I’m continuing my quest to use up items in my pantry and freezer, which led to this delicious Blacked Tilapia. A while back I bought a bag of 12 individually wrapped tilapia filets for $9.99. I’ve made a couple batches of Baked Tilapia with Tomatoes (YUM!), but wasn’t quite sure how to use the rest. Then it hit me. When in doubt, add spices!
“Blackened” fish or meat isn’t burned. It’s “black” because it’s coated heavily in spices, which turn dark when cooked in a skillet with butter. The process is super simple and adds a LOT of flavor. You really can’t go wrong with that formula. I used my left over tilapia here, but this will also work well with chicken. Just be sure to pound your chicken into thin filets so that it cooks quickly in the skillet before the outside has an opportunity to burn.
I paired this awesomely spiced fish with my Sautéed Corn and Tomatoes. They’re a perfect pair. Perfect for summer cookouts and perfect for Father’s Day!
Blackened Tilapia
Pictured with parsley for color. Parsley not needed to achieve amazing flavor. It’s amazing all by its wonderful self.
Blackened Tilapia
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika ($0.30)
- 1 tsp cumin ($0.10)
- 1 tsp thyme ($0.10)
- 1 tsp oregano ($0.10)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked pepper, about 20 cranks of a pepper mill ($0.05)
- 1 Tbsp butter ($0.15)
- 4- 4 oz each tilapia filets ($3.33)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cumin, thyme, oregano, cayenne, garlic, salt, and pepper. Liberally coat both sides of each tilapia filet with the spices. The moisture from the filet will help the spices adhere. If the fish is very wet, pat it dry with a paper towel before beginning, so that it is just damp.
- Melt 1 Tbsp of butter in a skillet over medium heat until it begins to foam. Add two of the fish filets at a time and cook for about two minutes on each side, or until the spices have turned a deep burgundy color and the fish is cooked through. Repeat with the second two filets, adding more butter before beginning, if needed. Serve hot.
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Notes
Nutrition
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Pictured with Sautéed Corn and Tomatoes.
Step by Step Photos
First mix together the spices for the Blackened Seasoning. In a small bowl combine 1 Tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp thyme, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and about 20 cranks of a pepper mill. Smoked paprika adds an amazing smoky element to this, but if you don’t have that you can use regular paprika. If you want a spicier fish, increase the amount of cayenne pepper. You can test the spiciness after it is mixed together and add more as needed.
If your fish is really wet, dry it off slightly with a paper towel. You want it to be damp so that the spices will adhere, but not dripping wet. Coat both sides of the filets liberally with the spice mix. This spice mix is enough for about four 4-oz. filets.
Melt 1 Tbsp of butter in a skillet over medium heat until it is foamy. If the butter begins to turn brown, take it off the heat immediately! Burned butter is the last thing you want. A little tan is okay, but if it begins to brown before the fish is even added, it will likely go too far and burn while the fish is cooking.
Add two filets at a time to the skillet. It should sizzle a bit. Let the fish cook for about two minutes on each side. Flip carefully with a spatula.
See how the spices turn a really nice dark brown color? Beautiful.
And then it’s ready to serve! Tilapia cooks very quickly, so it doesn’t need to be in the skillet long. Just until it’s tender enough to flake with a fork.
Seriously. The sweet Sautéed Corn with Tomatoes plus the spicy Blackened Tilapia? A match made in heaven.
I used swai because tilapia is weirdly expensive now. I ended using 2 lb total (the recipe calls for 1 lb) because the filets were bigger. I think 2 lb balanced better was the corn & tomatoes recipe too, which was great on top. You might want to halve the corn & tomatoes if using small 4 oz filets.
I also served with the seasoned brown rice recipe, which was great all together.
Your skillet isn’t hot enough. The flavor of blackened foods comes from charring the spices, particularly the thyme and oregano. Use plain paprika instead of smoked and leave out the cumin. You will need to have a stove hood that vents outside or do it in a skillet on a grill outside. Season your fish and preheat the skillet until it is very, very, very hot. Drizzle in clarified butter (it must be clarified). Add the fish and cook about 2 minutes on each side. That’s it. Also works with swordfish or tuna steaks and also chicken breast. You will have a new favorite dish.
This was perfect! Both the flavors and the texture were amazing! This was the best tilapia I ever had. I paired it with your recommended corn and the zucchini from the blackened salmon recipe. All hits!
And thanks Kimberly for suggesting fish tacos. I can’t wait to make this again and put it in tacos now!
I had made this recipe several times with regular paprika instead of smoked. I just made it with smoked paprika for the first time, and I must say I was disappointed. The smoky flavor was way too powerful (coming from a huge barbecue fan). The regular paprika was much better. I’m planning on playing with this recipe by doing a combination of regular and smoked, but I definitely would not recommend using all smoked paprika.
I have tried dozens of Budgetbytes recipes–it’s basically my go to–but this was terrible. The fish was bland and the consistency was like it was steamed. I definately won’t make this again.
Dry your fish with paper towels before adding the spices. The spices will still stick. If it’s too wet, it will steam. Same goes for pan frying any other meat, like chicken.
Looks delicious, but I’ll try it with another white fish. Just can’t get on board with farmed fish.
This is my go-to recipe now when I’m making fish tacos! Really easy, and comes out delicious!
This was a rare Budget Bytes fail for me. I think it might be better with a different kind of fish. The tilapia is too low in fat and fell apart too quickly. I served it with the Cajun Potato Salad on this site, and that was a hit. The spice mix is good, too. It deserves the right fish . . .
I just had this for lunch over some brown rice (made w/ chicken broth) and sauteed corn, cherry tomatoes, and spinach with salsa on top. O. My. Goodness. The spices on this fish are to die for thank you!
Just cooked this tonight, and it was wonderful! The seasoning wasn’t overpowering, but gave lots of flavor. I also paired it with the tomatoes and corn recipe, and I wish I made more! Yet another hit from this fantastic website!
10/10 from my husband on this one. Your recipes have definitely helped me improve my cooking and it just makes me so happy to be able to make budget friendly and delicious recipes on our single income. As always, thanks Beth.
Hey what would be a good side for this dish? i dont know how to pair food lol it’s very good though
I’m super impressed that you managed to get the fish in and out of the pan in one piece. Every time I cook fish, it always flakes everywhere – it’s a mess!
Hmm, maybe more oil? Or cook it a little less before flipping? I think it crumbles/shreds easier when it’s over cooked.
Can you bake instead of frying? Will it be just as good as frying?
Baking will give you a very different result. I wouldn’t say better or worse, just different all together. :)
This is my go-to tilapia recipe now, thanks!
I just love this recipe. I like to buy bags of frozen tilapia from Target when they go on sale and this is the only way I prepare them now! When I’m done cooking the fish I hate to waste the good seasonings left in the pan so I like to saute a little kale or spinach to soak it all up and it makes the perfect super easy side. Btw Beth thank you so much for your website, it’s been my go-to for meal planning for the past 3 years!!
Wow! I started this meal with some wild-caught sole, and the hubs got involved with my zucchini/onion/garlic/tomato/basil with rice side . . . Then, the man took over and threw them all together, and this dish was the best damned thing we’ve put on our mouths for a long time. I have this recipe saved in a few locations in my files, so that I don’t forget about these spices. They would work exceptionally well with, well, everything! Over and over, thanks for helping feed us!!
Love this! Simple and delicious. Thank you :)
This recipe came out AMAZING!
I served it with angel hair pasta, which after cooking I sauteed briefly in butter, olive oil, garlic, oregano, thyme, a pinch of smoked paprika, and parboiled asparagus.
The flavors worked together great! I will definitely be making this tilapia again, and try it served with other sides as well :-) Thank you so much for sharing!
I made this a few weeks ago and it turned out wonderfully. It is very simple but has a large impact. I am making it again tonight.
That pasta sounds good! Will have to try it when I have leftover asparagus to use up.
That sounds like a good spice mix to make ahead of time. It’ll be ready whenever I get home tired but still want a decent supper.
I guess I didn’t think I needed to read a recipe on “blackened” fish, BUT I did as I’ve never been happy with my results until now! Getting the butter foamy was the key.
I made this with some fairly thick salmon filets – seared per your instruction and then into a 425 oven for 5 minutes to cook through. I use a cast iron pan so I did not lose the crispiness of the blackened spices in the oven. My first perfect blackened fish – Thanks, Beth!
Awesome! That sounds so good! :)
Can I make this recipe with salmon?
I don’t see why not. :) It’s thicker, so cooking time will be a bit longer, although I think salmon is better a little on the rare side.
If you happen to have coconut oil on hand it soo good with tilapia :)
I do, nice suggestion! I love the flavor of coconut oil. :)
Oh man, YES. This sounds amazing, especially with the tomato and corn. Spicy seared fish is the best!
I make this almost five nights a week, except I just sprinkle a thick layer of smoked paprika and a little salt on each side of the filet and fry in a little coconut oil. My toddler goes crazy over the crispy fish. I’m trying to enjoy it while I can before she starts only wanting Mac and cheese.
I think I’ll do this with some chicken!
Can you use another white fish instead of tilapia?
Yep, you sure can! Just about any type of white fish, I’d imagine.
Is the tilapia frozen or thawed? Would it work either way?
Mine was frozen, but I thawed it first. The filets were individually vacuum packed, so all you have to do to thaw them is run them under water for a minute or two. They’re fairly thin, so they thaw super quick! :)
I made this last night. It was easy and delicious. I ate it with rice.
Hi Beth, even as a vegetarian, this looks amazing… I love the browned spices.
What do you think a good vegetarian replacement for the tilapia would be?
Hmm. You know, you could coat some vegetables in this spice mix and roast them in the oven or place them on the grill. That would be amazing! Just be sure to use some oil to help them adhere. I’m not sure about a protein, though.
The rub on a piece of homemade seitan would be tasty and delicious!
Rumi! I’m going to try this with tofu slabs and make some kind of sandwiches out of them – maybe some tomato and avocado?
Looks great! I love blackened tilapia but have not made it in a while, will have to correct that.
Trying to use up some things in my freezer, I think this’ll work really well with some swai. Can’t wait to try it tonight!