There are days when you have prepared for dinner, and then there are the other six days of the week. While I really do take great pride in having a solid meal plan, sometimes I just forget to take something out of the freezer.
That’s what led to this simple Lemon Garlic Tilapia, which cooks from frozen and still takes less than half an hour. Tilapia is a great protein choice, because it’s light in flavor, high in protein and inexpensive.
This preparation uses some frozen tilapia filets I like to keep on hand for moments when I need a healthy option, along with ingredients I always have on hand – garlic, lemon and ghee (butter would work fine, too).

Ingredients
- 4 4-ounce tilapia filets, frozen
- 3 large cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 2 tablespoons ghee (or butter, if not Whole30)
- Kosher salt
- Cracked black pepper
- Avocado oil spray
- Fresh dill for serving
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. While oven is preheating, spray the bottom of a large glass baking dish with avocado oil spray.
Place frozen tilapia filets in a single layer on the dish. Top each with a dollop of ghee – about ½ tablespoon each – and generously season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
Sprinkle rough-chopped garlic cloves all over the pan. Layer lemon slices right onto the tilapia.
Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with fresh, chopped dill or the herb of your choice.