Oven Grilled Tilapia Fish Recipe

This spicy oven grilled tilapia fish is infused with the delicious combination of green spices, garlic, ginger, and lemon.

The crispy herb-coated skin and the juicy herb-infused interior is to die for. If so inclined,  use dry herbs instead of fresh but if you want to take this fish to another level, invest in using fresh herbs.

Mouthwatering Oven grilled Tilapia Fish

This oven grilled tilapia fish pairs well with fried plantains and West African pepper sauce. I guarantee your family and friends will love it and ask you for the recipe.

Tilapia is my go-to variety of fish most of the times, but this recipe works well on whole mackerel fish as well.  Tilapia fish has a milder taste and odor compared to other types of fish; a trait that is appealing to me.

How to Clean Tilapia Fish

Tilapia fish has scales which must be removed before cooking.  To do this, place the fish on a flat surface and hold firm with one hand.  Hold a knife or spoon with the other side and use moderate force to scrape it from the tail toward the head to remove the scales.

Cut the belly open with a knife an use your fingers to pull out the innards.  Then, use a spoon to scrape out any of the innards you missed. Rinse the inside of the fish under cold water until the water runs clear.

How to Marinate Tilapia Fish

After cleaning the fish, pat the fish dry with paper napkins. Make 2 to 4 deep cuts on both sides of the fish.  These cuts will allow the fish to absorb the marinade better.

After that, coat the fish well with the marinade and place in a large re-sealable plastic bag.  Finally, seal the bag and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour but preferably overnight.

This is a classic African way to season fish before grilling it on a charcoal grill or in the oven. It is marinated overnight in this green, flavorful and spicy marinade for best results.

Overnight marination allows the fish to absorb the flavors of the marinade resulting in a fish that is so tasty to the core. For an extra burst of flavor, I add habanero pepper in my marinade.

Add more or less pepper depending on your tolerance.

Things You’ll Need for over grilled Tilapia Fish

• 2 medium-sized Tilapia fish
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 spring onions
• 1 medium-sized onion
• ½ bunch of coriander roughly chopped (substitute with parsley)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme leaves
• 2-3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 habanero pepper
• 2 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon bouillon powder
• 5 basil leaves

How to make oven grilled tilapia fish

1. In a blender, combine lemon juice, olive oil, cilantro, spring onions, ginger, garlic, red onion, salt, bouillon powder, habanero pepper and basil leaves. Blend till smooth.  Save 1/4 of the marinade for brushing the fish while baking.
2. If the tilapia is frozen, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator.
3. After that, wash the fish in cold water, removing scales, gills, and all unwanted parts.
4. Rinse thoroughly and pat the fish dry with paper napkins. Make 2 to 4 deep cuts on the fish.  These cuts will allow the fish to absorb the marinade better.
5. Coat the fish well with the marinade and place in a large re-sealable bag.
6. Seal the bag and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour but preferably overnight.
7. Preheat the oven to 200° C.
8. Meanwhile, coat the grilling metal rack with some oil to prevent the fish from sticking while backing.
9. When ready to grill, remove the tilapia from the bag and place on hot grilling rack. Brush the tilapia with the marinade you saved aside.
10. Grill the fish for about 20 minutes and gently flip to grill the other side. Brush the other side with marinade and grill for another 15 minutes.
11. Finally, remove the oven grilled tilapia fish from the oven and serve.

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5 from 1 vote

Oven Baked Tilapia Fish Recipe

Spicy oven grilled tilapia fish - infused with the delicious combination of green spices, garlic, ginger, and lemon.  The crispy herb-coated skin and the juicy herb-infused interior is to die for. If so inclined,  use dry herbs instead of fresh but if you want to take this fish to another level, invest in using fresh herbs. This oven grilled tilapia fish pairs well with fried plantains and West African pepper sauce. I guarantee your family and friends will love it and ask you for the recipe.

Course Main Course

Cuisine African

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Marinating Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Author Jayne Rain

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized Tilapia fish
• 1/4 cup Lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 Spring onions
• 1 medium-sized Onion
• 1/2 bunch Coriander (roughly chopped)
• 1 1/2 tsp thyme leaves
• 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1 Habanero pepper
• 2 tsp Ginger (minced)
• 1 tsp Sea salt
• 1/2 tsp Bouillon powder
• 5 Basil leaves

Instructions

• In a blender, combine lemon juice, olive oil, cilantro, spring onions, ginger, garlic, red onion, salt, bouillon powder, habanero pepper and basil leaves. Blend till smooth.  Save 1/4 of the marinade for brushing the fish while baking.
• If the tilapia is frozen, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator.
  

  
  

  
  
• After that, wash the fish in cold water, removing scales, gills, and all unwanted parts.
• Rinse thoroughly and pat the fish dry with paper napkins. Make 2 to 4 deep cuts on the fish. These cuts will allow the fish to absorb the marinade better.
• Coat the fish well with the marinade and place in a large re-sealable bag.
• Seal the bag and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour but preferably overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 200° C.
• Meanwhile, coat the grilling metal rack with some oil to prevent the fish from sticking while backing.
• When ready to grill, remove the tilapia from the bag and place on hot grilling rack. Brush the tilapia with the marinade you saved aside.
• Grill the fish for about 20 minutes and gently flip to grill the other side. Brush the other side with marinade and grill for another 15 minutes.
• Finally, remove the oven grilled tilapia fish from the oven and serve.

Notes

If the tilapia is frozen, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator.

What do you think about this oven grilled tilapia fish?  Meet me in the comment section below and share your thoughts because I would love to hear from you.