Pan-Fried Tilapia with Lemon and Capers
Light and flaky tilapia fillets pan-fried with a bright lemon-caper sauce that brings a fresh coastal flavor to your plate. This Mediterranean-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 20 minutes, pairs tilapia fillets, all-purpose flour, salt for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces (about 6 oz each) tilapia fillets
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 clove, minced garlic clove
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp, drained capers
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a shallow dish, combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Dredge 4 tilapia fillets (6 oz each) lightly in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
- Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the fillets and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (opaque and flakes easily).
- Step 3: Remove the fish from skillet and set aside on a warm plate. Reduce heat to medium and add 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 minced garlic clove to the skillet. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Step 4: Stir in 3 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp drained capers, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
- Step 5: Pour the lemon-caper sauce over the tilapia fillets and garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley before serving.








