My Parmesan Crusted Tilapia recipe is coated in a cheesy lemon pepper mixture then oven-baked until crispy. This is a simple, healthy fish recipe my family is always excited to eat. It is so flavorful, made with just a few ingredients in under 20 minutes.
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What’s in Lemon Pepper Tilapia?
Sweet and mild tilapia filets are seasoned with tangy lemon pepper and Parmesan cheese then baked to crispy perfection in the oven. This is a quick and simple dinner recipe that I always keep in my back pocket. I know my family will love it, and it’s super quick to throw together.
- Tilapia Filets: Use 4 oz filets. You can use fresh or frozen fish, but I do recommend thawing it if you use frozen. The better quality the fish, the better it’s going to taste!
- Parmesan: Use grated Parmesan cheese in the seasoning mixture–this will be pressed into the surface of the fish. Then use shredded Parmesan on top of each filet to create that crispy crust in the oven.
- Seasonings: Lemon pepper adds the perfect balance of bright and spicy, without overwhelming the tilapia. There’s also chopped Parsley in the mix, and you can add salt, but it’s fine to skip.
- Olive Oil: Your regular olive oil will work great for this recipe, but don’t use EVOO.
Pro Tip: Tilapia doesn’t have much of “fishy” odor or flavor, but if that bothers you, you can soak it in milk before cooking– 15 minutes should do the trick!
Variations on Parmesan Tilapia
It’s really easy to change up the flavor of this lemon pepper tilapia by mixing in different seasonings, spices, and herbs to the cheese mixture.
- Instead of lemon pepper, you could use Italian seasoning, Creole seasoning, or Blackened seasoning.
- Add garlic powder or garlic salt.
- Use cilantro, Tarragon, or another herb in place of the Parsley.
- Mixing in some red pepper flakes will add some heat.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover Parmesan crusted tilapia in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 275°F oven until warmed through.
How to Freeze
To freeze, wrap individual tilapia filets in aluminum foil, place them in a Ziplock bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These Parmesan crusted tilapia filets are so simple but still flavorful, and they make a great main dish if you want a healthy dinner. I like to garnish tilapia with diced green onion and lemon slices to finish off the flavor nicely.
Serve it over a bed of salad greens (pictured) or with a side of white rice, Parmesan polenta, or Parmesan roasted potatoes. This lemon Parmesan roasted broccoli complements the flavor perfectly.
5-Star Review
“This is one of the best and easiest recipes I have made. The family loved it, including the 6 & 7 year old grandchildren. I’ve made it several times and it is always a hit. ” – Jill
Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 (4-ounce) tilapia filets
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt (see note)
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
For Garnish
- ¼ cup diced green onions optional
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Mix the grated Parmesan, lemon pepper, parsley, and salt together.4 (4-ounce) tilapia filets, ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Drizzle the tilapia with olive oil, then coat with the cheese mixture, pressing it in lightly with your fingers to make sure it sticks. Sprinkle lightly with the shredded Parmesan, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet.1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- Bake in the preheated oven until the fish is opaque in the thickest part, about 10 minutes.
- To brown further, broil for about 5 more minutes until cheese crust is slightly crispy (watch carefully to make sure fish doesn’t burn)
- Top with green onions and serve and serve with lemon wedges, optional.¼ cup diced green onions, 1 lemon
Video
Becky’s Tips
- Note: If you don’t like salty recipes, you can skip the salt altogether on this recipe. The parmesan cheese is pretty salty already, so you should be fine!
- If you’re worried about a fishy taste, soak the raw tilapia filets in milk for about 15 minutes, then pat dry and press the mixture into the fish.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
As with many fish and seafoods, tilapia is a low-calorie source of protein, filled with plenty of other nutrients. It includes significant amounts of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, vitamin B12, niacin, and vitamin B6.
There’s no need to marinate this tender, flaky fish, as it is quite mild and takes on flavoring well. Plus, acidic ingredients often found in marinades can make tilapia turn mushy.
When cooked through, tilapia will be opaque with a white color. It should also flake easily when you test it with a fork. Check it at the thickest part of the filet, and it should read 145°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Although it is a low-moisture fish, tilapia can still turn mushy. Be sure to pat it dry before baking, and don’t marinate it in acidic ingredients, as they can break down the meat too much.
Most seafood contains a compound called trimethylamine oxide which is responsible for that “fishy” taste and odor. Tilapia tends not to taste fishy, but if you’re concerned about it, you can soak the raw fish in milk for a bit before breading it to neutralize the flavor.
So the first time I made this with olive oil it stuck to the foil. The next time I made it I sprayed the foil with the spray canola oil from costo and I also sprayed the fish with the spray canola oil. This time it did not stick to the foil. It did come out too salty but the seasoning I used was salty and parmesion cheese does have salt. Next time I will use sodium free seasoning and a little bit less parmesion.
Thanks for sharing, Brittney!
I love the crispy coating!thankyou !
Looks delicious, Ida!
I made a bit of a modified recipe: only grated parmesan (no shredded), no lemon pepper (lemon and herb seasoning instead), freshly ground pepper to account for the missing lemon pepper, and no salt since the lemon/herb seasoning already had salt.
The recipe’s flavor worked very well, but I think I made a mistake with how much olive oil I used. My recommendation is to make sure you don’t use too much olive oil. I ended up coating the fish in olive oil first, but if doing the recipe again, I would take more time to try to use as little olive oil as possible while coating the fish. For me it ended up not being as crispy (and a little gooey), but I think using the correct amount of olive oil would fix that.
Thanks for sharing, Brad!
This recipe was quick and soooo good!!! Hubby says it’s a winner!
Thanks for sharing your success with us!
I have cooked this the last two nights and had the EXACT same issue. I was starting to question everything I’ve ever cooked in my life and was completely down on myself. I’m sorry this happened to you as well but I’m relieved it wasn’t just me.
Really enjoyed this. Trying to get the hubby to eat healthier, but needs a little something. Broiling made it nice and crispy. Very tasty!
Thanks for stopping by, Kelly!
I thought this was excellent! I didn’t have any lemon pepper seasoning so I used a garlic pepper instead. It had smoked paprika is it which was thought gave it a bolder note. I mixed the parm with the garlic pepper seasoning & the parsley in a separate bowl & I had enough of the mix left that I added it to some French green beans AND mashed potatoes! Fantastic!
Thanks for sharing, Tim!!
“Oh this is soo good” was my husband’s reaction to his first bite. This will definitely be a regular at our house. Thank you so much. I would have included a picture but he whisked it away so quickly to eat it!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Susan!
Keeping this one in the file. Easy peasy and really yummy. Not sure where the neagtve reviews are coming from – I’ll be pulling this one out to make over and over again.
Thanks for sharing, Mary!
So I made this recipe today and it was DELICIOUS.
You may be thinking, well Devin, if it was DELICIOUS, why didn’t you give it 5 stars?
Well Mr/Ms/Mrs/Mx reader, I found the fish to be a bit bland. While tilapia is great on its own, it does need a little bit of help from salt and pepper (and if you want to go all out on lemon pepper, that as well). However, make the tilapia how you like it, add garlic powder, red pepper flakes (for some heat), whatever you desire.
As far as the parmesan crust goes, it was TO DIE FOR. It was one of THE BEST parmesan crusts I have ever made. The only one to top it is probably America’s Test Kitchen’s recipe. This one, is definitely more tailored to fish.
Keep up the good work Becky!
~Devin
Thanks for stopping by, Devin!