This delicious baked tilapia is ready in just 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy nights! With a delicious crust of parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon, and just a touch of spice this low-carb recipe will satisfy the entire family!
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I am always in search of ways to add more seafood to my family's diet. Fish is such a healthy protein, not to mention it generally cooks really quickly.
Tilapia is a great seafood option due to its very mild flavor (read - no fishy flavor) and its affordability. In addition to this, tilapia is loaded with nutrients like vitamin B-12, vitamin D, and omega 3 fatty acids.
Can I use another kind of fish?
With all that said, you can easily swap the tilapia in this recipe for other fish. Some good options are:
- Red Snapper
- Catfish
- Sea Bass
- Flounder
- Rainbow Trout
Obviously, the flavor will vary some but these should all work. Depending upon the thickness and density of the fish you choose, you may also need to adjust the cooking time. With almost all fish, you can tell it is finished cooking when it no longer looks transparent and it easily flakes with a fork.
What should I serve with this Tilapia?
I love to serve this low carb tilapia with a nice salad and cauliflower rice pilaf. It would also go well with fresh sauteed green beans, corn, baked potato, and of course asparagus. Basically any light, fresh vegetable would be an excellent choice!
Pro Tip: For a super quick meal, grab a chopped salad kit from the produce section and some seasoned steam in bag veggie and rice medleys from the freezer section.
Tips for this recipe:
You will notice that the recipe calls for kraft grated parmesan cheese as well as freshly shredded parmesan. The drier cheese helps to create a nice crust without the use of bread crumbs.
If you don't mind the extra carbs - you can swap the kraft grated parmesan for panko bread crumbs and just use freshly shredded parmesan.
I rarely use any additional salt when making this dish. Parmesan cheese tends to be very salty and the cajun seasoning also contains salt. Unless you omit either of those ingredients, then I suggest just salting to taste after cooking is complete.
Spritzing the tilapia with oil before baking helps to brown the crust, but if you don't have spray oil, feel free to omit it.
Looking for more delicious and low-carb seafood recipes? Check these out:
- Keto Fried Fish
- Low Carb Air Fryer Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli
- Healthy Salmon Patties
- Shrimp Scampi Foil Packs | Keto
- Keto Tuna Casserole
- Coconut Shrimp with Pina Colada Dipping Sauce
- Easy Low Carb Clam Chowder
- Shrimp and Grits
- Pan-Seared Tilapia
📖 Recipe
Low Carb Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lb Tilapia Filets approximately 4 filets
- 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice 1 lemon
- ¾ cup Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese or equivalent
- ¼ cup Fresh Parmesan Cheese shredded
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper to taste (see note about salt)
- Avocado or Olive Oil Spray optional
- Lemon Wedges and Parsley optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F and grease a baking rack on a sheet pan, or grease a sheet pan if not using the baking rack.
- Gently press the tilapia filets between two layers of paper towels to remove excess liquid. Season the filets with salt and pepper. Then transfer to filets to the prepared baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, combine the kraft parmesan cheese, fresh parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and cajun seasoning.
- Squeeze the Lemon juice over the tilapia filets.
- Evenly top the tilapia with the parmesan cheese mixture. Gently press the mixture onto the fish using your hand or the back of a spoon.
- Spritz the tops of tilapia with the oil spray. Bake the tilapia in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until it flakes easily with a fork and is no longer transparent.
- Serve sprinkled with additional parmesan cheese, lemon wedge, and fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
Be sure to read the entire post for tips, tricks, and help troubleshooting.
The nutrition information listed here is only an estimate and is simply provided as a courtesy. It nor any other information within this post should constitute medical or nutritional advice. Be sure to read all packaging and ingredient labels for potential allergens. Optional ingredients are not included unless otherwise specified.
Nutrition
Brea jeanette says
Thanks for the keto recipe. gonna make this tonight
Anna says
My husband says this tilapia is restaurant quality. I love how easy it is! We've enjoyed it several times over the past few months.