Blackened Tilapia
Quick and flavorful blackened tilapia fillets seasoned with a bold Cajun spice blend and pan-seared to perfection. Ready in under 15 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner.
Prep
5 min
Cook
8 min
Servings
4
Ingredients
11 itemsTilapia fillets
4about 6 oz each
Paprika
2 tspsmoked preferred
Garlic powder
1 tspOnion powder
1 tspDried thyme
0.5 tspDried oregano
0.5 tspCayenne pepper
0.5 tspadjust to taste for heat
Salt
0.75 tspor to taste
Black pepper
0.5 tspButter
2 Tbspmelted, or olive oil
Lemon wedges
for serving
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels and brush lightly with melted butter or olive oil on both sides.
- 2
In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper to create the blackened seasoning.
- 3
Generously coat both sides of each fillet with the seasoning blend, pressing it in gently.
- 4
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot (about 2-3 minutes). Add a thin layer of oil or butter.
- 5
Place the seasoned fillets in the hot skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until the fish is opaque, flakes easily, and has a dark, crispy blackened crust. Do not overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if needed.
- 6
Remove from heat and serve immediately with lemon wedges, fresh parsley, and your favorite sides like rice, coleslaw, or roasted vegetables.