Easy Grilled Tilapia in Foil
Grilled tilapia in foil packets is one of the easiest, most satisfying summer dinners you can make. Tilapia fillets get layered into individual foil pouches with bell pepper, corn, red onion, and grape tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil, and grilled to tender, flaky perfection in just 10 minutes – everything steams together in one little packet for incredible flavor and virtually no cleanup. It’s a complete protein-and-veggie dinner ready in 25 minutes total, perfect for busy weeknights or any time you want a feel-good meal cooked outside.
🐟 Cooking fish outside > cooking fish inside
Once the weather turns warm, cooking dinner outside makes me so happy – for both cleanup and dinner smells.
The veggies steam right alongside the fish in the packet, which means tons of flavor and absolutely minimal cleanup. It’s…
🐟 Perfectly flaky: The foil creates a steamy environment that keeps the tilapia tender and moist – never dry or rubbery.
🌽 Packed with summer veggies: Bell pepper, corn, red onion, and grape tomatoes cook right alongside the fish for a complete, colorful meal.
🧹 Practically zero cleanup: Everything cooks in individual foil packets, so there’s no pan to scrub and no mess to deal with.
⏱️ Ready in 25 minutes: From prep to table – perfect for weeknights when dinner needs to happen fast.
If you’re on a fish and seafood kick, you’ll also love my Baked Panko Salmon for a quick weeknight oven option, or Grilled Lake Trout if you want to keep the grill going. And my Old Bay Shrimp Boil is always a hit in the warmer months.
I love fish and could eat it every other day, but I have trouble finding delicious recipes that my husband will eat. This recipe is so simple and extremely delicious. Making it again tonight!! This is definitely my number one go to fish recipe. –Susan
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to bring this grilled tilapia recipe to the table: tilapia fillets (or any flaky white fish like cod, bass, grouper, or snapper), olive oil, bell pepper, red onion, corn kernels (fresh or frozen), cherry tomatoes, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Aluminum foil is essential for the packets. Optional but highly recommended: a crusty loaf of bread for grilling alongside.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: The single most important thing to know about foil packet fish – if you aren’t eating immediately after grilling, open the packets to vent as soon as they come off the grill. The steam trapped inside will keep cooking the fish even off the heat, and you’ll end up with overcooked, rubbery tilapia fast. Open them up, let the steam escape, and your fish will stay perfectly flaky.
- Feeding kids without pressure: Be sure to use the Division of Responsibility, serve the meal with a few things you know they will eat (like bread, milk, fruit), and then ultimately let them decide what to eat. They may take a bite of fish, they may not. Both are ok.
- Variations: This recipe works beautifully with any flaky white fish — cod, bass, grouper, catfish, snapper, or halibut are all great swaps for tilapia. You can also change up the vegetables depending on what you have; zucchini, green beans, shallots, or lemon slices all work well. For a different flavor profile, swap the garlic powder for Old Bay seasoning or lemon pepper.
Grilled Tilapia Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinnner
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
Grilled tilapia in foil packets is a 25-minute weeknight dinner with flaky fish, colorful veggies, and almost no cleanup.
Ingredients
- 4 6–oz. fillets of white fish (cod or tilapia)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil + more for bread
- 1 orange pepper
- 1/2 red onion
- 2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
- 8 oz. grape tomatoes
- garlic powder
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- loaf of bread
- olive oil, salt for bread
- aluminum foil
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat, about 375-425°F.
- Cut 4 large squares of aluminum foil and lay flat on a baking sheet.
- Place one fish fillet on each piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil (about 1 teaspoon per fillet) and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt.
- Divide corn, peppers, onion, and grape tomatoes evenly over the top of the fish. Drizzle with remaining olive oil (about 1 teaspoon per packet) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Fold the sides of the foil up and over to create a tent, then crimp and roll the edges tightly to seal, ensuring there are no gaps.
- Place foil packets directly over the heat and cook for 10 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. If you aren’t eating immediately, open the packets to vent as soon as they come off the grill – the steam will continue cooking the fish.
- Meanwhile, brush bread with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Grill for 2-4 minutes per side, or until lightly charred.
Notes
Storage: Remove the tilapia and vegetables from the foil before storing. Transfer to glass storage containers and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days. To reheat, warm in a 350°F oven, a hot skillet, or a few minutes in the air fryer until just heated through. Microwaving works in a pinch but isn’t ideal for texture.
Ingredients: Any flaky white fish works here – cod, grouper, bass, snapper, catfish, and halibut are all excellent options. For the vegetables, use yellow or red bell pepper if you don’t have orange. If using cherry or grape tomatoes, leave them whole; if using larger tomatoes, remove the seeds so the packets don’t get too watery.
Prep ahead: You can assemble the foil packets up to a few hours ahead of time and keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to grill. This makes them great for entertaining – all the prep is done and you just need to get the grill going.
Tools: An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of knowing when the fish is done. You’re looking for an internal temperature of 145°F. A grill basket is also useful if you ever want to try cooking fish directly on the grates instead of in foil.
Serve with: These packets are a complete protein-and-veggie meal, so just add a carb to round things out. Grilled bread is the easiest and most delicious option. You can also serve over rice, quinoa, or couscous. The flavors from the fish and veggies soak right in. A simple green salad or napa cabbage slaw makes a great crunchy side.
FAQs
Yes – it will work, though keep in mind that frozen fish releases more liquid as it cooks, which means your packets will be a bit more watery than with fresh or thawed fish. For best results, thaw the fillets first, but if you’re cooking straight from frozen, add a few extra minutes and check that the fish reaches 145°F internally.
Absolutely. Place the assembled packets on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. The same venting rule applies – open the packets immediately when they come out of the oven if you aren’t serving right away.
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer and founder of My Everyday Table, where she helps busy families take the stress out of weeknight dinners. With a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and almost 20 years of experience, Emily specializes in simple, nourishing recipes and weekly meal plans that actually work for everyday life. She’s a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor who believes delicious food and good nutrition go hand in hand.
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Love fish, but hate cooking it inside. This recipe has great flavors and can be cooked outside!
We started letting our kids decide what to season their fish with and it’s worked so well! It’s a family fave.
I love fish and could eat it every other day, but I have trouble finding delicious recipes that my husband, not a big fish eater,. This recipe is so simple and extremely delicious. I use grouper the first time. Making it again tonight!! This is definitely my number one go to fish recipe.
So glad to hear this, Susan! I bet it was delicious with grouper.
Love this recipe—so easy, healthy and flavorful. Do you think you could use the tilapia frozen if you added a few minutes to the grilling time?
It would definitely work, the only downside is that it might add more liquid to the mix as the frozen fish cooks. But if you don’t mind that, give it a try!