Walnut Free Blackened Tilapia
Bold, smoky, and deeply satisfying, this blackened tilapia delivers serious restaurant-level flavor from a short list of pantry spices. A homemade blend of smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, thyme, and oregano gets pressed right into the fish, so every bite is packed with that signature charred crust. Cooking it in a screaming-hot cast-iron skillet with a little butter creates that dramatic sear without any complicated technique or hard-to-source ingredients. Tree nut concerns can make ordering fish dishes at restaurants stressful — sauces, garnishes, and shared prep surfaces are all potential pitfalls — but here you control every single component. The ingredient list is straightforward and naturally free of nuts in any form, so there's nothing to second-guess. A squeeze of lemon and a scatter of scallion greens at the end brighten everything up and make it look as good as it tastes. It's the kind of weeknight dinner that feels like a real occasion.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 tilapia fillets (about 6 oz each)
- 2 tbsp garlic-infused oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
For the blackening spice
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
For serving
- 2 scallions, green tops only, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the tilapia fillets completely dry with paper towels.
- 2
In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Stir until evenly mixed.
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