Air Fryer Tilapia (No Breading) with Homemade Tartar Sauce
This air fryer tilapia recipe will give you perfectly cooked fish that's tender and flaky with no breading needed! Paired with easy homemade tartar sauce, it's a quick and easy dinner ready in just 12 minutes!
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 113kcal
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.
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
Serving: 113g | Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.7g | Protein: 23.2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 10mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg
