Simple and Tasty Tilapia With Avocado

By
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/13/21
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Simple and Tasty Tilapia With Avocado

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 8 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 28 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Tilapia with avocado is a super simple recipe that highlights the flavors of the fish and avocado. The dish takes under 30 minutes, start to finish, and you're likely have most of the ingredients in your pantry.

This dish is wonderful served with dilled coleslaw, and you can use the leftovers to make fish sandwiches. Or slice the baked tilapia and pile it into soft corn or flour tortillas and top it with the avocado mixture for delicious fish tacos. A simple green salad would also be a good accompaniment, along with a glass of white wine.

"The avocado, tomatoes, olives, parsley, and lemon juice give this mild tilapia loads of flavor. I liked the flavors, and I think it would be great with the variation tip of lime juice and cilantro, too. Tilapia fillets are thin and cook quickly, so this is an excellent choice for a weeknight meal." —Diana Rattray

Tilapia with Avocado Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds tilapia fillets

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 teaspoons ground paprika

  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1 dash salt, or to taste

  • 1 dash pepper, or to taste

  • 1 avocado, peeled and chopped

  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped

  • 1/4 cup black olives, sliced

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Simple and Tasty Tilapia With Avocado ingredients

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9" x 13" baking dish with parchment paper. Place the fish fillets on the paper.

    tilapia in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder, and mix well with a spoon.

    combine the olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Brush this mixture over the fish, coating each fillet completely. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

    Brush the sauce mixture over the fish

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. Bake the fish for 20 to 25 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Insert a fork carefully into the fillet, and twist gently. The flesh should flake easily into pieces without much effort on your part.

    baked fish in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. While the fish bakes, combine the avocado, cherry tomatoes, olives, lemon juice, and parsley in a small bowl.

    combine the avocado, cherry tomatoes, olives, lemon juice, and parsley in a small bowl

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  7. Place the cooked fish on a serving platter then spoon the avocado mixture over the fish, and serve immediately.

    Simple and Tasty Tilapia With Avocado

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Tips

  • You can find fish fillets that have been skinned and boned at most large supermarkets. Most of these products have been frozen and thawed, even if they are for sale at the butcher counter.
  • There is no loss of quality when fish is frozen, as long as it is frozen properly and not refrozen several times. Ask the butcher or fishmonger how the fish has been handled if you are unsure, and take a sniff before you buy it. Fresh fish should smell of the sea or of nothing at all; it should never smell fishy or rank.

Recipe Variations

  • You can use other types of fish fillets instead of tilapia if you'd like. Grouper or red snapper or arctic char would all be delicious.
  • Give the topping more of a Tex-Mex flavor profile with lime juice and cilantro instead of lemon juice and parsley.

How to Store

  • Transfer leftover tilapia to shallow containers; cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days.
  • Tilapia fillets are thin and can dry out quickly, so it's important to reheat them gently. To reheat leftovers, place the tilapia in a lightly greased baking dish and cover with foil. Heat in a preheated 275 F oven for about 10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
450 Calories
21g Fat
8g Carbs
61g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 450
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 129mg 43%
Sodium 202mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 61g
Vitamin C 10mg 50%
Calcium 50mg 4%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 1247mg 27%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)