My almost-ten-year-old daughter has become quite the little chef lately. I’m not sure if it’s just natural interest and ability, or perhaps a pleasant side effect of homeschooling (maybe both), but since one of the main goals of parenting is to grow independent, responsible, self-sufficient adults out of our children, I’m pretty pleased with how her skills are developing.
I’m going to share one of her favorite fish recipes with you–Broiled Tilapia Parmesan. It’s kid-friendly in two ways–it’s easy for kids to make, and it’s definitely a recipe they’re happy to eat. Eating more fish is always a good thing, right?
I think this is currently the top-rated tilapia recipe on Allrecipes.com, with 6200 reviews and 4.5 stars. It’s definitely a keeper! Thanks to Phoebe and Allrecipes for letting us share.
Broiled Tilapia Parmesan
- 1/2 c. parmesan cheese
- 1/4 c. butter, softened
- 3 T. mayonnaise
- 2 T. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 t. dried basil
- 1/4 t. ground black pepper
- 1/8 t. onion powder
- 1/8 t. celery salt
- 2 lbs. tilapia filets (we usually use the vacuum-frozen ones)
1. Preheat your oven’s broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside (Note: sometimes we double this–we like lots of sauce!).
3. Arrange filets in a single layer on the prepared pan.
4. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the filets over and broil for a couple more minutes.
5. Remove the filets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side.
6. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.
We love to serve this with roasted broccoli and cauliflower, steamed green beans, or sugar snap peas, along with some wild rice. It’s not necessarily low-fat (butter! mayo! cheese!), but it sure is yummy. Enjoy!
Oh, and if you’re looking for a kids’ cookbook to encourage their progress, I bought this one from Paula Deen’s restaurant when we were down in Savannah house-hunting last month. My daughter loves it, and it’s the best (and yummiest) kids’ cookbook I’ve seen! You can buy it through Amazon.com by clicking below:
(Just so ya know, we’re Amazon affiliates and get a small commission if you order through this link. I’ll name my yacht for you!)
Thanks for stopping by~
Hi Christy! Thank you for the recipe and showing your sweet girl prepping in the kitchen! Julianna loves to bake, and seeing an “old friend” of hers making a fish dish has inspired her to do the same. We will try this dish soon, and also buy the cookbook! Miss you!
Hello, my friend–that’s so nice to hear! I love to see our girls in the kitchen, honing their skills. She will love the cookbook! Please give her a hug from Annabelle–we miss you guys, too!