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Get It NowWhen dinner needs to happen fast, look no further than fish — and this pan fried tilapia recipe is one of the easiest! In just 20 minutes, you can whip up pan seared tilapia with lemon butter sauce… perfectly flaky, flavorful, and tender. It’s an easy, cost effective, and flavorful meal you’ll make again and again.
I’m all about quick pan cooking with fish (my pan seared halibut and pan fried salmon are prime examples)… and if you’re wondering how to make tilapia pan fried, it’s just as easy! You only need a few ingredients to make this white fish taste truly special.
Why You’ll Love This Pan Fried Tilapia Recipe
- Garlicky, buttery mild fish flavor
- Flaky, tender texture
- Just 6 simple ingredients (basic spices and fridge staples)
- No flour or breading needed
- Ready in only 20 minutes
- Tastes like it came out of a restaurant!

Pan Seared Tilapia Ingredients
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for frying tilapia, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
How To Season Tilapia:
- Garlic Powder – Adds flavor! You can add a sprinkle of onion powder too, if you like.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – If you like a kick, add a little cayenne pepper as well.
- Olive Oil – I use extra virgin here, but any olive oil will work, or you can use avocado oil.
This is all you really need, but if you want a more complex seasoning, try adding some paprika or lemon pepper seasoning. You can make pan fried tilapia recipes with even more seasonings, but since this version has a delectable lemon butter sauce, it’s best to keep the fish simple.
For The Lemon Butter Sauce:
- Salted Butter – I use a grass-fed variety when frying tilapia, but any salted version will work in this dish. If you use unsalted butter, you’ll need to add salt to taste. You can also use ghee if you like.
- Lemon Juice – Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor, but a bottled variety is fine, too.
- Garlic Powder

How To Fry Tilapia
This section shows how to cook tilapia in a pan, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Season. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

TIP: Make sure fillets are completely dry.
This will ensure that they brown well.
- Fry. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the tilapia fillets in a single layer. Sear until the edges are opaque, then flip and cook until done. (You can reduce to medium heat if it starts to brown too much.) Remove and cover with foil to keep warm.

TIP: Work in batches if needed.
Tilapia should fit in a single layer on the pan. If it doesn’t, cook it in batches.


- Make sauce. In the same pan, melt the butter. Stir in the lemon juice and garlic powder, and continue heating until sauce becomes dark yellow. Remove immediately.
- Plate. Drizzle some sauce on each serving plate, add the pan fried tilapia fillet over it, then top with 1-2 more tablespoons of sauce. I like to garnish with a lemon slice and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.


How Long To Pan Fry Tilapia?
Sear tilapia for 3-4 minutes on the first side, then 2-4 minutes on the second side. There are several doneness indicators to know how long to pan sear tilapia. Check these clues:
- Fish flakes easily at its thickest point with a fork
- Fillet is completely opaque and no longer translucent
- A meat thermometer measures an internal temperature of 140-145 degrees
Can You Pan Fry Frozen Tilapia?
You can pan fry a frozen tilapia fillet, but it will take a few extra minutes on each side. Check internal temperature for doneness, since frozen fish does not cook as evenly as thawed fillets. If you have a few extra minutes to thaw your frozen fillets overnight in the fridge or in a bowl of cold water before frying tilapia, it’s much better that way!

Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Bake leftovers at 350 degrees F, until warm. You can microwave it, but it will be more dry.
- Freeze: Place the pan seared tilapia fillets on a parchment paper lined platter or baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Once solid, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

What To Serve With Pan Fried Tilapia
Pan seared tilapia with lemon butter sauce pairs perfectly with these quick sides:
- Veggies – For a classy dinner, serve this tilapia with green beans almondine, baked ratatouille, or roasted broccoli and cauliflower. For weeknight dinners, whip up some quick and easy sauteed veggies or mixed roasted vegetables using whatever you have on hand.
- Salads – The fresh mix of tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions in Israeli salad perfectly complements the fish, while a Mediterranean salad adds tangy flavor and crisp texture.
- Starches – Pair the tilapia with a side of fluffy quinoa, roasted cubed potatoes, or healthy cauliflower rice. You could even serve them with some air fryer French fries.
More Easy Fish Recipes
When evenings get busy, fish can save dinnertime in flash. Try some of these classic ways to make it:
Tools To Make Pan Fried Tilapia
- Fish Spatula – Makes fish much easier to flip — no tearing!
- Instant Read Thermometer – The secret to the best pan fried tilapia that’s perfectly cooked.
Pan Seared Tilapia With Lemon Butter Sauce
Pan Fried Tilapia (With Lemon Butter Sauce)
Pan seared tilapia with lemon butter sauce is flaky and tender, in 20 minutes! Make this pan fried tilapia recipe with just 6 ingredients.
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Tilapia
Lemon butter sauce:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Pat the fish fillets completely dry with paper towels, which will ensure even browning. Season the fish on both sides with garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
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Add the tilapia fillets in a single layer, working in batches if it doesn’t fit. Sear, without moving, for 3-4 minutes, until the edges of the fish are opaque. Flip and cook for 2-4 minutes, until cooked through.
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Remove the fish from the pan and cover tightly with foil to keep warm.
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Reduce heat to medium-low. In the same pan, make the lemon butter sauce for fish like this.
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Drizzle a little lemon butter sauce over each serving plate. Place the pan seared tilapia fillets over the sauce, then drizzle more sauce on top.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 tilapia fillet with 2 tbsp sauce
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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30 Comments
Moop Brown
0This fish looks super tender and flavorful. Love the addition of the lemon butter as well.
Susan
0This is my favorite way to make fish, and love tilapia!! I can’t wait to make it!!
Tristin
0This was a great and easy recipe, we all especially loved the lemon butter sauce!
Monica
0I love tilapia-it’s so easy to make and takes on flavors so well, plus it has a lot of the health benefits associated with any fish or seafood. And lemon is the perfect accompaniment!
Alex
0This tilapia looks so very easy! I love how few ingredients it is, too. Will give it a try tomorrow!
Dennis
0Your recipe took our tilapia to a new level of deliciousness! It was easy to prepare and so very flavorful!
Sharon
0This easy tilapia recipe was a great weeknight meal for when I wanted something light. The sauce gave it tons of flavor.
Jenny
0We love fried seafood. This pan fried Tilapia with lemon butter sauce is flavorful. It’s an elegant dish. Enjoy!
Sophie
0That crispy exterior and tender, flaky fish inside make it a go-to dinner.
Gloria
0What an easy meal for busy weeknights. We love to have fish a few times a week. The sauce is so delicious.
Susan
0Loved the recipe just didn’t brown the way I wanted it to!
josef faber
0A simple straight forward recipe with very helpful cooking and storing tips.
I had it with Japanese style vegetable fried rice. Most excellent. Thnx
Karina
0So delicious! Tried it a couple of nights ago and making it again right now!
Kathy
0Really delicious! I actually poured the lemon juice right over the fish and added 1/4 cup of butter (1/2 the amount listed). I zested some of the lemon. YUM! I also added some fresh thyme at the end.
Vic
0This was very simple yet very tasty. There was enough lemon-butter sauce to drizzle over our rise and asparagus as well. Definitely a keeper! Would rate as a 4.5/5
Beth
0Just tried this tonight with rice pilaf and asparagus (drizzled that lemon sauce on all of it). The family LOVED it!! 10/10 – our new favorite fish recipe.
Marcia
0Delicious! Just made this. I usually cook mine in the oven since I’m cooking for 6 and it’s just easier. But this is wonderful, 9 fillets, 3 batches, still quick and easy and most importantly so flavorful! Thank you!
Judy
0It was very good. I used one pan and kept my green bean almondine in the oven while I made the fish.
BUT. My fish stuck to the pan. The crispy part stuck to the pan, and the fish fell apart. I put the fish on top of the oil to cook it. But it sure didn’t sizzle like yours did.
What happened? (sorry that i rated it by mistake)
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Judy, This could have been caused by a few reasons, did you use enough oil and did you get the pan hot enough before cooking the fish?
Mandy
0I used Bass Fish, delicious!
Swathi
0pan fried tilapia looks delicious.
Amy L Huntley
0We are fish fans at our house! I love the crispy outside of this fish.
Kristyn
0This just melts in your mouth!! It’s perfectly tender & tastes wonderful!!
Natalie
0I don’t care for all fish, but tilapia is one of my favorites!! Your sauce makes it even better!!
Beth Reilly
0The best way to make tilapia! We loved it!
jess
0This tilapia is so amazing, and I love the tip on making sure that the fish is completely dry before cooking, made all the difference!
Annette Kreamer
0I want your recipe please that look so good.
Raquel
0My family loved this recipe! Will make again.
Kara
0So yummy! That lemon butter sauce is the bomb! I think I also want to try it on salmon.
Camille
0I really wanna try this! Thank you for sharing this!