago Romano blend. Excited for the turn out
Julie Evink says
Yes it is baked uncovered. I hope you enjoyed it!
Rachel says
I was looking for a good baked fish recipe, because although I usually pan fry it I really hate the smell and the splatter. I stumbled upon this one and let me tell you it was so good! I follow the directions exactly, except I added just a little bit of black pepper because I love the flavor of black pepper and Parmesan together, and it was amazing! My fillets were really small so I only had a bake them for 15 minutes. Thanks for sharing, I’m never pan frying fish again lol.
Julie Evink says
This is so awesome to hear Rachel! Thanks for coming back and commenting on the recipe!
Eve Zavelo says
Could you make this in the air fryer.
Julie Evink says
Yes I think it would work great in the air fryer!