Description
This Pan-Fried Tilapia with Lemon Butter Sauce is a quick and flavorful seafood dish featuring tender tilapia fillets pan-seared to golden perfection and topped with a zesty lemon butter sauce. Ready in just 15 minutes, it’s an elegant yet easy meal perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Fish
- 4 tilapia fillets
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For Cooking
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the tilapia: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of the tilapia fillets with salt and pepper. Place the fillets in the skillet and cook for 4–5 minutes on each side, or until they develop a golden crust and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Once cooked, remove the fillets from the skillet and set them aside on a plate.
- Make the sauce: In the same skillet used for the fish, reduce heat to medium-low and add butter. Allow the butter to melt fully, then add the minced garlic. Sauté the garlic for about 1 minute until it becomes fragrant but not browned, infusing the butter with flavor.
- Add lemon juice: Pour in the fresh lemon juice, stirring to deglaze the pan and scrape up any browned bits left from cooking the tilapia. Let the sauce simmer gently for 1 minute to blend the flavors together.
- Serve: Return the tilapia fillets to the pan briefly to coat them with the lemon butter sauce or simply place them on serving plates and spoon the sauce evenly over each fillet. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately for best flavor and presentation.
Notes
- For an extra crispy crust, pat the tilapia dry before seasoning and cooking.
- You can substitute fresh lemon juice with bottled lemon juice in a pinch, though fresh is recommended for best flavor.
- Serve with steamed vegetables or a light rice pilaf to round out the meal.
- Be careful not to overcook the tilapia as it can become dry; fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
