Baked Tilapia With Buttery Crumb Topping

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 03/7/22
Tilapia With Buttery Crumb Topping

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This baked tilapia recipe makes a nutritious and delicious meal, and it is an incredibly fast and easy preparation. Tilapia cooks quickly because the fillets are quite thin. It's a mild white fish, so it takes its flavor from the topping, sauce, or garnish. This baked fish version combines a fresh buttery crumb topping with a small amount of basil. Feel free to toss a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese with the breadcrumbs for rich flavor. Or if you want a lighter topping, cut the butter down to 2 tablespoons.

For side dishes, choose roasted or baked potatoes or rice. Green beans or broccoli are good choices for their vivid green color or serve the fish with carrots or steamed peas.

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Ingredients

  • 4 tilapia fillets, about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 cup breadcrumbs, soft, fresh

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil

Steps to Make It

  1. Heat oven to 400 F.

  2. Butter a large, shallow baking dish.

  3. Arrange the tilapia fillets on the prepared baking pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine the butter with remaining seasonings and toss with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the crumbs over the tilapia fillets.

  4. Bake the fish fillets for 12 to 15 minutes or until fish is cooked through. To brown the topping, broil for about 1 minute or until the crumbs are lightly browned.

  5. The fish will flake easily with a fork when done. The minimum safe temperature for fish is 145 F.

  6. Using a spatula, carefully transfer the tilapia fillets to plates or a serving platter.

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
238 Calories
11g Fat
20g Carbs
15g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 238
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 6g 31%
Cholesterol 47mg 16%
Sodium 364mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 15g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 62mg 5%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 224mg 5%
*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.)

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