This Lemon Butter Baked Cod is made with simple and flavorful ingredients. You’ll love the fresh taste of parsley and lemon on top of buttery flaky cod fillets.
It has the flaky texture of grilled salmon and scrumptious flavors of garlic butter baked salmon. You just can’t go wrong!
Lemon Butter Baked Cod Recipe
Hi, I am Dina and I run the blog SimplyHomeCooked.com. I absolutely love easy recipes that are wholesome and delicious!
This lemon butter baked cod is seasoned perfectly and has that wonderful flakiness while not being dry. The butter sauce has garlic and basil in it, along with other seasonings that just absorb into the fish while it bakes. And like with lime ginger salmon, the lemon cooks right in, too.
It is great paired with Instant Pot brown rice and butter lettuce salad.
Ingredients
This oven baked cod is the perfect example of how fresh, tasty ingredients can make a truly delectable dish. If you are in a mood for sweet and sticky, check out honey garlic glazed salmon or Thai salmon.
- Cod: Try to get fresh cod fillets if you can. Fresh always tastes but if you use frozen cod, make sure to fully thaw it out before cooking.
- Butter: You want the butter to be at room temperature so you can make a paste out of it before adding it on top of the fish.
- Garlic: Adding fresh garlic as opposed to garlic powder will give an intense and delicious flavor to the cod.
- Spices: Salt and pepper is a must for basic flavor, but adding paprika and dried basil gives it an herb-y flavor as well.
- Lemon and parsley: The lemon is placed on the cod before going into the oven so that it infuses into the fish as it cooks. Chopped parsley is a great way to add fresh flavor and overall completed the cod dish.
Is Cod Healthy?
Yes! Cod is considered to be a very healthy fish. Here is why:
- Low calorie: Like tuna, cod has less fat than salmon since it’s a higher protein fish therefore it has fewer calories.
- Vitamins and Minerals: Besides the benefits of the low calories, cod is also a good source of vitamin E, A, and C. It is also known to be full of minerals like phosphorus, and potassium.
How To Make Lemon Butter Baked Cod
- Make the butter mixture. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, mix the softened butter, pressed garlic cloves, salt, paprika, black pepper, and dried basil together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Prepare the cod fillets. Take out the cod fillets and pat them with a paper towel to get off any extra moisture. If they are frozen, make sure to thaw them first.
- Season the cod. Generously season the top and bottom of each fillet with salt and pepper, then place them in a small, deep baking dish. Evenly distribute the butter mixture on top of them.
- Bake. Place a slice of lemon on top of each cod fillet and bake them for about 14-15 minutes, or until the cod has reached 145 degrees Fahrenheit in the center.
- Garnish and serve. Sprinkle some chopped fresh parsley on top, serve and enjoy.
Tips And FAQs
- Can I use frozen cod? Yes, you can use frozen cod in this recipe. When you do, be sure to allow the fillets to completely thaw before you pat off moisture and prepare them for cooking.
- How to make it healthier: To lighten this recipe up, you can use less butter, or you could switch the butter for a healthy oil, such as olive or avocado oil.
- How long does cod bake in the oven? This oven baked cod will take about 14-15 minutes to fully cook if you are using 6 oz. fillets as I did. Anything smaller would take less time, and larger fillets would take a little longer.
- How to tell if cod is done? The most accurate way to tell if your cod is done is with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also tell by how it looks. If it is opaque and easily flaked with a fork.
- Can I make this in advance? Unfortunately, you cannot make the entire dish ahead of time, but you can prepare the butter mixture beforehand. Just store it in the refrigerator in a tightly-lidded container until you are ready to bake the cod.
What To Serve With Baked Cod?
This Lemon Butter Baked Cod can be served with a number of different side dishes. It’s so versatile so it pairs well with vegetables, salads, and almost any carb side dish.
- Vegetables: Pair this fish with oven roasted asparagus or air fryer brussels sprouts to round out the meal.
- Salads: Any kind of light salad like spinach salad will be perfect!
- Carbs: Try it on a bed of rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice.
How To Make Ahead, Store and Reheat
- Make ahead: The garlic butter paste can be made ahead of time. I wouldn’t recommend seasoning this fish too early since the salt and lemon juice will pull out too much moisture from the fish.
- Storing: To store baked cod, place it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: When you are ready to reheat it, place the Lemon Butter Baked Cod in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. If it seems a little dry, you can use a bit of butter to help thin the sauce.
More Seafood Recipes
Lemon Butter Baked Cod
This Lemon Butter Baked Cod is made with simple and flavorful ingredients. You'll love the fresh taste of parsley and lemon on top of buttery flaky cod fillets.
Ingredients
- 4 6 oz cod fillets
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 2 garlic cloves pressed
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 fresh lemon sliced
- 2 tbsp parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Then, in a small bowl, mix butter, garlic, paprika, basil, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Take out 4 (6 ounce) fresh cod fillets and pat the extra moisture off of them using a paper towel. If they are frozen, make sure to thaw them out completely.
- Then generously season the top and bottom of each fillet with salt and pepper.
- Place the seasoned cod fillets into a small deep baking dish then evenly distribute the butter mixture on top.
- Place a slice of lemon on top of each cod fillet and bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 14-15 minutes or until the cod is at least 145 degrees F in the center of the fish. A good way to tell your cod is fully cooked is when it is opaque and easily flaked with a fork.
- Garnish the baked cod with 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley. Serve with a side of vegetables, pasta, or rice.
Notes
- Store: To store baked cod, place it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat: Place cod in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. If it seems a little dry, you can use a bit of butter to help thin the sauce.
- Make ahead: The garlic butter paste can be made ahead of time. I wouldn’t recommend seasoning this fish too early since the salt and lemon juice will pull out too much moisture from the fish.
- Can I use frozen cod? Yes, you can use frozen cod in this recipe. When you do, be sure to allow the fillets to completely thaw before you pat off moisture and prepare them for cooking.
- How long does cod bake in the oven? This Lemon Butter Baked Cod will take about 14-15 minutes to fully cook if you are using 6 oz. fillets as I did. Anything smaller would take less time, and larger fillets would take a little longer.
- How to tell if cod is done? The most accurate way to tell if your cod is done is with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also tell by how it looks. If it is opaque and easily flaked with a fork, it’s done.
Nutrition
Serving: 1fillet | Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 675mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g
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Can you replace the butter with ghee I am starting to eliminate certain things from my diet and I know Ghee is usually suggested in place of butter 🙂
That’s fine, it may change the taste a tiny bit but will work.
Loved the basil in this recipe! Really made a difference. Very tasty!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It was so delicious and yet so simple to make! The aromatics in my house were amazing! This recipe will be on repeat at my house! I will also try it with shrimp!
That is so amazing to hear! Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I tried this last night and wow! It was so simple and delicious! Definitely keeping this recipe. Thank you so much!
Love receiving such fantastic feedback! Thanks, Tina!