This simple grilled tilapia recipe is a great way to enjoy this healthy, easy to grill fish! For more grilled fish ideas, check out our collection of the Best Grilled Swordfish recipes!
Kids help when it comes to creating special recipes. I appreciate the concept of simplicity reflected in this week’s “5 ingredients or less” #SundaySupper theme, yet that is not necessarily the way I roll when it comes to cooking up something new.
When thinking about things to share for this week, I realized even many of the simpler recipes I’ve come up with quickly get closer to ten ingredients rather than five.
Enter our nine year old. Recently I was baking some tilapia with pesto, inspired by this recipe Cynthia shared for a past #SundaySupper. He can’t eat pesto due to food allergies, so I cooked up his tilapia with a simple soy sauce and sugar combo.
He raved about it, and I figured I was on to something. So when the 5 ingredients or less challenge rolled around, I figured I’d apply the same flavors to a Simple Grilled Tilapia recipe. I was pleased with the simple and tasty results! Continuing to keep things simple, we enjoyed the tilapia with a green salad and couscous.
Even though tilapia is a thin and delicate looking fillet, it is firm enough to handle the heat of the grill. Just three to four minutes per side and you’ve got your entree on the table. Doesn’t get much easier than that!
Related recipes
For another tilapia recipe idea, check out our Grilled Tilapia with Tomatoes and Olives. For easy recipes like this, check these out!
Recipe card
Simple Grilled Tilapia #SundaySupper
Simple Grilled Tilapia has just a few ingredients but plenty of flavor for an easy and healthy meal.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 8 mins
- Total Time: 13 mins
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: grilling
- Cuisine: Grilling
Ingredients
- 12 ozs tilapia fillets
- ¼ cup soy sauce (low sodium preferably)
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Preheat a grill to medium high.
- Combine the soy sauce and sugar in mixing bowl.
- Add the tilapia fillets to the bowl and gently turn them over to coat with the marinade. Let the fish marinate for about 5 minutes.
- Spray the grill with cooking oil. Take a tilapia fillet out of the marinade, gently shake off the excess liquid and place the fillet on the grill. Repeat for the other fillets. (12 ozs will likely be 3 fillets).
- Grill for 3 minutes on one side, then flip the fillets to grill for 3 to 4 minutes on the other side. Use a grill spatula to remove the tilapia from the grill to a platter. Enjoy with a salad and grain side.
Easy recipes from Sunday Supper blogs
Be sure to check out all the simple and delicious recipes from the #SundaySupper crew! Thanks to TR from Gluten Free Crumbley for hosting!
Drinks
- Five Ingredient Sangria by Our Good Life
- Pina Colada Summer Smoothie by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
Appetizers and Snacks
- 5-Ingredient Creamy Avocado Dressing by Take A Bite Out of Boca
- Crescent Jalapeno Poppers by The Weekend Gourmet
- Crockpot Chicken Chili Dip by The Crumby Cupcake
- Gluten Free Peach Salsa by Gluten Free Crumbley
- Grilled Zucchini and Goat Cheese Roll Ups by Food Done Light
- Marinated Feta Tomato Skewers by Noshing with the Nolands
- Roasted Chili-Lime Peanuts by Casa de Crews
- Strawberry Coconut Soup with Mint by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Main Dish
- 3 Ingredient Steak Marinade by MealDiva
- Baked Fajita Chicken by Recipes Food and Cooking
- Crab Pasta by Caroline’s Cooking
- Grilled Portobello Mushrooms by Palatable Pastime
- Healthy Chocolate Protein Pancakes by Momma’s Meals
- Homemade Porcini Almond Pasta by The Joyful Foodie
- Abruzzo Style Cannellini Beans with Fennel & Chicken by Delaware Girl Eats
- Nutella BLT Sandwich by Brunch with Joy
- Salmon in Puff Pastry by Sew You Think You Can Cook
- Simple Brined Roast Chicken with Herbs and Garlic by Crazy Foodie Stunts
- Simple Grilled Tilapia by Cooking Chat (you are here!)
- Simple Summer Shrimp and Asparagus by eating in instead
- Skirt Steak and Grilled Potatoes for a Crowd by Family Foodie
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken by Nosh My Way
- Slowcooker Ravioli Lasagne by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
Side Dish
- Brazilian Black Beans by Curious Cuisiniere
- Korean Seasoned Dried Squid (Ojingeochae muchim) by kimchi MOM
- Mashed Cauliflower with Parmesan by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Sauerkraut and Apple Salad by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Sesame Lime Edamame by Magnolia Days
- Southern Style Squash Casserole by Recipe for Perfection
- Tomato, Avocado and Bacon Salad by Peanut Butter and Peppers
Desserts
- Apple Drop Candy by What Smells So Good?
- Chocolate Toffee Cookies by NinjaBaker.com
- Coconut White Chocolate Truffles by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Easy No Churn Peach Frozen Yogurt by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Fluffernutter Cookies by Pies and Plots
- Magic Pudding Dessert by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- No-Churn Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Rhubarb Crumble by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Creamy Coconut, Roasted Strawberry Chocolate Chip Popsicles by Simply Health Family
- Recipe Substitution Tips by Sunday Supper
Renee
I’ve decided this year I’m grilling more seafood and I think I’ll start with this easy recipe.
Cooking Chat
I’ve been on a grilled seafood roll here lately! Nice way to enjoy healthy fish.
Nichole
I love simple, flavorful, delicate meals like this, David. I can’t wait to make this, and also I totally plan to try it with pesto as well!
Cooking Chat
both are good options, Nichole!
Chicago Jogger
I love the simplicity of this recipe – I haven’t tried grilling tilapia before, but this looks like the perfect way to do it. Yum!
Cooking Chat
this was my first time, too. Like the way it work out!
Liz
I love a soy/sugar marinade on salmon, and now I need to branch out to tilapia! It looks wonderful!
Cooking Chat
I usually use soy & honey for salmon and other fish but the simple sugar worked nicely here!
Sarah Ozimek
I’m with you on the complicated recipes, “simple” ones for us tend to still have a long ingredient list. This was a really fun challenge to look at things a bit differently.
Cooking Chat
definitely a good exercise! Need to go see what you came up with.
Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm
Sometimes the best meals are those that are the simplest.
Catherine
Dear David, your tilapia looks and sounds delicious. I love the color. Take care, Catherine
Cooking Chat
Thanks Catherine! It did come out nicely–pleased as it was my first time grilling tilapia.
Tara
Love this fish dish, I am all for it!!
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook
PERFECT weeknight meal. I’ll need to remember this one!
Cindys Recipes and Writings
I make tilapia a lot. Thanks for a quick easy recipe!
Sarah Reid, CNP (@jo_jo_ba)
I never think to use soy on fish… and why not?
Cooking Chat
I wind up using it quite a bit in my fish marinades, it’s tasty!