Baked Cod with Lemon Butter (Printable Version)

Tender cod fillets baked with bright lemon and buttery sauce for a light, elegant meal.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless, boneless cod fillets (5.3 oz each)

→ Sauce & Flavorings

02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
04 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
05 - 1 lemon, thinly sliced
06 - Zest of half a lemon
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional)

→ Garnish

11 - Additional lemon wedges for serving
12 - Fresh parsley, finely chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to arrange the cod fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat cod fillets dry using paper towels and place them evenly in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, olive oil, minced garlic, lemon zest, sea salt, black pepper, and paprika if using. Whisk thoroughly.
04 - Pour the butter mixture evenly over the cod fillets. Arrange lemon slices on and around the fish.
05 - Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cod flakes easily with a fork and is opaque throughout.
06 - Remove from the oven, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, and serve immediately with extra lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The fish stays impossibly moist while the butter and lemon create a sauce that tastes like something from a restaurant.
  • It's ready in half an hour, making weeknight cooking feel less like a chore and more like a small victory.
  • You only need one dish and a bowl, so cleanup is almost as quick as dinner itself.
02 -
  • The moment between perfectly cooked and overdone is about two minutes; start checking at 15 minutes and trust what you see, not what the clock says.
  • If your kitchen runs cool or your oven is uneven, tent the fish loosely with foil after 10 minutes so the top doesn't dry while the inside finishes cooking.
03 -
  • Room-temperature fish cooks more evenly than cold fish straight from the refrigerator—pull yours out 10 minutes before the oven is ready.
  • The thinner your fillets, the faster they cook; check thick fillets at 18 minutes and thin ones at 12.

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