Pan-Seared Tilapia with Garlic Butter and Lemon

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-17 · Updated 2026-06-17

A light and flaky pan-seared tilapia fillet finished with a bright garlic butter lemon sauce, perfect for a quick dinner. This Mediterranean-inspired seafood recipe (low carb), ready in about 15 minutes, pairs tilapia fillets, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 250 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a low-carb week and pairs well with cauliflower rice or roasted green vegetables. 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 fillets (about 6 ounces each) tilapia fillets
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped, for garnish fresh parsley

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat 4 tilapia fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
2. Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the tilapia fillets and cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side without moving, until the edges are golden and the fish releases easily from the pan.
3. Step 3: Flip the fillets carefully and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
4. Step 4: Reduce heat to medium, add 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and 3 minced garlic cloves to the pan. Cook for 1 minute, stirring the garlic in the butter until fragrant but not browned.
5. Step 5: Remove the pan from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Spoon the garlic butter sauce over the fillets and garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley before serving.