Air Fryer Tilapia

Air Fryer Tilapia makes a perfectly light and refreshing dinner! Tilapia fillets are seasoned with fresh lemon, garlic, dill, and salt and pepper, then topped with a buttery Ritz cracker crumble. You’ll love this easy meal that’s great for busy weeknights!

This post is sponsored by Best Food Facts and the United Soybean Board. As always, all opinions are my own.

As much as I love fish, I don’t include it in my diet nearly as often as I should. The general guideline is 2-3 servings a week, so, If you’re like me and want more tender, flaky fish in your diet, then this Ritz Cracker Tilapia is a great option for you!

I absolutely LOVE when I go on a farm tour. I’ve had the honor of meeting quite a few incredible farmers on my tours with Best Food Facts and even did a fascinating video series on CRISPR (Clustered, Regularly Interspaced, Short Palindromic Repeats) with them a few years ago. Last month, I was invited to go on another soy farm tour in northern Indiana to learn about aquaculture.

What is Aquaculture?

Aquaculture otherwise known as aquafarming, is the breeding, growing, and harvesting of fish, shellfish, and algae in different types of water environments.
During our trip, we visited Hanilu Farms where they farm soy and Barramundi (Asian sea bass). We also visited a shrimp farm which inspired my easy Shrimp Dip which will be coming soon!

I’ve visited many crop and livestock farms since I’ve started blogging, and as someone who was born, raised, and currently lives in the Ocean State, aquafarming was a whole new experience for me. It’s seriously kind of mind blowing that shellfish and fish can be raised in a landlocked state! I mean, I can go right down to the docks and get fish, shellfish and lobster right off the boats, but in fresh fish Indiana??

I’m going to be honest that I was skeptical, but it works AND these farmers are doing it both sustainably and successfully, as are many others around the country, too!

Hanilu Farms uses a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) which reuses and filters water to provide the best habitat that will also have as little impact as possible on the environment. They’re always striving to give consumers a high-quality product while creating a sustainable farm and take great care to preserve the environment around them for future generations.
In the pictures below, you can see the soy they’re growing which is used as the protein in the food they feed their fish. Sustainability at its finest!

How to Buy Seafood

• When buying seafood at your local grocery store, read those labels or ask at the seafood counter where the fish is from. It’s best if it’s a “Product of the U.S.A.” and/or “Local Grown”, and if that’s not available, go for products that have South American countries like Chile and Ecuador, as well as Thailand listed on the package.
  Avoid products from India, Vietnam, and China because farmed seafood from those countries has been found to contain antibiotics that are not permitted in the U.S.
  
• Look for ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) and BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices) seals on the package. This will tell you that the package contents have been raised using verified quality and sustainability standards.
  
• As with any local farm, you can visit them to see if you can purchase from them directly, and I also encourage you to take the time to talk to them. I haven’t yet met a farmer who wasn’t more than willing to share their story, talk about their farm and the work they do. I am honored to have met so many. I love sharing how and what they do, not only for consumers, but also for their families by providing sustainable farms for future generations.

What is Tilapia?

Tilapia are mainly freshwater fish with a sweet, mild flavor and flaky texture. Like other fish, tilapia are a great source of protein, healthy fats, and important vitamins and minerals.

I often eat tilapia because it’s tasty yet not as expensive as other kinds of fish. This is because they are so readily available at fish markets and grocery stores.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Tilapia

First, you’ll need to season your filets:

• 8-ounce tilapia filets
• Fresh lemon zest
• Olive oil
• Dill
• Kosher salt
• Paprika
• Ground black pepper
• Minced garlic

Here’s what you need to make the Ritz cracker topping:

• Butter
• Freshly chopped parsley
• Lemon juice
• Ritz crackers
• Cooking spray

For a detailed ingredient list, review the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post!

How to Make Tilapia in the Air Fryer

I love air frying my meals because it keeps me from heating up the whole house on these hot, late summer days! This tilapia recipe is easy to make in your air fryer and can be made all year long. Here’s how:

1. Preheat the Air Fryer to 400 degrees F. You CAN skip this step, but I think it helps make your food cook more evenly.
2. Prepare the Fish: Place fish fillets onto a plate and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix the lemon zest, olive oil, dill, salt, paprika, pepper and garlic together. Rub the mixture onto each of the fillets.
3. Make the cracker topping: Place the Ritz crackers into a sealable plastic bag and crush. In a medium microwaveable bowl, melt the butter for 30 seconds. Stir and heat in 10 seconds increments until completely melted, stirring in between. Mix in the lemon juice. Add the crushed crackers to the melted butter and toss until well mixed. 
4. Cook the Tilapia: Spray a light coating of cooking spray onto the air fryer basket. Place the tilapia fillets into the basket in a single layer with the rub mixture side up. Cover the fillets with the cracker topping, making sure to evenly divide the topping among them. Do not crowd the fish; leave some space in between for the air to circulate. Depending on their sizes or if doubling the recipe, you may need to cook them in batches.
5. Cook in the preheated air fryer for 7-10 minutes, until the fish easily flakes with a fork or internal temperature as 145°F. (Cooking time may vary!) Enjoy with your favorite side dishes!

FAQs

How do I store my Air Fryer Tilapia?

If you are making extra or cooking your tilapia ahead of time, you can let the leftover tilapia cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Cooked tilapia is good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze Tilapia cooked in the Air Fryer?

Yes. Wrap each fillet tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag or other container. It will last 2-3 months in the freezer, but I recommend using it within a month. Pop it back in the air fryer until heated through to serve.
My recommendation would be to cook the tilapia without the Ritz cracker topping if you plan on freezing it because the crackers will become soggy as they thaw. When reheating, that’s when you can add the fresh crunchy topping!

Can I use frozen fillets instead of fresh fish?

Yes, you can use frozen tilapia. Just let it thaw in the fridge overnight before preparing it.

More Tilapia Recipes to Try

Here are some more recipes using these delicious fish filets:

• Steamed Tilapia: Fresh tilapia fillets are seasoned with fresh lemon, dill, garlic powder, and other spices, and then steamed in the oven in a tin foil packet.
• Tacoed Tilapia with Raspberry Mango Salsa is made with taco seasoning, rolled in a coating made of crushed tortillas and cornmeal, and topped with a homemade sweet and spicy salsa!
• Breaded Tilapia with Cilantro Citrus Sauce has a delicious sweet cilantro sauce on top of the lightly breaded fish. It was so good and unique!
• Seasoned Tilapia with Fruit Salsa: This fruit salsa is to die for! It has just the right amount of spice to balance the sweetness, and it pairs so nicely with the fresh tilapia!
• Baked Tilapia with Mango Salsa is a light and refreshing dish you can have any time of year but is especially good when mangos are in season. I love this flavorful mango salsa!

Which tilapia recipe will you try next time? Don’t forget to Pin or print this Air Fryer Tilapia for the next time you want to pull out the air fryer!

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