Tilapia in the Air Fryer is the BEST way to cook fresh or frozen fish. Yes, that's right, frozen fish! The fish is lightly crispy on the outside and tender and flaky on the inside. These tender tilapia fillets are quick to make in only 12 minutes. This recipe for tilapia is unbreaded; however, it is perfectly seasoned, low-carb, and the perfect recipe to get supper on the table in a hurry!
I have been having so much fun using my air fryer, especially during the heatwave this past summer. The air fryer never heated the house, and it always cooks food perfectly, in half the time as the oven, using little to no oil.
Serve this tilapia on a bed of Pressure Cooker Rice or lettuce or in a tortilla shell with pico de gallo for a delicious fish taco that everyone will love.
If you want another excellent air fryer recipe, try my Air Fryer Salmon Bites In Garlic Cream Sauce and Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries!
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Why You Need To Make This Recipe
- You can use fresh or frozen fish
- Fully cooked in only 12 minutes!!
- No breading
- Super quick recipe
- Perfectly seasoned
- Low-carb
- Keto-friendly
- Tastes Delicious!
Ingredients
Only four ingredients are needed to make this easy air fryer fish!
- Tilapia, fresh or frozen
- Lemon-pepper seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
To make tilapia in the air fryer, brush olive oil on the bottom of the rack in the air fryer; this will prevent the fish from sticking.
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
Place fish fillets on the rack. Mix seasoning in a bowl and sprinkle half of it evenly on the fish fillets. Flip the tilapia fillets over, and sprinkle the rest of the seasoning evenly over the fish. Set your timer on the air fryer for 12 minutes. You do not need to flip the fish halfway through the cooking time. Tilapia is a very delicate fish, and it may fall apart if you flip it.
When the timer is done, check to make sure the fish is cooked. It should flake easily with a fork.
To serve, squeeze some fresh lemon over the fish and serve! Enjoy!
Everyone in my family loves fish tacos. This recipe is the easiest way to turn this ⬆️ into this ⬇️.
Top Tips
- Preheat the air fryer before placing the tilapia in it.
- Adjust the seasoning to taste.
- If the fish is frozen, it needs to cook for 2-3 minutes more than fresh (thawed) fish.
- No extra oil is required to air fry the tilapia.
- Leave a bit of space between the fish fillets so air can pass around them for even cooking.
- Do not overcrowd the basket.
Substitutions and Variations
- Tilapia - This recipe will also work well for other white fish such as sole and cod.
- Seasoning - Adjust seasonings to your taste. Use less lemon-pepper seasoning, less garlic powder, and more onion powder. Try adding some cayenne pepper or chili powder if you would like to spice things up!
If you are looking for a delicious breaded pan-fried fish recipe, try out this Crispy Japanese Fish Katsu with Homemade Katsu Sauce. Yum!
Equipment
To make this tilapia recipe, you need an air fryer. The one I used is an Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer. It was very reasonably priced and has a large basket so I can quickly cook for my family.
Storage
If properly stored in an airtight container, cooked tilapia will last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
You can also freeze cooked tilapia in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Yes! It is a great way to cook fish! Fish in the air fryer is always lightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
You should cook tilapia to 145 degrees, which will take about 12 minutes at 400 degrees F and about 14 minutes at 400 degrees F if the fish is frozen.
Related Recipes
If you’ve tried this Tilapia in Air Fryer - No Breading (Keto friendly) or any other recipe, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you!
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Tilapia in Air Fryer - No Breading (Keto-Friendly)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 fillets tilapia fresh or frozen
- ½ teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Lightly brush olive oil on the bottom of the rack in the air fryer to prevent the fish from sticking.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- When preheated, place fish fillets on the rack.
- Mix seasoning in a bowl and sprinkle half of it evenly on the fish fillets. Next, flip the tilapia fillets over, and sprinkle the rest of the seasoning evenly over the fish.
- Set your timer on the air fryer for 12 minutes. You do not need to flip the fish halfway through the cooking time. Tilapia is a very delicate fish, and it may fall apart if you flip it.
- When the timer is done, check to make sure the fish is cooked. It should flake easily with a fork.
- To serve, squeeze some fresh lemon over the fish and serve!
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Preheat the air fryer before placing the tilapia in it.
- Adjust the seasoning to taste.
- If the fish is frozen, it needs to cook for 2-3 minutes more than fresh (thawed) fish.
- No extra oil is required to air fry the tilapia.
- Leave a bit of space between the fish fillets so air can pass around them for even cooking.
- Do not overcrowd the basket.
Jean
this keto version is great and using the air fryer is a good alternative!
Freya
Delicious! I had no idea you could cook fish in an air fryer!
Jeri
Yes, and it's so easy!
Geetanjali Tung
I love tilapia. Using air fryer is a great idea. Will definitely try this next time.