Lemon Butter Baked Cod
Lemon Butter Baked Cod made with tender fish baked in fresh garlic, lemons, capers, and butter, topped with fresh parsley and lemon slices, ready in under 30 minutes!
This is one of my favorite fish recipes because it’s so simple to make and only takes 30 minutes. It’s the sort of recipe that’ll make you feel like you’re sitting in a seaside restaurant! If you want to give this a little more flavor, add a dash of red pepper flakes for heat.
This EASY lemon garlic baked cod recipe will be your new favorite family dinner! This is also the perfect recipe to make with my compound garlic butter, which freezes easily and adds a ton of flavor to most dishes.
If you loved this recipe, you may also love my Crab and Corn Chowder, Parmesan Crusted Tilapia, or my Crispy Air Fryer Salmon!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Bright & Fresh Flavor – The combo of lemon juice and garlic gives this dish a savory zesty flavor that enhances the natural sweetness of the cod without overpowering it!
Quick & Easy – This only takes 30 minutes from start to finish, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you need something simple but filling!
Restaurant Quality – This is so incredibly easy to make, while turning out like something you’d order at your favorite seafood restaurant!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Cod Fish Fillets. This is one of my favorite fishes to cook with! It’s really versatile and works with a lot of different recipes. It has a mild flavor that isn’t overpowering, and a delicate but firm texture. Make sure the pin bones were removed before cooking with cod fillets.
You can replace this with other types of white fish in this recipe, like tilapia or grouper.
Butter. I like to use unsalted butter, so I can add any additional salt as-needed. If you use salted butter, leave out the salt in the recipe. We’re stirring everything into the melted butter, so this is the base of our lemon butter sauce.
Garlic. Fresh garlic cloves will taste the best, but you can replace them with garlic powder if you have to. Use 1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder per clove garlic.
Meyer Lemons. We’re using one fresh lemon for the lemon zest and juice, and a second lemon to slice and add on top of the fish before baking.
If you don’t have fresh lemons, you can use bottled lemon juice and leave out the slices. But fresh will taste better.
Capers. This adds a nice salty flavor to the lemon butter sauce. I recommend crushing them a bit with your knife on the cutting board before whisking into the sauce, to help spread out the flavor in the dish.
Herbs and Spices. I’m keeping this easy with regular Italian seasoning. If you need it, here’s my Homemade Italian Seasoning recipe.
I also add extra black pepper and kosher salt to taste.
I like to add some fresh parsley both in the sauce and to top the fish right before serving. You can also use dried parsley.
Kitchen Tools
For this recipe, you’ll need a 9×13″ baking dish.
How to Make Baked Cod
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease the baking dish and set aside.
In a small bowl, add the butter and microwave in 15 second increments until fully melted (about 1 minute). Once melted, whisk in the minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, spices, and parsley.
Pat the cod fillet pieces dry with a paper towel and place each piece in the baking dish, leaving room between each one.
Pour the lemon butter sauce over the fish. Use a spoon to make sure each piece is evenly coated with the sauce.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cod is completely cooked through. Cod is done when it turns opaque and has a flaky texture.
Recipe Variations
- Make this baked cod recipe spicy with a dash of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. Or use a dash of smoked paprika or old bay seasoning for flavor.
- Try making this mediterranean style by adding cherry tomatoes, red onion, and olives.
- Instead of Italian seasoning, try using fresh herbs like thyme, parsley, or basil. You can also use fresh dill for this.
- Try adding some veggies to the dish, like zucchini slices, bell pepper slices, asparagus, or baby spinach.
- Capers are very salty, so a little goes a long way. But if you like the flavor, you can also add a spoonful of the brine to the lemon butter sauce. Leave any additional salt out of the recipe if you do this.
Recipe Tip! This pairs really well with potatoes or rice and roasted vegetables. Try making a little extra lemon butter sauce to top the potatoes, too!
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common reason the cod fillet turned out dry is over cooking it. At 400°F, make sure you’re checking the fish around the 15 minute mark, increasing to 20 minutes if needed. You also want to avoid cooking frozen fish, make sure you defrost the cod fillets first.
Recipe Tip! If you have frozen cod, make sure to defrost it first. Pat it dry with a paper towel before adding it to the baking dish.
More Seafood Recipes
- Air Fryer Tilapia
- Cream Cheese Shrimp Dip
- Gluten Free Crab Cakes
- Oven Baked Coconut Shrimp
- Oven Fried Fish Tacos
Storage
Refrigerate leftover baked cod in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Freeze in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months.
Cooking Tips
- You can make sure that your cod is finished cooking by using a meat thermometer. The cod should have an internal temperature of 145°F in the middle of the thickest part.
- Pat the fish dry first, which will help the garlic butter sauce stick to the fish.
- If you’re cutting a cod fillet yourself, make sure to check for and remove any pin bones before cooking.
- You can make this recipe using other white fish, just adjust the cook time accordingly.
Tried this recipe? ⭐ Leave a review and share what worked best for you—your tips help other home cooks get the same delicious results!
Lemon Butter Baked Cod
Ingredients
- 4 medium cod fillets, (about 5 ounces each)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 medium lemons
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
Equipment
- 1 9×13" baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease the baking dish and set aside.
- In a small bowl, add the butter and microwave in 15 second increments until fully melted (about 1 minute). Once melted, whisk in the minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, spices, and parsley.
- Pat the cod dry with a paper towel and place each piece in the baking dish, leaving room between each one. Pour the lemon butter sauce over the fish. Use a spoon to make sure each piece is evenly coated with the sauce.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cod is completely cooked through. Cod is done when it turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
Notes
- You can make sure that your cod is finished cooking by using a food thermometer. The cod should have an internal temperature of 145°F in the middle of the thickest part.
- Pat the fish dry first, which will help the garlic butter sauce stick to the fish.
- If you’re cutting a cod fillet yourself, make sure to check for and remove any pin bones before cooking.
- You can make this recipe using other white fish, just adjust the cook time accordingly.
Nutrition
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