Recipe overview
Why you’ll love it: This lemon butter cod recipe provides a restaurant-quality meal with simple ingredients. Tender pan-seared cod fillets are served with a garlicky lemon butter sauce for a luxurious weeknight meal.
Time required: 18 minutes
Tools needed: large frying pan, citrus zester or grater
Serving size: 4 servings
Easiest cod ever made
Fishing seems like a good idea until 5:30, when you start to get tired and it suddenly starts to feel dangerous. Will it dry out? Strange? Somehow both?
This recipe is my no-fail cod recipe.
It’s quick and easy, and the source does all the hard work for you. butter, lemon and garlic. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it does make the taste of fish something you want to eat, rather than something you just feel obligated to eat.
My characteristics are:
Quick and easy: Ready in just 18 minutes, this lemon butter cod comes together quickly enough for a weeknight, yet its flavor is worthy of being served at a dinner party. Fresh yet full-bodied taste: The butter sauce has a perfect balance of fresh lemon and garlic, making it a rich but not heavy dish. It pairs well with everything from potatoes to pasta to most vegetable sides and salads. For beginners: If you’re new to cooking fish, cod is a great fish to start with. It has a mild taste, is crunchy, and is quite cheap. This is a no-fail recipe! (Try this parmesan baked cod recipe or this quick and easy air fryer cod recipe.)
Ingredient memo
Cod fillets: You can use fresh or frozen cod. Be sure to thaw frozen cod completely and cook evenly to a safe temperature (follow package directions). You can also use cod loin. They may be thicker, so they may take a little longer to cook. Olive oil and butter: The oil will sear the fillets and the butter will be the base for the sauce. It’s worth getting high quality butter here. I love using Kerrygold. Garlic and Lemon: Along with butter, fresh garlic and lemon are the main flavors of the sauce. You will need both the juice and zest of the lemon, as well as additional wedges for serving. Don’t forget to peel the lemon before squeezing it (it’s so easy!). Parsley: If you want to garnish your cod, use fresh parsley for a fresh, grassy finish and a pop of color. I always eat it with lemon.
Recipe variations
Please use a different type of fish. This simple butter sauce goes well with almost any type of seafood, including shellfish like shrimp and scallops. Perfect for tilapia, haddock, flounder, etc. Adjust cooking time as needed. Try other herbs as well. Vary up the flavor by adding fresh thyme or dill to your butter sauce or as a garnish. If you have your own herb garden, try lemon-scented herbs such as lemon balm, lemongrass, and lemon verbena. Make it creamy. Add a little cream and mix to make a thicker sauce. Add a little spice. Add some red pepper flakes along with the garlic to give it a little kick.
what to eat with lemon butter cod
Starchy sides: Try rice pilaf, mashed potatoes, buttery orzo, couscous, or crusty bread that soaks up the sauce. This combination of creamy lemon orzo and greens would be amazing. Vegetables: Almost any vegetable accompaniment goes well with this simple lemon butter cod. I often serve it with roasted green beans, sautéed asparagus, or sautéed spinach. Salad: This arugula salad recipe includes a lemon vinaigrette that pairs well with lemon butter cod. If you’re not a fan of arugula, you can substitute another vegetable. Spring orzo salad is also a great option. It’s loaded with spring ingredients like asparagus, arugula, and spinach, and topped with a lemon-basil dressing. It’s one of my favorites!
Refrigerator: Store leftover cod in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Do not freeze this recipe. After the second time, the texture and flavor will be “off”.
Reheat: Gently warm the lemon butter cod and sauce in a skillet over low heat.
Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
4 cod fillets, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the cod and cook through, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown on both sides (internal temperature reaches 145°F and the fish flakes easily with a fork). Baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fillet.
1 tablespoon olive oil
Transfer to a plate and tent with foil. If necessary, carefully clean the pan using a damp paper towel to remove any browned bits.
Melt the butter in the same frying pan over low heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Do not let the garlic brown. Cook until fragrant.
3 tablespoons butter, 3 cloves garlic
Add the lemon juice and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the juice reduces slightly. Add lemon zest and stir.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Return the cod to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the fillets. Simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes to warm the cod and soak up some of the sauce.
Arrange individual servings of cod on plates and drizzle with lemon butter sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional lemon wedges, if desired.
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, 4 lemon wedges
Cod: Cod fillets are also suitable for this recipe. It’s a little thicker and takes a little longer to cook, but it’s less likely to break. Butter: I usually use Kerrygold salted butter for this recipe. If you use unsalted butter, we recommend adding a little more salt to your recipe. Try different types of fish. Lemon butter sauce pairs well with tilapia, haddock, and flounder. It also goes well with shrimp and scallops. Adjust cooking time as needed. Variation: Use your favorite fresh herbs. You can also cook herbs with the sauce. Try dill or thyme. If you have your own herb garden, lemon-scented herbs such as lemon balm, lemongrass, and lemon verbena are also great. Another option is to add red pepper flakes or a pinch of heavy cream to the sauce.
Provided by: 1fillet with sauce, calorie: 229kcal, carbohydrates: 2g, protein: 26g, fat: 13g, Saturated fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated fats: 1g, Monounsaturated fats: 5g, Trans fat: 0.3g, cholesterol: 84mg, sodium: 436mg, potassium: 614mg, fiber: 0.2g, sugar: 0.3g, Vitamin A: 405IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, calcium: 33mg, iron: 1mg
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should only be used as a rough guide.
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(Tag translation) Garlic
