Baked Tilapia With Dill and Sour Cream

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 12/22/21
Tilapia with sour cream dill sauce

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 3 to 4 servings
Yield: 6 to 8 fillets

Tilapia is a mild fish that benefits from baking along with added flavors and ingredients. In this recipe, a sour cream and dill sauce flavors the fish perfectly. The dish is quick and easy to prepare, and the fillets cook in just 15 minutes, making this an ideal dinner for a busy weeknight.

A mixture of sour cream, mayonnaise, red onion, fresh dill and parsley, and lemon juice is spread onto the tilapia and then the fish is cooked in the oven. The topping puffs up a little, creating a nice coating on the fish. The sauce is best with fresh dill, but you can substitute a teaspoon or two of dried dill in a pinch.

A farm-raised whitefish, tilapia actually refers to several species of mostly freshwater fish. It is an affordable choice when it comes to white fish fillets, and can be prepared in a variety of ways. It is best to buy tilapia that comes from the U.S., Canada, or Ecuador, and avoid any that is farmed in China. Make sure the fish is of good quality as poor farming conditions can lead to off-tasting fish.

This sour cream and mayo topping will be delicious on other types of fish as well, including salmon and cod. Roasted potatoes and a salad are nice side dishes to accompany the fish, but rice pilaf and roasted broccoli also pair well.

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Ingredients

  • 6 to 8 fillets tilapia, about 4 ounces each

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped

  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

  2. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or a baking dish large enough to hold the tilapia in a single layer.

  3. Arrange the tilapia fillets in the baking dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

  4. In a bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, finely chopped onion, dill, parsley, and lemon juice; spread the mixture evenly over the fish fillets.

  5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

  6. Enjoy.

Tips

  • If there is any skin on the fillets, make sure to remove it before topping with the sour cream mixture, as the skin is bitter tasting.
  • To minimize any fishy odor, soak the fillets in buttermilk for about 15 minutes, or soak them in a mixture of milk and lemon juice—about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice per cup of milk. Rubbing the fish with a little lemon juice or lime juice might also help.
  • If you won't be serving the fish immediately, keep it warm in a preheated 200 F oven.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
223 Calories
20g Fat
3g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 223
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 5g 27%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 287mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 3mg 13%
Calcium 42mg 3%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 182mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)