How to Cook Tilapia Filets in Parchment Paper

The gentle steam of parchment cooking keeps tilapia fillets tender.

Cooking tilapia fillets inside a parchment paper pouch steams the fish in a sealed, seasoned environment. Tilapia is a mildly flavored white fish that is known to take on the flavor of the ingredients it is cooked with. Sealing fillets inside parchment paper cooks the fish evenly without causing it to dry out. By adding a few herbs, vegetables and aromatics, you can create a complete meal in a pouch.

Things You'll Need

• 1 sheet parchment paper
• Sheet pan
• 2 tsp olive oil
• Small bowl
• Basting brush
• 1/2 cup sliced vegetables and aromatics (Bell pepper, tomato, onion, lemon)
• 1 (4-6 ounce) tilapia fillet
• 1 tbsp fresh or dry herbs
• Oven
• Probe thermometer

Instructions

1. Fold a single sheet of parchment paper in half and crease it down the middle.

2. Unfold the parchment paper and flatten it on a sheet pan.

3. Pour the olive oil into a small bowl, and dip a basting brush in to soak the bristles.

4. Paint an oval on the parchment paper with the oil-soaked brush that runs approximately 8 inches along the crease and is around 6 inches wide at its widest point.

5. Arrange the sliced vegetables and aromatics into a flat layer to cover of the olive oil oval.

6. Gently lay a single raw tilapia fillet on top of the vegetable and aromatic pile, and use the tip of a knife to make two parallel 1/4 inch deep incisions that run the length of the fillet.

7. Pile fresh or dried herbs on top of the fish before lifting the sides of the parchment paper up around the fish.

8. Bring the sides of the parchment paper together above the tilapia, and roll and crease the edges to create a seal. Crimp the rolled edges flat so they don't unroll when the pouch is filled with steam.

9. Slide the sheet pan with the parchment pouch into a preheated 450 degree Fahrenheit oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

10. Insert a probe thermometer through the parchment and into the tilapia fillet to take a temperature reading. The fish is finished cooking when it is above 150 degrees F.

Tips & Warnings

• Serve tilapia with a white wine and butter sauce or simply accompanied by a glass of chilled white wine.

References

• That's My Home: Baked Tilapia in Parchment Recipe
• Red Lobster: Tilapia Swims to America's Top 10 Seafood List