Baked Cod Lemon Butter (Printable Version)
Flaky cod baked with a vibrant lemon butter sauce, perfect for a quick, wholesome meal.
# What You Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 cod fillets (5 oz each), skinless and boneless
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Lemon Butter Sauce
04 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
06 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
09 - 1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped (optional)
→ To Serve
10 - Lemon slices for garnish
11 - Additional chopped parsley (optional)
# How-To:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish sufficient to hold the cod fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat dry the cod fillets with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange fillets in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and dill if using.
04 - Pour the lemon butter sauce evenly over the cod fillets ensuring full coverage.
05 - Bake the cod in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until the fish is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork.
06 - Garnish with fresh lemon slices and additional parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means weeknight wins without the stress.
- The sauce is so good you'll find yourself mopping it up with bread, even though you came for the fish.
- Everything bakes in one dish, leaving you minimal cleanup when you'd rather be enjoying your meal.
02 -
- Don't skip drying the fish—wet fillets will steam instead of bake, and you'll lose that delicate flaky texture that makes this dish worth making.
- The sauce will look a little thin at first, but it comes together beautifully during baking and actually coats the fish better than a thicker mixture would.
03 -
- Buy your cod from a fishmonger if you can—they'll help you pick pieces that are the same thickness, which is half the battle for even cooking.
- If you accidentally overbake it slightly, the sauce helps mask any dryness, so don't panic if the timer surprises you.