A quick and easy recipe for tilapia covered with a lemon rosemary rub and a side salad with lemon vinaigrette dressing is a perfect weeknight meal.
We almost always have some tilapia in the freezer for those days that we aren’t sure what to make for dinner. There are a few staple recipes that we use for the fish. But every now and then decide to branch out and make something new. That’s how this Lemon Rosemary Tilapia recipe came about.
A few months ago, I did a slow cooker meal prep party with my neighbor who sells Pampered Chef. With this party, I also got a few of the seasonings and one of our favorites is the Lemon Rosemary rub. I like it on more than just meat. It’s also great for sprinkling on veggies as well.
Actually, this was Justin’s experimentation, and it was a delicious one. He found this recipe for a lemon vinaigrette and made that to go on a salad with the fish. That was what inspired the lemon on the tilapia, and he just kept going from there.
A Note About the Ingredients
**The Lemon Rosemary is not available anymore, but it was replaced with their Rosemary Herb seasoning mix. If you don’t have a Pampered Chef consultant, you can reach out to my wonderful friend and neighbor Lynee through email here and she would be able to help you with this and any other amazing items you may want. We have also made adjustments to the recipe to accommodate for not having more of the Lemon Rosemary rub.
But our favorite way to use the lemon rosemary is on fish. There’s something about lemon that just goes so well with seafood! And, as I’ve mentioned before, tilapia is one of the only types of fish I will eat.
We often have tilapia in the freezer because it is great for nights when we need a quick dinner or those nights when we forget to take something out. And this was one of those nights when we forgot to take something out, so tilapia it is. The only problem: we were also out of the ingredients for most of our meals. So, we experiment.
Serving Suggestions & Tips
- When possible, use fresh rosemary for a better flavor.
- You can use any white fish or mild fish for this recipe.
- Garnish the tilapia with a few rosemary sprigs, Italian seasoning, lemon wedges, or lemon zest.
- If your fish is damp after thawing, use paper towels to blot it dry.
Lemon Rosemary Tilapia Step by Step
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tilapia fillets
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp rosemary
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 lemon (sliced)
- lettuce (for side salad)
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Start by thawing the tilapia. Then heat some olive oil in a medium frying pan. Once the oil is warm, add the fish fillets to the pan in a single layer and season with lemon juice and rosemary.
Meanwhile, prepare the lemon vinaigrette dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients to make the dressing.
When the fish is almost done, after flipping at least once and cooking for about 10-15 minutes total, add a bit of lemon zest to the fish and top with the lemon slices.
Serve the fish warm with a salad on the side. I also added a bit of the lemon vinaigrette on my tilapia and it was delicious!
Lemon Rosemary Tilapai Leftovers
Storage: Let the fish cool to room temperature then wrap it in aluminum foil or place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate for one day.
Reheating: The best way to reheat it in a medium skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes until warm. Or you can place the fish on a baking sheet and cook under the broiler for a few minutes.
Recipe
Originally Published On: May 17, 2019
Last Updated On: November 3, 2024
Lemon Rosemary Tilapia
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tilapia filets
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp rosemary
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 lemon (sliced)
- lettuce (for side salad)
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- black pepper (to taste)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- In a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium heat until warm
- Add fish to pan and season with lemon juice and rosemary
- Meanwhile, whisk all ingredients for the lemon vinaigrette together
- When the fish is almost done, sprinkle with lemon zest and cover with sliced lemon
- Serve the fish warm with a side salad drizzled with lemon vinaigrette or use the vinaigrette on the fish
Notes
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.
Fish Recipes
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Lemon Flavor
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- Delightfully Tangy Chicken Piccata
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Rosemary Recipes
- Rosemary Steaks with Red Pepper Feta Relish
- Grilled Chicken with Leeks and Rosemary
- Roast Beef in the Oven
- Chicken and Carrots with Rosemary and Lemon Sauce
- Lemon Rosemary Tilapia
Dijon Mustard Recipes
- Chicken Thighs with Dairy-Free Creamy Mustard Sauce
- Sirloin Steak with Dijon Sauce
- Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing for Salads or Marinades
- Dijon Chicken and Broccoli
- Dijon-Herb Tilapia
- Easy Hawaiian Sliders Recipe with Ham and Cheese
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- Lemon Rosemary Tilapia
- Grilled Summer Orzo Salad
wow.. this is super easy and fun recipe to try. My husband loves tilapia. Will try to make it for him
We love tilapia recipes, they are usually pretty quick and easy to make!
Lemon anything is one of my most favorite things to eat. But I have never put lemon and rosemary together! Definitely gonna try this!
I hadn’t thought of the combo either until I first tried the lemon rosemary rub and loved the flavors!
I haven’t cooked tilapia in the longest time! I need to go get some so I can make this! <3 It looks amazing!
We always have some tilapia in the freezer. It’s great for nights we don’t know what to make since it thaws so quickly.
I made Tilapia yesterday. I wish I read your post before making it yesterday, I will try it next time.
Aww man, next time for sure!
We don’t usually eat tilapia so I don’t have any recipes for this particular fish. We do like fish though.
Tilapia is about the only fish we eat because it isn’t really fishy!
This looks so delicious!! I absolutely love fish and I really need to have it more. Saving this recipe!
We love having fish in the freezer since it thaws so quickly for the nights we forget to take something out!
Yum! I almost always order fish when I go out to restaurants, but have never actually purchased tilapia to make at home. Likely because I feel like tilapia is a fish that can be a little bland if you don’t know how to properly season it. This looks delicious so I can’t wait to try it out!! You’re right, lemon is definitely the best pairing for fish!
I definitely agree that it can be bland. I like a lot of bold flavors so I have to have a lot of seasoning on it as well.
Gorgeous photos! I love recipes that are simple. Looks so healthy and delicious.
Thank you! I got a new light box for Christmas and it works so well for my photos now!
I definitely need to make this for dinner. Looks so yummy and nutritious!
April
We love making fish for a quick and healthy meal some nights.
Lemon and fish are a match made in heaven! I’m trying to have a portion at least once a week and this recipe comes just in time for lazy Friday night, looks very easy!
It’s funny how some combos just seem to work no matter what you do with it. I hope you enjoyed your meal!
This looks so great. I am sure it would be delicious and something I could make for my dad, minus the salt. I do love some great tilapia.
This could easily be made without the salt for sure. It just adds a bit of flavor, but I’m sure was also unnecessary and I may try without it next time as well.
I am a vegetarian…would replace the fish with paneer/tofu. Loved your recipe and pictures
I’ve never eaten paneer/tofu, but the vinaigrette and flavoring on this is delicious so I bet it would work for other things as well.
Lemon tilapia is one of my favorite dishes. Never thought to do it with rosemary though! Going to have to try that now. Thanks for the idea!!!
I never thought about the lemon and rosemary combination until I got this seasoning and we loved the flavor!
Perfect. We love fish, but I admit I get into a rut cooking it. This is perfect for a simple summer supper 🙂
I can sometimes too. I think because I am picky about fish in general. But this one is delicious and very light for summer!
This looks absolutely delicious – and a perfect meal for the summer too!
Yes, we love light meals like this as soon as it starts to warm up here!
This Lemon Rosemary Tilapia looks new for me I can’t wait to try this recipe. Tilapia is one of my favorite fish recipe yummy!
Tilapia is pretty much the only fish I will eat since it isn’t too fishy tasting.
Oooooo I’m always looking for new seafood recipes to try!!!!! I’ve never attempted to make tilapia. Might just give your recipe a try
Tilapia is our go-to fish since it’s light and easy to cook. Plus, the boys and I will eat it since it isn’t too fishy tasting!
Rosemary is one of my favourite herbs to season fish! and that lemon-rosemary seasoning sounds so good. I will give it a try soon!
I’ve only used rosemary in a few recipes, but it definitely goes well with seafood!
Anything with a dash of lemon on it gets my attention. It always adds a level of freshness and taste to a dish.
I agree! My boys have been loving the flavor of lemon lately, so we’ve been using it a lot.
wow.. this is super easy and fun recipe to try. My husband loves tilapia. Will try to make it for him. thanks for sharing this amazing article.
This Lemon Rosemary Tilapia looks new for me I can’t wait to try this recipe. Tilapia is one of my favorite fish recipe yummy! thanks for sharing this amazing article.