Tortilla-Crusted Tilapia
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This tortilla-crusted tilapia delivers the perfect crunch, thanks to freshly ground corn tortillas and a blend of smoky, savory spices. A quick, delicious way to switch up your seafood routine!
After trying tortilla-crusted fish at a restaurant out West, I became determined to recreate it at home. It was wonderful and different—crispy, flavorful, and a step up from the usual breadcrumb-crusted fish. At first, I experimented with crushed tortilla chips for the crust. Seemed like a logical choice, but no matter how I cooked it, the crust turned out too tough. Then it hit me—why not grind fresh corn tortillas in the food processor, just like making fresh breadcrumbs? Bingo! That was the key to achieving a crispy, flavorful crust with tender, flaky fish inside. Now, it’s a go-to dinner in my house that everyone loves.
Tilapia is easy to find and works perfectly in this dish, but you can also use any thin, flaky white fish with a similar cook time, such as flounder or sole. If using a thicker fish like cod or halibut, you may need to finish it in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness, to ensure it cooks through without burning the crust.
“This was ahhhhh-mazing…the crust crisped up beautifully and the tilapia came out perfectly cooked.”
What You’ll Need To Make Tortilla Crusted Tilapia
- Corn Tortillas: Ground into crumbs to create a crispy, flavorful coating with a hint of corn flavor.
- Paprika, Cumin, Cayenne, Salt, Onion Powder, And Garlic Powder: A bold spice blend that adds warmth, smokiness, subtle heat, and savory depth to the crust.
- Eggs: Act as the binding agent, helping the tortilla crumbs adhere to the fish.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides a light base layer that helps the coating stick evenly.
- Tilapia Fillets: A mild, flaky fish, perfect for pan-frying with a crispy coating. The recipe works best with smaller tilapia filets; if you can only find large ones (over 7 ounces), cut them in half.
- Vegetable Oil: Ensures the fish cooks to a golden brown with a crisp, even crust.
- Lime Wedges: A bright, citrusy finish that enhances the flavors of the dish.
- Cilantro: Adds a fresh, herbal note for garnish. Feel free to leave it out if you’re not a fan.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Combine the tortillas and spices in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground.
For the coating, use a three-step breading process: flour, eggs, then tortilla crumbs. This helps the crust stick perfectly to the fish. Set up an assembly line with flour in the first bowl, beaten eggs in the second, and the ground corn tortillas in the third. Dredge the fish in the flour, shaking off any excess.
Dip in the eggs.
Then coat the fish generously in the ground corn tortilla mixture. Shake off any excess and then repeat with the remaining fillets.
Place the breaded fillets on the lined baking sheet. This can be done ahead of time (and you can even freeze the fillets at this point), so all that’s left to do at dinnertime is pan-fry the fish.
When you’re ready to cook, coat a nonstick pan generously with oil. Pan-fry the fillets for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, or until golden brown. Flip the fillets and cook a few minutes more.
This tortilla-crusted tilapia pairs perfectly with Southwestern-inspired sides that complement its crispy texture and bold flavors. Serve it with Mexican rice for a classic, comforting side, or try my quinoa salad with fresh corn, tomatoes, avocado, and lime for a lighter, protein-packed alternative. My black bean salad, loaded with veggies, is another great choice, and you can never go wrong with cornbread with cheddar and thyme.
Video Tutorial
You May Also Like
Tortilla-Crusted Tilapia
Crispy, flavorful, and 100% kid-approved, this tortilla-crusted tilapia is an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- 8 corn tortillas, cut into quarters
- 1½ teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1½ pounds tilapia fillets (cut in half if the fillets are larger than 7 ounces)
- Vegetable oil for cooking
- 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving
- A few springs cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the corn tortillas, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, 1½ teaspoons salt, onion powder and garlic powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until the tortillas are ground into coarse crumbs. Transfer the tortilla crumbs to a dinner plate.
- Crack the eggs into a wide, shallow bowl and beat with a fork until blended. Place the flour on a dinner plate. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Set up an assembly line with the flour first, the beaten eggs second, the tortilla crumbs third, and the baking sheet fourth.
- Lightly season the tilapia with ¼ teaspoon salt. Working with one fillet at a time, dredge in the flour mixture, shaking excess over the plate so just a light coating remains; dip in the eggs and turn to coat evenly, letting any excess drip off so just a light coating remains; then dredge in the tortilla crumbs, turning to coat evenly. Place the breaded fillets on the lined baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook (this can be done several hours ahead of time).
- Coat a large non-stick sauté pan generously with vegetable oil and place over medium heat. When the oil is hot, place 2 tilapia fillets in the pan (you don't want to crowd them) and cook until the first side is golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until done, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the tilapia to a serving platter. Wipe the pan clean and repeat with remaining fillets.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 556
- Fat: 28g (approximate, depends on how much oil you use)
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Sugar: 1g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 42g
- Sodium: 1166mg
- Cholesterol: 178mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I looked at this recipe so many times but thought in the picture it looked dry. Last night I took a chance and made it. I was so surprised. Absolutely delicious!!! It reminded me of a fish taco wrapped in a corn tortilla. I can’t wait to make it again soon. Thank you for another great recipe that’s easy and inexpensive to make.
Thank you so much for the recipe.
Was wondering if you think it could be done with taco shells? Thank you so much. Have been following you for years!
Hi, Cindy, I don’t think they’re a great option. When I was developing the recipe, I experimented with crushed tortilla chips (so very similar to taco shells), but it made the crust turned out too tough – sorry!
Hi Jen,
I love your recipes and use them often. Also have both of your great cookbooks!
Quick question..what size corn tortillas are you using?
Cathy
Hi Cathy, I’d get the 6-inch tortillas. So glad you like the recipes – I hope you enjoy this one just as much!
I want to make it with cod, in the comments someone asked and if I read it right you said it would not work with cod?? Thanks,
Hi Barbara, I’m not seeing that comment – I only see one saying it will work. That said, if the cod is thick, you may need to finish the fillets for 5-10 minutes in the oven so the coating doesn’t burn on the stovetop. Hope that helps!
Do the corn tortillas usually come in one size only? If not, what size would I purchase?
Thank you.
Hi Diane, the most common size is 6 inches in diameter though you may find some 4-inch or 8-inch options in your store. Go with the 6 inches. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
Thank you for your wonderful recipes! I have made several from your site. Quick question, could you use substitute cornmeal instead of the tortillas?
Hi Lorena, so glad you like the recipes! You can use cornmeal in place of the tortillas but the texture will be very different. The cornmeal will give it more of a breading as if you were coating it in flour.
So in this morning’s comment (that I don’t see it posted yet) I suggested I may use this recipe with chicken cutlets because I loved it last night with my tilapia so I did it for lunch and boy was that great. I am sold! Thank you so much.