Why You’ll Love It:
Quick and Easy: Ready in less than 30 minutes, this recipe is great for busy nights.
Heathy and Light: Cod is a lean fish, high in protein, and cooking it with herbs and a little butter encourages flavor while remaining light.
Adaptable: Pair it with your favorite sides, from roasted veggies to a salad.
Awesome Flavor Profile: Cod is mild, almost bland on its own, and the garlic-lemon-fresh herb combination takes cod to the next level.
Key Ingredients:
Cod Fillets: Use fresh or frozen fillets (if using frozen, thawed), with a meaty texture. Cod is mild in flavor, making it a perfect vehicle for the garlic, lemon, and herbs in this dish.
Butter and Olive Oil: Softened butter and olive oil create a creamy texture for the herb butter, with the olive oil keep it light and heart-healthy.
Garlic and Lemon: Mincing garlic and adding fresh lemon juice adds to the fish’s flavor, not masking it. Lemon wedges provide some visual interest and additional brightness.
She andthyme, dill, and paprika For fresh herbs, dried thyme and parsley both work fine — but use half as much.
Full ingredients with amounts and instructions are in the recipe card below
Directions:
Preheat the Oven:
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Prepare the Herb Butter:
In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and olive oil, lemon juice, minced/extruded garlic, chopped parsley, thyme, paprika, dill, and salt. Stir to make a fragrant herb butter.
Prepare the Baking Dish:
Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of the herb butter to smear the bottom of a small baking dish to prevent sticking and add more flavor.
Add the Cod Fillets:
Place the cod fillets in the baking dish and spoon on top of about 1 tablespoon of the herb butter per fillet, covering it well. For flavor and a nice presentation, scatter lemon around the fillets.
Bake:
Bake in the very hot oven for 20 minutes, or until the cod flakes easily when poked with a fork and is cooked through.
Serve:
Serve the herb butter baked cod warm, garnished with extra fresh herbs, if desired.
Serving Suggestions
Vegetarians: Serve along with roasted asparagus, steamed green beans or a side of sautéed spinach for a well-rounded opportunity.
Grains: Serve with rice pilaf, quinoa, couscous to catch the herb butter.
Salad: green salad with a light vinaigrette is a cool complement to the flavors and keeps the meal light.
Lemon Wedges: More lemon wedges on the side to squeeze in extra fresh citrus flavor.
Storage and Reheating Tips:
Refrigerating: Store leftover food in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days at most.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a 300-degree oven or microwave on low so you don’t dry out the fish.
Freezing: Cod is best enjoyed fresh, but to keep the texture as good as possible, freezeAt least 10 minutes before cooking. But if you do freeze it, use a freezer-safe container, and the soup will be good for up to 1 month frozen; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Variations:
Spicy Version: Stir a sprinkling of red pepper flakes into the herb butter for a little heat.
Mediterranean Twist: Add a handful of cherry tomatoes, some sliced olives and a few capers to the baking dish to give your dish a bold Mediterranean twist.
Herb Variation: You can also replace either the thyme or dill with fresh basil or rosemary, even chives — whatever herbs you love or have around.
Parmesan Crust: Sprinkle a thin layer of grated Parmesan over the cod before baking for a cheesy, savory finish. It’ll meld into a lovely golden crust.
Butter-Free Option: Replace with all olive oil and double the amount: to keep the fish moist and flavorful without any butter.
Conclusion:
This one is elegant yet super simple to make, Baked Cod with Lemon & Garlic, bursting with fresh flavors. With the tang of lemon, the warmth of garlic and the heft of herb-seasoned butter, it’s a recipe that makes weeknight dinners feel special. Eating light never tasted soooo good!
