Easy Broiled Tilapia with Parmesan and Butter Sauce

This recipe for broiled tilapia with a cheesy sauce is a great, quick weeknight meal. Pair your broiled tilapia parmesan with veggies for a nice light meal.

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Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a night when the family is wondering what’s for dinner and you have no idea—yep, been there—many times. But since we are trying to cut out processed foods, it’s not easy to find meals we can quickly make. This is where tilapia comes into play for my family.

We try to keep some tilapia (or salmon or cod) in the freezer at all times. It can be thawed quickly and is versatile to cook. Some fish meals require a bit more work, such as Fish Cakes with Dipping Sauce, and others can be done with minimal effort.

Don’t worry, Parmesan broiled tilapia is one of the “minimal effort” meals. Another aspect of this meal that I love is the ingredients. They are staple foods for us, so I never let them run out. So, as I said, this is a quick, easy go-to meal for us when we need it aka when we forget to take something out or plan a meal.

Serving Suggestions & Tips

• When broiling the fish, you want the oven rack near the top third of the oven. 
• We usually make it with a vegetable like roasted asparagus, green beans, or carrots, or I make cheddar biscuits to go with the fish. I like to have cooked vegetables with tilapia because they taste good with more parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, bringing the flavors together.
• For the best flavor make this quick meal with fresh tilapia or other fresh fish. 

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan Step by Step

Ingredients

• 4 tilapia filets
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)
• 2 tbsp butter (softened)
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp celery salt

Preparation

As the name implies, broiled tilapia parmesan is cooked under your oven’s broiler. Take your fish out to thaw for a few minutes and preheat the broiler on low. Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone mat (for easier cleanup) and lay the tilapia filets out in a single layer on the prepared pan so they aren’t touching or overlapping.

Broil the fish for about 5-6 minutes to cook on one side. Then flip the fish and broil it on the other side for another 5-6 minutes. You want to make sure the fish is cooked through and the fish flakes easily. If it is still pink then broil it for another few minutes until the white fish is golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, combine the shredded parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and seasonings. If you don’t have one of the seasonings or prefer others, you can make substitutions here for a different flavor. I’ve made this with grated parmesan before and it doesn’t work nearly as well as shredded parmesan.

Take the fish out of the oven and coat each piece with the parmesan mixture on the top side. Broil the fish again for another 2-3 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Serve the fish immediately because it cools very quickly. 

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan Leftovers

Storage: Let the fish and creamy topping cool completely, then place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 1 day. 

Reheating: The best way to reheat fish is under the broiler for a few minutes until just warmed through so the sauce doesn’t burn. 

Recipe

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

This recipe for broiled tilapia with a cheesy sauce on top is a great, quick weeknight meal. Pair it with a vegetable for a nice light meal.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Course:

Main Dish

Cuisine:

American

Keyword:

cheese

|

fish

|

parmesan

|

sauce

|

seafood

|

seafood sauce

|

tilapia

Dietary Needs:

Egg-Free

|

Gluten-Free

|

Keto

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Nut-Free

Meat:

Seafood

Cooking Method:

One-Pan Meals

Servings: 4 servings

5 from 8 votes

Ingredients

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)
• 2 tbsp butter (softened)
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp celery salt

Recommended Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Aluminum Foil
• Baking Mat – Silicone
• Mixing Bowls – Stainless Steel
• Box Grater

Instructions

• Preheat oven broiler on low
• Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone mat and spread out the fillets so they aren’t touching
• Broil the fish for 5-6 minutes
• Flip and broil for another 5-6 minutes, until the fish is cooked through
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and seasonings
• Once the fish is cooked, remove it from the oven and coat it evenly with the parmesan mixture
• Broil the fish again for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and warm and serve immediately

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Nutrition Facts

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

Amount Per Serving (1 piece)

Calories 264 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 6g30%

Cholesterol 105mg35%

Sodium 552mg23%

Potassium 513mg15%

Protein 36g72%

Vitamin A 225IU5%

Vitamin C 1.5mg2%

Calcium 91mg9%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

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