Baked Cod Garlic Butter Herbs (Printable View)
Tender cod fillets baked in garlic butter with fresh herbs for a light, flavorful dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 cod fillets, skinless and boneless, about 5.3 oz each
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garlic Butter
04 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
05 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Herbs
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped or 1 teaspoon dried dill
10 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
→ Optional Garnish
11 - Lemon wedges, for serving
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper or grease lightly.
02 - Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper. Arrange fillets in a single layer in the prepared dish.
03 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir in chopped parsley, dill, and thyme.
04 - Spoon the garlic herb butter evenly over each cod fillet, ensuring thorough coverage.
05 - Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork and is opaque throughout.
06 - Serve immediately, optionally garnished with fresh herbs and lemon wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The fish stays impossibly tender and moist because the butter and herbs protect it while baking, no drying out in sight.
- You'll have the kitchen smelling incredible within minutes, which somehow makes you feel like you actually know what you're doing.
- Four ingredients transform into something that tastes like you spent hours planning when really you just melted some butter and chopped herbs.
02 -
- Pat your fish completely dry before seasoning—moisture is the enemy of a nicely browned exterior and ruins the texture of the final dish.
- Don't skip the lemon zest because it adds brightness and complexity that juice alone cannot deliver no matter how much you use.
- Oven temperatures vary wildly, so check your fish at the 12-minute mark rather than assuming it needs the full 15.
03 -
- Buy your fish last when shopping so it stays as cold as possible, and ask the fishmonger to make sure it's been properly iced.
- If you're nervous about timing, insert a fork into the thickest part of the fillet—when it flakes easily without any translucent center, you're done.