Baked Cod with Lemon Butter (Printable)
Tender cod fillets baked to perfection with a bright, zesty lemon butter sauce. A light, flavorful main dish for any night.
# What You Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 cod fillets (about 6 oz each), skinless and boneless
→ Lemon Butter Sauce
02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
09 - Lemon slices (optional)
10 - Additional parsley, chopped
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold 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 the melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper.
04 - Pour the lemon butter sauce evenly over the cod fillets.
05 - Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and turns opaque.
06 - Optionally, garnish with lemon slices and a sprinkle of fresh parsley before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The lemon butter sauce creates this gorgeous golden crust on the fish that makes everyone think youve spent hours in the kitchen when it really takes just minutes to throw together.
- Its practically impossible to overcook the cod with this method the butter keeps it tender while the lemon brightens every bite.
02 -
- Overcooking cod by even two minutes can turn it from tender and flaky to rubbery and tough I now set my timer for 14 minutes and check from there.
- Letting the fish rest for about 3 minutes after baking allows the juices to redistribute throughout the fillets, making each bite more succulent.
03 -
- If your cod fillets are different thicknesses, cut the larger ones in half horizontally so everything cooks at the same rate a trick my fishmonger taught me that revolutionized my fish cooking.
- Reserve a tablespoon of the lemon butter sauce before pouring over the raw fish, then drizzle it over the cooked fillets just before serving for an extra hit of fresh flavor.