My Greek Baked Tilapia is perfect for Lent, Easter or for a healthy weeknight meal that the whole family will enjoy. Tilapia is rubbed with olive oil, smoked paprika and oregano before being browned in a skillet. Lemon juice is then drizzled over the tilapia and baked in the oven until flaky. The tilapia is finished off with an olive tapenade and served with a Mediterranean chopped salad.
GREEK BAKED TILAPIA
Seafood is always popular in my kitchen and it’s something we all enjoy and eat regularly.
If you follow the Mediterranean diet you probably also eat seafood a couple of times a week. This is a great recipe to throw into the mix.
These Greek Roasted Tilapia Fillets are served with an olive tapenade and a chopped Mediterranean salad so this recipe is not only fresh tasting, but an entire meal in one.
I like the tapenade as a topping for the tilapia but if an ingredients like olives aren’t your thing feel free to leave those out.
I love how easy this dish is to make. This Greek Style Baked Fish can be prepared, cooked and on the table in less than 30 minutes.
It starts with a quick sear in a skillet and is finished off by baking it in the oven keeping it deliciously moist and stopping the fish from drying out.
Tilapia is a fresh water, white fish and as with all fish is a great source of protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids that we all need for good health.
We often rotate between a few easy recipes like this Greek Baked Tilapia, Mediterranean Baked Tilapia, Tilapia Fish Tacos, Air Fryer Tilapia or this Parmesan Crusted Tilapia.
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO GET STARTED?
This recipe uses simple ingredients. Feel free to adapt the tapenade to your liking!
TILAPIA: I use fish fillets as they are quick to cook like tilapia. However, this recipe is really adaptable and you can use this same recipe with other fish like salmon, cod, halibut or sea bass. You could even use this rub with shrimp.
OLIVE OIL: Olive oil is drizzled over the fish not only to flavor the fish, but to help the rub adhere to the fish.
SEASONING: Smoked paprika, oregano, salt and black pepper are combined and rubbed over the fish to season it.
LEMON: Half a lemon is juiced over the fish, the other half is sliced and placed on top of the fish before it is baked in the oven.
This adds that delicious lemon flavor to the dish which pairs with the fish. You could sub in lime juice for the lemon juice.
KALAMATA OLIVES: The olives have a great flavor, not too bitter, so they work perfectly in a tapenade.
SUN-DRIED TOMATOES: These add a really intense tomato flavor with just a touch of sweetness.
PINE NUTS: I like to toast my pine nuts before adding them to the fish.
FETA CHEESE: I used feta cheese in the tapenade but you could try goat cheese or leave it out.
FRESH PARSLEY: Fresh herbs are always a nice finishing touch to seafood. I added fresh parsley but you could also use dill, basil or oregano.
HOW TO MAKE GREEK BAKED TILAPIA WITH TAPANADE:
PREHEAT THE OVEN to 425°F.
PREPARE THE RUB. In a small mixing bowl combine the oregano, paprika, salt and pepper and mix to combine.
Then rub each tilapia filet with 2 teaspoons of olive oil on both sides and rub with the spice mixture, ensuring the fish is completely coated.
COOK THE FISH. In a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tablespoons of olive oil.
Add the tilapia filets to the skillet and brown each side for 1-2 minutes.
BAKE THE TILAPIA: Cut the lemon in half and drizzle one half over the tilapia, slice the other half and place a slice on each of the fish filets.
Bake the tilapia filets at 425° until the fish begins to flake easily with a fork about 10-15 minutes.
PREPARE THE TAPENADE: In a small bowl combine the kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, feta cheese and parsley and mix well.
Set aside until you are ready to serve.
MAKE THE MEDITERRANEAN CHOPPED SALAD: In a medium bowl combine the cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, feta cheese and green onions.
Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice and stir well. Set aside until you are ready to serve.
TO SERVE. Once the tilapia is cooked, place the fish onto a platter and spread the olive tapenade over the tilapia. Serve with lemon wedges and the fresh chopped salad.
HOW DO YOU REHEAT THIS BAKED TILAPIA RECIPE?
When you are ready to reheat the tilapia you will want to do so low and slow to make sure it doesn’t dry out.
It is best to reheat it slowly, at a low temperature.
Put the fish on a rimmed baking sheet and warm it a 275°F oven for about 15 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F to 130°F.
CAN I FREEZE OVEN BAKED TILAPIA?
Yes! You can freeze this tilapia. Follow all the instructions for cooking and allow to cool completely. I would not freeze with the olive tapenade and instead create that once you are ready to eat the seafood.
Wrap the tilapia in parchment or wax paper and place in a ziplock bag. Put in the freezer for storage.
The salmon will keep for up to 3 month. To re-heat the salmon remove the salmon place in the fridge
to thaw.
Warm in a hot oven or in the microwave.
WHAT SHOULD I SERVE WITH TILAPIA?
This healthy recipe has the ingredients to make an entire meal in one, with the fish being served with the flavorful Olive Tapenade and a fresh Mediterranean Salad.
However, you can also mix things up and add in any other salad or side dish that you enjoy.
SALAD: Salads are always a great pairing with tilapia. I really like this Mediterranean Bean Salad, Lemon Arugula Salad with Pine Nuts, Summer Orzo Pasta Salad or this Easy Lebanese Salad.
SIDE DISHES: If you like to pair vegetable side dishes with salmon you should try these Lebanese Green Beans, Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower or these Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables
POTATOES: Another great addition to this meal is potatoes. I often make Gouda Smashed Potatoes, Air Fryer Twice Baked Potato, Spicy Lebanese Potatoes or Lemon Cilantro Roasted Potatoes.
OTHER DELICIOUS FISH RECIPES:
Tilapia is a great tasting fish and very versatile. Here are some of my favorite dishes using this great tasting fish:
AIR FRYER SALMON
MEDITERRANEAN TUNA PATTIES RECIPE
PAN FRIED GARLIC BUTTER COD
BLACK SEA BASS
BAKED LEMON COD
MEDITERRANEAN SALMON
AIR FRYER COD
Greek Baked Tilapia
My Greek Baked Tilapia is perfect for Lent, Easter or for a healthy weeknight meal that the whole family will enjoy. Tilapia is rubbed with olive oil, smoked paprika and oregano before being browned in a skillet. Lemon juice is then drizzled over the tilapia and baked in the oven until flaky.
Ingredients
- 4 tilapia filets
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lemon, 1/2 sliced and 1/2 juiced
FOR THE OLIVE TAPENADE
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced in half
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
FOR CHOPPED MEDITERRANEAN SALAD
- 1/2 of an english cucumber, diced
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 derees F.
In a small mixing bowl combine the oregano, paprika, salt and pepper and mix.
Rub each tilapia filet with 2 tablepsoons olive oil on both sides and then rub with the spice mixture.
In a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet heat 1 tablespoons olive oil. Add the tilapia filets to the skillet and brown each side for 1-2 minutes.
Drizzle the half of the lemon over the tilapia and place the slices on each of the fish filets.
Bake the tilapia filets at 425° until fish begins to flake easily with a fork about 10-15 minutes.
TO MAKE THE TAPENADE: In a medium bowl combine the kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, feta cheese and parsley and mix well. Set aside.
TO MAKE THE MEDITERRANEAN CHOPPED SALAD: In a medium bowl combine the cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, feta cheese and green onions, Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice and stir well. Set aside.
Once the tilapia is done cooking place on a platter and spread the olive tapenade over the tilapia. Serve with lemon wedges and the Mediterranean chopped salad.
Allison
Thursday 12th of October 2023
I made the Greek Baked Tilapia tonight for my husband and daughter. It was delicious. I also added the Mixed Berry Caprese Orzo salad for my picky daughter. She likes salads with berries. We enjoyed all of it. Thanks, Allison
Julia
Friday 13th of October 2023
I am so glad! Sounds like a nice addition with the salad.
homekitchenworld
Wednesday 30th of March 2022
Its look like so yummy n attractive, i have a craving to eat this lGreek Baked Tilapia n more recipes. Thankyou so much to share this amazing recipe…
Julia
Friday 1st of April 2022
Glad you liked it!