Turmeric Baked Tilapia

An easy, fresh, 10 minute fish dinner! Baked straight from frozen and all on one sheet pan for easy cleanup. Effortless and tasty!

This turmeric baked tilapia is an easy, healthy dinner to make when you’re short on time!

If there is something I can always count on, it’s my fleeting memory. That’s why I like to make recipes that are quick and flexible. Meals that require a lot of prep work or defrosting aren’t my strong suit.

I especially like making this baked tilapia because it can be baked from a frozen state. I typically buy individually frozen tilapia fillets from Trader Joe’s though, so baking from frozen is really ideal. If you do however want tips on defrosting do’s and don’t s, check out “Defrosting 101” below.

I love cooking with turmeric because it has such a beautiful yellow-orange color. Plus, since tilapia is a white fish, it really preserves this pretty hue. Turmeric is also BFF’s with ginger. The mix tastes vaguely like curry but it’s got a nice mix of sweetness and warmth.

I think the real kicker in this recipe though is the toasted sesame oil. It’s the secret ingredient that your guests will definitely spend all night trying to figure out. This turmeric baked tilapia tastes great with a squeeze of lime juice and a slice of avocado.

If you really want to amp it up though, definitely try drizzling some of my 5 minute wonder sauce on top…you won’t regret it!

Defrosting 101:

• Don’t defrost meat on the counter
• Defrost in the fridge overnight
• If you need a semi-quick defrost, place your frozen meat into a bowl of COLD water. I know it seems odd to put cold meat into cold water for it to get less cold, but it works. You need to use cold water to discourage bacteria growth. Warm water could also mess with the meat’s texture. The cold water technique gets the job done in 30-45 minutes.

Turmeric Baked Tilapia

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4.20 from 10 votes

This Turmeric Baked Tilapia is an easy, fresh, 10 minute fish dinner! Baked straight from frozen and all on one sheet pan for easy cleanup. Effortless and tasty!

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Main Course

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time15 minutes

5 minutes

Total Time20 minutes

Servings2

Ingredients

• 2 tilapia fillets fresh or frozen
• 1 tsp ground ginger powder
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 tbs toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat broiler to low heat setting.
• In a small bowl mix together ginger, turmeric, cayenne, sesame oil, olive oil, salt and pepper until it forms a loose paste. Use your hands or a pastry brush to rub paste on both sides of each filet. Place seasoned fillets on a parchment lined baking sheet. 
• Bake 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Tip: If your starting from frozen, it will take closer to 15 minutes. 
• Drizzle with 5 minute wonder sauce (linked in post). Enjoy!

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