A fresh and flavorful protein that cooks in about 10 minutes, this air fryer tilapia recipe really hits the spot for a simple dinner! The buttery lemon garlic sauce is delicious and easy to make with basic ingredients you’ll have on hand.
How to Air Fry Tilapia
This really is the easiest recipe! Since tilapia fillets are fairly thin, they cook quickly in the air fryer.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°
- Mix up the buttery lemon garlic sauce
- Brush the sauce all over the tilapia
- Cook for around 10 minutes, flipping halfway
- Enjoy some delicious, buttery, flaky fish!
If you like this recipe, check out our lemon butter air fryer scallops!
Lemon Garlic Tilapia Ingredients
- Tilapia fillets – Most large air fryers can fit 3-4 medium tilapia fillets. Adjust servings as needed in the recipe card below.
- Butter or ghee – Either gives a buttery flavor, but you can also use olive oil or avocado oil.
- Dried oregano, parsley and salt – If you have fresh herbs on hand, you can use those!
- Lemon juice – Save some wedges for squeezing over the cooked fish if you want extra lemony flavor.
- Minced garlic – Can sub garlic powder
- Parsley flakes & lemon wedges – Optional garnish
Tilapia in the Air Fryer vs. Baking
We love using the air fryer for this recipe because it heats up quickly and cooks the tilapia super fast.
However, this recipe can also be made in the oven if you don’t have an air fryer. Simply follow the recipe instructions and place the fish in a baking dish to cook in the oven at 400°.
In the oven, your fish may take a couple of minutes longer to cook, so watch it at the end and extend the cooking time as needed depending on the size of your fillets.
What to Serve with Tilapia
As a flaky white fish, tilapia is great with just about any side.
Serve it with:
- Roasted asparagus or air fryer asparagus
- Air fryer mushrooms or sautéed brown butter mushrooms
- Low carb roasted radishes or cauliflower rice
- Fresh spinach salad or cucumber salad
Go Try This Easy Air Fryer Tilapia Recipe
This flaky fish coated in a buttery lemon-garlic sauce will definitely hit the spot! You’ll love the bold flavor and just how easy this recipe is to make in the air fryer.
If you try it, be sure to leave a rating and comment below and let us know how it goes. Also, take a pic to share on Instagram. Tag us @realsimplegood, we love to see what you’re cooking!
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10-Minute Lemon Garlic Air Fryer Tilapia
Ingredients
- 4 tilapia fillets, (6-8 oz)
For the lemon garlic sauce:
- 2 tbsp butter or ghee, melted, (can sub olive or avocado oil for dairy-free)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp minced garlic, (can sub 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
For serving:
- parsley flakes, (optional topping)
- lemon wedges
Equipment
Instructions
- Make the lemon garlic sauce by combining all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mixing.
- Preheat air fryer to 400° Fahrenheit. Even if yours doesn't preheat, manually preheat it for a few minutes.
- Place the tilapia fillets in the basket and brush both sides with the lemon garlic sauce.
- Cook for 8-12 minutes, flipping halfway. If you have any extra sauce, brush it on top of the fish when you flip it. The fish will be flaky and opaque when done, or an internal temperature of 145°.
- Once the tilapia is fully cooked, removed and serve with optional chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
