Garlic Butter Mediterranean Tilapia Dinner
A quick and easy Mediterranean-inspired tilapia dish featuring garlic butter, olives, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs. Perfect for busy weeknights, this recipe delivers a light yet satisfying meal with vibrant flavors.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 tilapia fillets (about 6 oz / 170 g each), fresh or thawed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, parsley, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper. Toss gently and set aside.
- Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.
- Place fillets skin-side down if skin-on, or one side down, and cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Flip carefully and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes until opaque and flaky.
- Lower heat to medium-low and push the fish to one side of the pan. Add butter and minced garlic to the empty side. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until garlic is fragrant but not burnt.
- Spoon garlic butter over the fish to baste and keep moist.
- Add the Mediterranean topping around and on top of the fish. Warm together for 1 minute to marry flavors.
- Garnish with extra chopped parsley and a final splash of lemon juice before serving.
Notes
Patting the fish dry before cooking is crucial for a good sear and to avoid soggy texture. Cook garlic on medium-low heat and stir constantly to prevent burning. If fish browns too quickly, lower heat and cover loosely with foil. Leftovers should be refrigerated and reheated gently to maintain moisture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet with toppin
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 5
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 22
Keywords: tilapia, garlic butter, Mediterranean, quick dinner, weeknight meal, healthy fish recipe, easy seafood