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Air Fryer Tilapia

This easy air fryer tilapia is a healthy and delicious dinner that can be ready in less than 20 minutes! Enjoy perfect, flaky fish from fresh or frozen fillets.

Air Fryer Tilapia with a piece flaked on a fork served with chopped cooked carrots

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It’s easy to get my family to eat fish if there’s breading involved. After all, who can resist that crunch? But I don’t always want the hassle, calories, or carbs that go along with breading. That’s why I was so happy when I discovered delicious Air Fryer Tilapia!

Even though there’s no breading, my family still devoured this dish. It turns out that cooking tilapia in the air fryer with some simple seasoning is all we ever needed. Best of all, you can use fresh or frozen fillets, and the whole meal takes less than 20 minutes to make.

Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:

  • How to make this air fryer tilapia recipe
  • How to prep your tilapia fillets before freezing
  • How to cook frozen tilapia in the air fryer
  • How to reheat tilapia in the air fryer
  • How to know when your tilapia is done cooking
  • How to store leftover tilapia
  • What to serve with air fryer tilapia

Since we don’t use any breading, this tilapia air fryer recipe is even suitable for a low carb or keto diet! It’s a simple, tasty way to add healthy fish to your weekly menu. 

What Does Tilapia Taste Like?

Tilapia is a very mild white fish with a slightly sweet flavor. You won’t get a fishy or fatty taste like salmon, mackerel, or anchovies. By comparison, tilapia is very light.

If you enjoy eating fish and other types of seafood, be sure you check out my collection of the best air fryer fish recipes!

Ingredients needed to make air fryer tilapia on a white background

How To Make Air Fryer Tilapia

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F. 

STEP TWO: Place the tilapia fillets on a large plate. Drizzle with olive oil.

STEP THREE: In a small bowl, mix the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.

Oil drizzled on tilapia with seasoning put together in a bowl

STEP FOUR: Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over the fillets.

STEP FIVE: Place the tilapia fillets in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spritz with cooking oil. I love to use my EVO Oil Sprayer as sprays like PAM can actually ruin your air fryer.

Raw tilapia in air fryer using no breading

STEP SIX: Cook for 10 minutes, flipping the fillets halfway through. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

How to Cook Frozen Tilapia in the Air Fryer

Before freezing your tilapia, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the seasoning mixture like usual. Then, instead of placing it in the air fryer, seal the fillets in plastic zipper bags.

Wrap the bags in foil, then store them in the freezer until you’re ready to cook.

To cook the frozen fillets:

STEP ONE: Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F. Spray the inner basket with cooking oil.

STEP TWO: Remove the fillets from the tin foil and plastic bag, then place the frozen tilapia in the air fryer in a single layer. Spritz with cooking oil.

STEP THREE: Cook for 13 minutes until heated through, flipping the fillets halfway.

STEP FOUR: Remove them from the air fryer and enjoy!

Cooked tilapia in the air fryer

How to Reheat Tilapia in the Air Fryer

Have some leftover tilapia? I always think the air fryer is the best way to reheat without overcooking!

  1. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F. 
  2. Spray the inner basket with cooking oil.
  3. Place the fillets in a single layer. 
  4. Cook for 4 minutes until heated through.
Air Fryer Tilapia with lemon sliced on top served with cooked chopped carrots

How Do I Know When Tilapia is Done Cooking?

The key to perfectly cooked tilapia is getting the texture just right. When your fish is done, it should flake easily with a fork. If the fillets aren’t flaking, cook them another minute or two and check again.

Do I Need to Flip my Fish in the Air Fryer?

This step is not mandatory if you need to step away from the kitchen or handle something else. However, I do recommend flipping the fillets if possible so they cook evenly on both sides. 

In an air fryer, the heat source and fan are on top of the appliance. Yes, the air is circulating, but the top will always be a little hotter. That’s why flipping your food is always good practice!

Closeup of flaked tilapia on a fork served on a white plate with carrots

How Do I Store Leftover Tilapia?

If you have any extra fillets, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They’re great for a quick, healthy bite throughout the week!

Ideas to Serve with Air Fryer Tilapia

Tilapia on a white plate with lemon wedges and chopped carrots

Other Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love:

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Air Fryer Weight Watcher Points per serving: 8

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Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Air Fryer Tilapia

Air Fryer Tilapia with lemon sliced on top served with cooked chopped carrots

Looking for a healthy weeknight dinner that can be on the table quickly? Air fryer tilapia takes less than 20 minutes and works great with fresh or frozen fillets.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 tilapia fillets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For Serving (Optional)

  • Lemon wedges

Instructions

  1. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees.
  2. Place the tilapia fillets on a large plate and drizzle with olive oil.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
  4. Sprinkle seasoning evenly over the fillets then place in a single layer in the air fryer.
  5. Cook tilapia for 10 minutes, flipping the fillets halfway through cooking.
  6. Remove the tilapia from the air fryer, serve with lemon wedges (if desired), and enjoy!

Notes

How to Reheat Tilapia in the Air Fryer:

1. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees.

2. Place leftover tilapia in the air fryer and cook for about 4 minutes, until heated through.

3. Remove them from the air fryer and enjoy!

How to Cook Frozen Tilapia in the Air Fryer:

1. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees.

2. Spray basket with cooking oil, place the frozen tilapia in the air fryer, and cook for about 13 minutes, until heated through, then enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 287Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 361mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 45g

This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.

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samantha

About Samantha

I’ve always had a love of cooking and creating new recipes, so it only made sense to create a food blog so I could share those recipes with you. This site is designed to provide easy and flavorful recipes with as little ingredients as possible. That means you still get great flavor combinations without all that extra time and effort. Read more...

8 thoughts on “Air Fryer Tilapia”

    • Aww, that is so sweet Paula! I am so glad you are loving the recipes! I have a lot more air fryer recipes coming too! 🙂

    • Hi Jeane, an air fryer is just like an oven in that you should be preheating it to the temperature you will be cooking at.

  1. Your recipe says to pre heat at 400 but it doesn’t say at what temperature to cook for, also cooking time must differ if your cooking fresh or frozen fish, please add cooking temperature and cooking times for fresh or frozen fish,, many thanks

    Reply
    • Hi Mar mar, you should always cook your food at the temperature you preheat at, just like cooking in a normal oven. Also, the cooking times for cooking fresh and frozen tilapia in the air fryer are listed in the written post and recipe card at the bottom as they do differ. Enjoy!

  2. I look forward to trying your recipe. Do we season both sides of the fish? And do you prefer using thawed or frozen tilapia?

    Reply

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