5 of the Absolutely Best Ways You Can Marinade and Season Tilapia

Marinades and barbecues team up for a delicious meal. Just add beer and you will get your three musketeers for a perfect evening. We tell you how to make the best tilapia marinades that are simple and quick to prepare.

Handy Tips

• Boil the marinade for at least five minutes before using. This will kill all the harmful bacteria.
• Do not poke holes with a fork. This will drain out the juices.
• The same marinade should not be reused for any other recipe.
• Marinate for at least 45 minutes for best results. Don’t store it for a longer period of time.

A marinade can be a cook’s best friend especially if you love fish. Grilled, broiled, or baked fish makes for an excellent, delicious, and healthy breakfast or summertime meal.

Tilapia is a fish that can absorb the flavor of the seasonings very easily. Moreover, it is inexpensive, delicate, and easy to thaw. It is an excellent choice if you want to experiment with marinades. Whether you grill, bake, or broil, once marinated, it will leave a lingering taste, and make your mouth water for sure. So, let’s try out some recipes for a yummy tilapia marinade.

Tilapia Marinade Recipes

Basic Tilapia Marinade (Grilled)

Ingredients

• Tilapia fillets, 4-6
• Garlic Cloves, 3
• Fresh parsley, ½ cup
• Lemon, ½
• Olive oil, ¾ cup
• Red wine or Vinegar, ¼ cup
• Dried oregano, 1 tbsp.
• Black pepper, ½ tsp.
• Tabasco sauce, 2 dashes

Marination

1. Mince the garlic into fine pieces.
2. Chop the fresh parsley into small pieces.
3. Take a dish with a tight-fitting lid, and place the parsley and garlic into it.
4. Squeeze the lemon juice in the dish; mix well.
5. Then add olive oil, red wine or vinegar, oregano, black pepper, and Tabasco sauce in it.
6. Close the lid, shake well, and the marinade is ready!

Cooking

1. Marinate the tilapia for around 45 minutes so that it can soak up the flavor.
2. Remove the fillets carefully, and place it on a hot grill.
3. Grill the fillets for about 5 minutes for each side.
4. Remove it carefully without any breakage, and season with pepper and oregano.

Tip

• If you want to bake it, the preparation time would be 30 minutes.
• If you are short of time, you can also use your favorite Italian dressing or barbecue sauce instead of the marinade.

Honey Soy Tilapia

Ingredients

• Tilapia fillets, 2-4
• Minced garlic, 1½ tablespoons
• Honey, 3 tablespoons
• Soy sauce, 3 tablespoons
• Vinegar, 3 tablespoons
• Freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon
• Cooking spray

Marination

1. Mix the minced garlic, honey, soy sauce, and vinegar in a bowl.
2. Boil the mixture for 5 minutes.
3. The marinade is ready.

Cooking

1. Place the fish fillets in the mixture.
2. Marinate the tilapia for around 45 minutes and refrigerate it.
3. Preheat the oven to about 350°F or 175°C.
4. Spray the baking dish with the cooking spray.
5. Remove the tilapia from the marinade, and place the fillets on the baking sheet.
6. Sprinkle some black pepper and oregano on the fish, and bake for around 15 to 20 minutes.

Lemon Pepper Tilapia

Ingredients

• Tilapia fillets, 4
• Minced garlic, 1½ tablespoons
• Fresh lemon juice, 3 tablespoons
• Melted butter, 1 tablespoons
• Dried parsley flakes, 1 teaspoon
• Freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon
• Cooking spray

Marination

1. Pour the lemon juice in a dish.
2. Add garlic, parsley, and pepper to it, and mix well.
3. The marinade is ready.
4. Keep the marinade aside, and let the fish bathe in it for a while.

Cooking

1. Preheat the oven to about 375°F or 190°C.
2. Spray the baking dish with the cooking spray.
3. Place the fillets in a baking dish.
4. Pour the remaining marinade over them and spread with a brush.
5. Pat the fillets with butter.
6. Bake the fish in the preheated oven.
7. Lemon pepper tilapia is ready!
8. Season it with a pinch of pepper, lemon, and oregano.

Tip

• For frying, heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and let it shimmer. Then cook the fillets two at a time for 4-5 minutes on each side.

Parmesan Tilapia

Ingredients

• Tilapia fillets, 4
• Olive oil, 1 tablespoon
• Onion powder, 1 teaspoon
• Fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons
• Melted butter, 2 tablespoons
• Dried parsley flakes, 2 teaspoon
• Grated Parmesan cheese, ½ cup
• Mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons
• Dried basil, ¼ teaspoon
• Black pepper, ¼ teaspoon

Marination

1. Pour the lemon juice in a dish.
2. Add onion powder, parsley, basil, and pepper to it, and mix well.
3. Add Parmesan cheese, butter, and mayonnaise to it.
4. Mix well.
5. The marinade is ready.
6. Place the fillets in it and keep it aside.

Cooking

1. Preheat the oven to about 375°F or 190°C.
2. Spray the baking dish with the cooking spray.
3. Place the fillets in the baking dish.
4. Bake the fish in a preheated oven.
5. Flip the fillets to change sides after 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Parmesan tilapia is ready!
7. Season it with a pinch of pepper, lemon, and oregano.
8. Enjoy it with rice and broccoli.

Spicy Tilapia

Ingredients

• Tilapia fillets, 4
• Olive oil, 3 tablespoons
• Minced garlic, 4 cloves
• Fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons
• Paprika, 1 teaspoon
• Cayenne powder, 1 teaspoon
• Cumin, 1 teaspoon
• Onion salt, 1 teaspoon
• Dried basil, ¼ teaspoon
• Black pepper, ¼ teaspoon
• Egg white, 1

Marination

1. Pour the lemon juice in a vessel.
2. Add garlic to it and blend until it becomes a paste.
3. Add cayenne powder, cumin, paprika, and onion salt to it, and blend until it mixes well.
4. Pour the oil slowly into it.
5. The marinade is ready.
6. Place the fillets in it, and keep it aside for about 45 minutes.

Cooking

1. Heat a pan on medium flame.
2. Pan fry the fillets for about 5 minutes on each side.
3. Your spicy tilapia is ready!
4. Season it with a pinch of pepper, lemon, and oregano.
5. Enjoy it with some sweet and spicy salsa.

Tip

• If you are using non-stick pan, then no need to add oil, as the marinade itself contains oil.

Also, you have four reasons to make tilapia marinades.

• It’s inexpensive and healthy.
• It is rich in proteins and omega-3 fatty acids.
• It lessens the risk of heart attack. (Lifesaver, isn’t it?)
• And last, but not the least, IT IS YUMMYYY!!

The possible combinations are endless. If you come up with something unique and brilliant, let us know by commenting below so that we can also try them out in our kitchens.

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