Baked Cod Lemon Butter (Printable)
Tender cod fillets baked and topped with a bright, zesty lemon butter drizzle.
# Ingredient List:
→ Fish
01 - 4 skinless, boneless cod fillets (5 oz each)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt, to taste
04 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Lemon Butter Sauce
05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - Juice of 1 large lemon (approx. 3 tablespoons)
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
10 - 1 teaspoon drained capers (optional)
→ Garnish
11 - Lemon slices
12 - Additional chopped parsley
# Steps:
01 - Set oven to 400°F and prepare a baking dish by lining it with parchment paper or lightly greasing it.
02 - Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil.
03 - Place the cod fillets in the baking dish, spacing them evenly.
04 - Bake fillets for 15 to 18 minutes, until opaque and flaky when tested with a fork.
05 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and capers if using. Remove from heat and blend in parsley.
06 - Transfer cod to plates and spoon warm lemon butter sauce generously over each fillet. Garnish with lemon slices and extra parsley. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The fish comes out impossibly tender and flaky without any of the rubbery texture you get when things overcook.
- The lemon butter sauce is bright enough to feel fresh but rich enough to make you feel like you're eating something restaurant-worthy at home.
- It genuinely takes less time than ordering takeout and impresses people every single time.
02 -
- Dry your fish before it hits the pan or oven. Wet fish is steamed fish, and steamed fish never tastes as good as it could.
- Don't overcook the garlic in the butter. Thirty seconds too long and it turns bitter and suddenly the whole sauce tastes off.
- The lemon butter sauce should go on the fish while both are warm. Cold fish plus warm sauce looks sad and tastes sad.
03 -
- Buy your fish the same day you're cooking it. There's a reason fishmongers look disappointed when you ask about something that's been sitting for three days.
- Don't be afraid to taste the sauce before it hits the fish. Adjust the lemon and salt right there in the pan so you know exactly what you're serving.