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Tilapia is a flaky, mild-tasting, inexpensive, and readily available white fish that’s super easy to cook and prepare. It is especially good blackened, which doesn’t mean burnt but rather coated in a Cajun-style spice blend that takes on a dark reddish-brown, almost black color when cooked. In this quick and simple recipe, the fish fillets are dusted with a rub made from spices, brown sugar, and salt and then sautéed in olive oil until blackened and flaky.
Serve the blackened tilapia with a vegetable, like roasted asparagus, along with cornbread muffins, cilantro lime rice, hush puppies, or cheddar bay biscuits.
What You’ll Need To Make Blackened Tilapia
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by making the Cajun spice rub. In a small bowl, combine paprika, brown sugar, oregano, salt, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne. Don’t worry about the amount of cayenne—the spice rub has a little kick but the dish won’t be too spicy, even for kids.
Mix to combine.
Evenly dust the spice rub all over the tilapia fillets.
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pan, then add the tilapia, presentation side down.
Cook a few minutes per side, until crisp and reddish-brown (“blackened”) on the outside and flaky on the inside.
Enjoy!
Blackened Tilapia
Serves 4
Total Time: 15 minutes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 (6-ounces) tilapia fillets
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional, for serving)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
Combine the paprika, brown sugar, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt in a small bowl; mix until well combined (use your fingers to break up the lumps of brown sugar). Sprinkle the spice rub evenly over both sides of the tilapia fillets.
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large non-stick pan. Cook the fillets for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until reddish-brown on the outside and flaky on the inside. Serve immediately with lime wedges.
Nutrition Information
Per serving (4 servings), Calories: 236kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 85mg, Sodium: 672mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you’re following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
This article was originally published on OnceUponaChef.com. Follow on Instagram
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