Have you found yourself wondering at what temperature tilapia is done?
Maybe it’s your next culinary dish to master but don’t know where to start? We have all been there and have the answers for you!
We know how tricky it can be to cook a new dish and know when it is done. The last thing you want is to spoil your meal or ruin a dinner party!
To save you from this, we are here to tell you at what temperature tilapia is done and offer some fantastic cooking tips for you to enjoy!
What Is Tilapia?
For those that don’t know, tilapia is a mild and white-fleshed fish, similar to cod. It is more delicate than cod and is often paired with marinades or white sauces.
As tilapia is a thin fish, it is one of the fastest you can cook, which no doubt helped make it popular!
You can cook tilapia in various ways, including pan frying or roasting in the oven.
Today, after telling you the temperature tilapia is done at, we will walk you through cooking the fish too!
At What Temperature Is Tilapia Done?
Tilapia is done at 145 degrees Fahrenheit! Thanks to its thin nature, tilapia can cook super quickly! You can even cook it to a lower internal temperature too if you wish.
Pulling your tilapia off the heat at an internal temperature of 120 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit is also fine to do!
Your tilapia will continue cooking after you remove it from the oven and reach a similar internal temperature as salmon.
There are lots of fantastic ways to cook this inexpensive fish, and has risen in popularity to become the fourth most popular consumed fish in America!
So let’s take a closer look at cooking tilapia now!
What Temperature To Cook Tilapia?
There are a few different ways to cook tilapia as we mentioned earlier.
But what temperature do you cook the fish at? Well, the temperature varies depending on how you are cooking it! Let’s take a look at the temperatures now.
Temperature To Bake Tilapia
If you are baking your tilapia in the oven, you will want to bake it at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 10 minutes.
The time and temperature are based on an average 6 to 8-ounce tilapia filet.
When baking the tilapia, you will want to use an instant-read digital thermometer around the 8-minute mark to determine if the fish is cooked or not.
By using an accurate thermometer, you can reduce your chances of overcooking your fish filets!
As tilapia is a thin fish, the cooking time is far shorter, allowing you to cook a meal using oven-roasted fish in 20 minutes or less!
This versatile fish can be flavored in many different ways making it perfect for curry, rice dishes, or Italian-style meals. The possibilities here are endless!
Pan Frying Tilapia
When pan-frying your tilapia, you will want to do so on a medium to high heat, using a skillet.
Be sure to pre-heat the skillet beforehand and season your tilapia with salt and pepper, on both sides!
Once preheated, add a teaspoon of olive oil to the skillet and place your tilapia in.
Cook it on one side for 2 to 3 minutes, before flipping it to the other side and continuing to cook the tilapia for another 2 minutes.
You will want to take the tilapia out of the skillet once it has an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once removed from the heat, your tilapia will continue to cook and its temperature will rise another 5 to 10 degrees.
Make sure to use an instant-read digital thermometer and serve your fish once it has an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cooking Whole Tilapias
Now that we have covered cooking tilapia filets, let’s take a look at how you can cook a whole tilapia. A whole tilapia usually weighs between 16 and 20 ounces.
To cook a whole tilapia, you can follow our steps below!
Step 1 – Preheat
Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2 – Prep The Tilapia
Next, pat your tilapia dry with some paper towels. You will then want to make some slashes on the skin, on both sides.
To finish prepping the tilapia, season with salt and pepper, rubbing olive oil on the outside of the fish too.
Step 3 – Bake
Once seasoned, place the tilapia on a baking dish to cook in the oven for 18 minutes. You will want to serve the tilapia when it reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can check this with a wireless thermometer to keep a close eye on the temperature while you are busy cooking or preparing other dishes.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it, your tilapia is done when it has an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit!
As tilapia is such a thin fish, this doesn’t take long at all and your fish can be ready in ten minutes or less.
This is the perfect fish to use when you are after a quick and delicious meal that you can whip up after a long day at work.
There are plenty of ways you can cook the tilapia too and plenty of seasoning options, meaning you can enjoy this affordable fish with any dish you choose!
