This air fryer tilapia with no breading will give you perfectly cooked fish that's tender and flaky inside with a lightly crispy exterior in just 12 minutes! Paired with my quick homemade tartar sauce, this simple, low-carb dinner turns ordinary tilapia fillets into a restaurant-quality meal perfect for busy weeknights.
If you love easy air fryer recipes, try my Air Fryer Halibut or Frozen Salmon in Air Fryer next!
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Cooking unbreaded fish in the air fryer is one of the easiest recipes and one of my favorites! Whether you're using fresh or frozen tilapia fillets, this gluten-free, keto-friendly recipe will become your new go-to for a quick and easy meal!
Serve with Instant Pot Rice and Air Fryer Green Beans for a complete meal, or create fish tacos with lettuce, Authentic Pico de Gallo, and a drizzle of Jalapeño Vinaigrette. You can even pair with Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes for a healthier fish and chips or make Rockfish Tacos!
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Recipe Ingredients
You need just a handful of simple ingredients to make this air fryer tilapia with no breading:
- Tilapia Fillets. You can use fresh or frozen tilapia filets. This white fish has a mild flavor that takes on seasonings well.
- Lemon-Pepper Seasoning. Adds brightness and a hint of spice. If you don't have this blend, you can make your own with lemon zest, black pepper, and salt.
- Olive Oil. A light brush of oil prevents sticking and helps create that perfect exterior.
- Homemade Tartar Sauce. This easy sauce is made with mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill pickles, dried dill, sugar, and black pepper.
See the printable recipe card below for exact amounts and a complete list of ingredients.
How To Cook Tilapia In Air Fryer (No Breading)
Quick Overview
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
- Season tilapia fillets.
- Air fry for 12 minutes (fresh) or 14 minutes (frozen).
- Make tartar sauce while fish cooks.
- Serve with lemon wedges and sauce.
- PREP: Lightly brush olive oil on the bottom of your air fryer basket or rack to prevent sticking. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 3-5 minutes.
- SEASON: If using fresh or thawed tilapia, pat the fillets dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine lemon-pepper seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Place tilapia fillets in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving space between them. Sprinkle half the seasoning mixture evenly over the top, flip, and season the other side.
- AIR FRY: Cook fresh tilapia for 12 minutes or frozen tilapia for 14 minutes. No need to flip halfway through-tilapia is delicate and may fall apart.
- MAKE SAUCE: While the fish cooks, prepare the tartar sauce. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon dried dill, 2 teaspoons sugar, 3 tablespoons chopped dill pickles, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- CHECK: When the timer beeps, check that the fish flakes easily with a fork and has reached an internal temperature of 145°F in the thickest part when measured with a meat thermometer.
- SERVE: Transfer to plates and serve immediately with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over top, homemade tartar sauce, and lemon wedges.
Jeri's Top Tips
- Don't overcrowd the basket. Cook in batches if needed-overcrowding leads to steaming instead of that ideal light crust.
- Check for doneness. Fish cooks quickly! It's done when it reaches 145°F and flakes easily with a fork.
- Fresh vs. frozen. Both work great, but frozen fillets will need about 2 minutes additional cooking time.
- For extra flavor, marinate the fish in olive oil and lemon juice for 15 minutes before cooking.
- Uniform thickness ensures even cooking. If your fillets vary in thickness, you may need to adjust cooking times accordingly.
Variations and Substitutions
- Different fish. This method works with other white fish like cod, sole, or flounder.
- Seasoning options. Try Old Bay seasoning, Cajun spice blend, or Italian herbs.
- Heat level. Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Tartar sauce variations. Add capers, minced shallot, or fresh herbs like parsley or chives to customize your sauce.
- Low-calorie option. Use Greek yogurt in place of half the mayonnaise in the tartar sauce.
If you want a delicious breaded pan-fried fish recipe, try out this Crispy Japanese Fish Katsu with Homemade Katsu Sauce.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator: Store leftover tilapia in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer: While you can freeze cooked tilapia for up to 2 months, the texture may change slightly. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag.
Reheating: For best results, reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 3-4 minutes until warmed through.
Recipe FAQs
It already is! With no breadcrumbs and low-carb seasonings, this recipe is perfect for keto and gluten-free diets.
Absolutely! Break the cooked fillets into chunks and serve in tortillas with slaw, avocado, and pico de gallo.
Depending on your air fryer size, you can usually cook 2-4 fillets at once. Arrange them in a single layer with space between each for air circulation.
Related Recipes
If you tried this Air Fryer Frozen Tilapia No Breading, please leave a star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thank you! 🙂
Printable Recipe
Air Fryer Tilapia (No Breading) with Homemade Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
For the Tilapia:
- olive oil (for brushing)
- 4 fillets tilapia (fresh or frozen)
- ½ teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
For the Tartar Sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dried dill
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons dill pickles chopped
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- PREHEAT: Lightly brush olive oil on the bottom of your air fryer basket or rack. Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
- SEASON: In a small bowl, combine lemon-pepper seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pat tilapia fillets dry with paper towels if using fresh or thawed. Place fillets in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Sprinkle half the seasoning on top, flip, and season the other side.
- AIR FRY: Cook fresh tilapia for 12 minutes or frozen for 14 minutes without flipping.
- MAKE SAUCE: While fish cooks, combine all tartar sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well and refrigerate until serving.
- CHECK: Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork and reaches 145°F internal temperature.
- SERVE: Transfer to plates, squeeze fresh lemon over top, and serve with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
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Notes
- For best results, don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. Cook in batches if needed.
- Pat fresh or thawed fillets completely dry for the best texture.
- No need to thaw frozen fillets - just add 2 minutes to cooking time.
- This recipe works well with other white fish like cod or flounder.
- Tilapia is delicate, so avoid flipping during cooking.
- Leftover fish can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Ctown says
Your point about how the tartar sauce transforms ordinary tilapia into something restaurant-like really stood out to me. It's such a simple shift in perspective—that the sauce isn't just an add.
Jean says
this keto version is great and using the air fryer is a good alternative!
Freya says
Delicious! I had no idea you could cook fish in an air fryer!
Jeri says
Yes, and it's so easy!
Geetanjali Tung says
I love tilapia. Using air fryer is a great idea. Will definitely try this next time.