10-Minute Air Fryer Tilapia (No Breading)
This air fryer tilapia is one I love to make and have on hand when I want to make my fish tacos, or just to switch things up from chicken. Four fillets get rubbed with smoked paprika, garlic, and onion powder and cook for 7 minutes at 400°F. It’s seriously that easy, and dinner is on the table in 10 minutes. Tilapia is mild and cooks fast, so if you’ve always been a little nervous about cooking fish at home, start here!
Why This Air Fryer Tilapia Works!
A 10-minute dinner! That’s less time than it takes to agree on takeout, and there’s no breading station to set up or wash. The process is super simple: rub the spices straight onto the fish, place the fish in the air fryer basket, and the air fryer does the rest while you make a side!
Smoked paprika is what makes this work without a crust. It gives the fillets a deep rust-red color, and I love the smokiness it brings, especially next to Mexican sides. From there it goes wherever you want it… over rice, on a salad, in a wrap, or tucked into warm tortillas with my crunchy fish taco slaw.
JordanIngredient Notes
- Tilapia fillets: Tilapia is mild, thin, and not too fishy. It takes on whatever seasoning you put on it. Flounder, haddock, cod or pollock are good subs.
- Smoked paprika: Smoked, not sweet. It’s the one spice that isn’t in every other version of this recipe, and it’s where the color comes from.
- Olive oil: One tablespoon for four fillets, just enough for the spices to stick and the edges to brown. Extra virgin olive oil is always a good option, but avocado, canola or safflower oil, or a cooking spray, all work too.
- Fresh parsley: I use this for color and a little fresh flavor, but you can omit if you want.
Recipe Variations
- Other fish: Cod, halibut, flounder, red snapper, or even catfish can stand in for the tilapia. Thicker cuts like cod or halibut can take 10 to 12 minutes, so go by 145°F rather than the clock. If you want a thicker fish with its own seasoning, try my air fryer halibut recipe, which has a longer cook time.
- Store-bought seasoning: For an even quicker version, skip the homemade seasoning blend and use a bottle of Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning or lemon pepper instead.
How to Make Air Fryer Tilapia
- Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Mix your spices in a small bowl to combine so every inch of tilapia gets good flavor.
- Step 2: Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels, then rub the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and half the parsley onto both sides with your fingers. Patting the fish dry is the trick here. The fillets should look evenly rust-colored with no bare patches. Spritz the basket with olive oil, or line it with air fryer parchment and spritz that, then lay the fillets in a single layer with a little space between them and give the tops a light spritz.
- Step 3: Air fry the tilapia at 400°F for 7 minutes, until the fillets are opaque all the way through, flake easily with a fork, and an instant-read thermometer reads 145°F in the thickest part.
- Step 4: Serve right away with a squeeze of lemon juice and the rest of the parsley. I like to add a little drizzle of olive oil too!
This is the kind of dinner where the side takes longer than the fish. Serve yours over rice with a spoonful of my lemon caper piccata sauce for a dressed-up version. Or add your filet to the top of a bowl of mushroom and herb Israeli couscous. If you want the whole meal out of one appliance, my air fryer zucchini can go in right after!
Recipe Tips
- Flipping is totally optional. The hot air cooks both sides in an air fryer, so I leave my fillets alone. If you’re worried about even cooking, flip them at the halfway mark, but tilapia is delicate, so flip carefully!
- In a big air fryer, all four fillets fit in one layer. If yours is smaller, cook them in two batches, because fillets that overlap steam where they touch.
- Fillets vary in thickness. A thin one is done at 7 minutes, and a thicker one may need another minute or two to reach 145°F. I haven’t tried this from frozen, so thaw your fillets first.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Transfer cooled fillets to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. You can also freeze them for about 3 months.
To reheat, put the leftovers back in the air fryer at 350°F for about 5 minutes. Give them another spritz of olive oil spray first so they don’t dry out.
Recipe FAQs
Nope! If the center still looks translucent or glossy, it needs another minute. The one exception is a darker line running down the middle of some fillets, which is a normal part of the fish and not a sign it’s undercooked.
The air fryer, for me. It cooks much faster than the oven, and on a hot day, heating up the oven is just not an option.
More Air Fryer Seafood Recipes
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Air Fryer Tilapia
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Ingredients
- 4 tilapia fillets
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400℉.
- Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels (this is the trick). Then season the fish with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, and half the parsley using your fingers to gently rub it in and coat each piece on both sides.4 tilapia fillets, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- Spritz the air fryer basket with olive oil or line it with air fryer parchment paper and spray with oil for easy clean up. Place the tilapia fillets in the air fryer basket in a single layer and lightly spritz with olive oil.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Air fry for 7 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 145℉.
- Serve with lemon juice and the remaining parsley. I like to add a little drizzle of olive oil too!lemon wedges
Notes
- Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to work in batches.
- Make your cleanup even easier by adding a layer of parchment paper to the bottom of the basket.
- If you’re worried about even cooking, you can flip the fillets halfway through cooking, but this is an optional step.
Nutrition
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