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Blackened Tilapia

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This spicy blackened tilapia recipe is ready in minutes! The seasoning and sautéing of this dish combine to make a delicious, tender fish.

Any white fish will work for this recipe - it's incredibly easy to make and has loads of flavor.

You can make your own blackening seasoning blend or purchase a ready-made one.

Blackened tilapia on a plate, topped with tomatoes and avocado, next to rice.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Tilapia is a super mild fish that even people who don't like fish will enjoy. It's easy to cook, hard to mess up, and has a wonderful flaky texture.

The blackened tilapia saves well in the refrigerator for several days and reheats easily in the oven or on the stovetop, making it a great meal prep option.

Tilapia fillets, blackening seasoning, an avocado, cherry tomatoes, lime, sea salt, and oil on a marble background.

What You'll Need to Make Blackened Tilapia

Tilapia - You'll need 4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets. Tilapia is a mild, white, freshwater fish that's easy to cook and pairs well with many kinds of flavors. It cooks quickly, making it a great option for weeknight cooking.

Blackening Seasoning - You'll need 2 tablespoons of blackening seasoning to coat the fish.

Vegetable Oil - You can use any kind of vegetable oil to cook the fish in - you'll need 2 tablespoons of corn, canola, or safflower oil.

Optional Topping - I recommend making the avocado tomato mixture but you certainly don't have to if you've got another side dish or topping you'd like to use! You'll need 1 avocado, 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, 1 lime, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and ½ teaspoon of sea salt.

Tilapia topped with blackening seasoning.

What is Blackening Seasoning?

Blackening seasoning, or blackened seasoning, is similar to Cajun or Creole seasoning and has a little spicy kick to it (although you can change this according to your tastes).

Blackening seasoning is a blend of spices and herbs that are used to blacken fish or meat in a preparation method that involves a hot pan, some oil or butter, and cooking the protein till it develops a blackened crust. It's a popular style of cooking in Cajun cuisine.

It's got a base of paprika, onion, garlic and usually has cayenne or chili powder.

A closeup shot of cooked tilapia fillets.

More Fish Recipes to Try

If you like fish and seafood recipes, then try some of our other favorites!

An overhead shot of a plate with tilapia, rice, limes, and a fork.

Tips for Making this Recipe

Cooking Tips - Don't overcrowd your pan, depending on the size of your tilapia fillets, you may need to cook fish in two batches. You can make your own blackening seasoning blend as well!

Recommended Side Dishes - Serve this fish alongside some delicious vegetable side dishes - like Roasted Broccolini, Crispy Roasted Sunchokes, Grilled Asparagus Recipe, or The Easiest Green Salad.

Storing Tips - This recipe will store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or on the stovetop.

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Yield: 4 servings

Blackened Tilapia

Blackened tilapia topped with tomatoes and avocados served with rice.

These delicious and lightly spicy blackened tilapia fillets are a quick and easy main dish.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Additional Time 4 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 (6 ounce) tilapia fillets
  • 2 tablespoons blackening seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil

Avocado Tomato Topping

  • 1 ripe avocado, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  1. Rub the tilapia fillets with the blackening seasoning on both sides.
  2. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Cook the tilapia fillets for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, till flaky and the crust is golden brown.
  4. For the optional topping - combine the avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, and sea salt in a bowl. Then top the fillets with a few scoops of the avocado tomato topping.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 400Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 2909mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 4gSugar: 1gProtein: 46g

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