Baked Cod with Lemon Butter (Print View)
Tender cod fillets baked in a zesty lemon-butter sauce, creating a light, flavorful main dish ready in just 30 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 (5-6 oz each) cod fillets, skinless and boneless
→ Lemon Butter Sauce
02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
04 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
05 - 1 tsp lemon zest
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
10 - Lemon slices, for serving
11 - Extra chopped parsley
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to fit the cod fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels and place them in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper.
04 - Pour the lemon butter sauce evenly over the cod fillets.
05 - Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes, or until the cod is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
06 - Garnish with lemon slices and extra parsley before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- This dish has this magical way of tasting fancy enough for company but requires about 10 minutes of actual hands on work making it perfect for both weeknights and dinner parties.
- The lemon butter sauce creates this incredible flavor that soaks into the fish without overwhelming its delicate taste something my pescatarian friends always appreciate.
02 -
- Overcooking cod is tragically easy I discovered this the hard way when I left it for just 5 extra minutes and ended up with fish that had the texture of eraser.
- The residual heat in the dish continues cooking the fish after you remove it from the oven, so pull it out when it just barely flakes.
03 -
- Always bring fish to room temperature for about 15 minutes before baking it helps the cod cook more evenly from edge to center.
- Reserve a tablespoon of your sauce to brush over the fish just before serving it refreshes the flavors and makes the presentation glisten.