arslan
Tilapia, a little flaky white fish with a history dating back to thousands of years, is neither fatty like salmon nor flavorful like tuna. Often, it is described as a boring fish. No more! We are here to vouch for tilapia. The lean, mild-flavored fish has so much to offer.
An excellent source of protein and nutrients, tilapia is extremely delicious and not too heavy. The fish is also a rich source of iron, sodium, and calcium. It’s super simple to cook and can be enjoyed in many ways.
Tilapia is a fantastic choice to cook family-friendly weeknight dinners in just a few minutes. Pan-seared tilapia is crusty on the outside and flaky on the inside. One doesn’t need to coat the fish in flour and requires only a few healthy ingredients. And, this recipe is keto-friendly. Let’s pan sear tilapia.
Ingredients
- 4 Tilapia fillets (4 ounces)
- Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
- Salt (½ teaspoon)
- Ground black pepper (⅛ teaspoon)
- Garlic powder (½ teaspoon)
- Paprika (½ teaspoon)
- Dried basil (½ teaspoon)
Apart from these ingredients, paper towels are required to dry the fillets.
Method
- Begin with rinsing fillets in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Take a large plate and place fillets in it. Now, season the fillets with salt, paprika, garlic powder, ground black pepper, olive oil, and dried basil (both sides of each fillet need to be seasoned).
- Cook the fillets in batches.
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet and heat it for around three minutes. Now, turn down the heat to medium and add two fillets to the skillet. Cook one side for around five minutes before flipping to the other side. Similarly, cook the other side for five minutes.
- Repeat the process with other fillets.
- Your pan-seared tilapia is ready to be served. Use some lime wedges to squeeze over the fish, if needed.
Pan-seared tilapia can be combined with many other food items. It can be served with Mango Avocado Salsa on the side. Some people like to enjoy it with corn chips, boiled rice, potato fries, tacos, fried plantains, and many other side dishes.
Chef’s Note: It would be great to use completely defrosted tilapia fillets for the recipe. The fillets can be kept in the fridge for around 24 hours to defrost them. Apart from that, the fillets should be rinsed in cold water. Defrosting ensures that the fillets cook evenly.
The dish won’t take more than five minutes for preparation and 20 minutes for cooking. Here, chefs need to ensure that they do not overcook the fish. Only five minutes are sufficient on the skillet.
In case of leftovers, one should put them in a bowl with a tight-fitting lid and keep in the fridge. It can be warmed for lunch or dinner.
Hope this pan-seared tilapia recipe brightens your life in the kitchen and allows you to showcase your culinary skills to the world.
Happy cooking!
