Healthy eating need not be boring; spice up your fish with this bold and punchy homemade Tilapia Seasoning! It only takes a minute or two to make and will instantly enhance the flavor of any dish.
Best of all, you can make it once, store it in the fridge, and use it for a number of meals and recipes.
After you’ve tried it, we guarantee you won’t rely on store-bought spices again!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- paprika
- cayenne pepper
- dried thyme
- dried oregano
- salt
(Note: Full recipe is at the bottom of the post)
How to Make Tilapia Seasoning
- Combine the onion and garlic powders, paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme and oregano, and salt.
- Rub onto tilapia fillets before frying, baking or grilling.
What Spices are Good on Tilapia?
It really depends on your taste, but fresh flavors like dill, parsley, thyme, sage, garlic, and chives generally complement fish very well. Other spices that pair well with fish are ginger, cayenne, cumin, coriander, cardamom, and smoked paprika.
There are many fish spices and rubs to choose from, but we highly recommend finding out which combination of flavors works for you and creating your own.
What Does Tilapia Taste Like?
Tilapia has a mild, musky, and earthy flavor (like petrichor) because of their diet and as they are often farm-raised in ponds polluted with organic matter from land runoff. If you don’t like the smell and taste, you can tone it down using vinegar or lemon juice and seasoning.
Is Tilapia Healthy?
Yes, this fish is low in calories and saturated fat but high in protein and loaded with vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids. Just stick to locally farmed, high-quality sources to ensure you reap all the benefits of this fish.
How Long Can You Marinate Tilapia?
Tilapia has a mild flavor, so it’s best not to marinate it for too long as this will overpower it. We recommend marinating in the fridge for 30 minutes to 2 hours for the best results.
Should You Season Fish Before Cooking?
Yes, we recommend that you always season fish before cooking as it enhances the flavor. However, the timing is almost more important. The salt in certain spices and rubs actually breaks down the proteins and draws moisture out of the fish, so as a rule of thumb, only season the fish just before cooking (whether you fry, bake, or grill it).
Tilapia Seasoning Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the onion and garlic powders, paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme and oregano, and salt.
- Rub onto tilapia fillets before frying, baking or grilling. This seasoning will also work well to spice up rice, pastas, stews and soups. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight jar for up to one month.
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