Lemon Garlic Butter Cod (Printable Version)
Flaky cod fillets simmered in a rich lemon garlic butter sauce for a light, flavorful main dish ready in 25 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Fish & Main
01 - 4 cod fillets (about 5 oz each), skinless and boneless
→ Sauce
02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - Juice and zest of 1 lemon
05 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
07 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
→ Optional Garnish
08 - Lemon wedges
# How to Make It:
01 - Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat until melted and foaming.
03 - Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
04 - Gently place the cod fillets in the skillet. Cook for 3–4 minutes on the first side, then carefully flip using a thin spatula.
05 - Add the remaining butter, lemon juice, and zest to the pan. Baste the fish with the melting butter sauce as it cooks for another 3–4 minutes, or until the cod is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
06 - Sprinkle with chopped parsley and remove from the heat. Serve immediately, spooning extra lemon garlic butter sauce over each fillet. Garnish with lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The entire dish comes together in under 25 minutes but tastes like something youd order at a nice dinner spot
- That butter sauce is liquid gold and somehow makes even basic weeknight plates feel special
02 -
- Dry fish equals crispy seared edges, so do not skip the paper towel step no matter how rushed you feel
- The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork and looks opaque throughout
03 -
- Keep the heat at mediumtoo high and your butter might brown before the fish cooks through
- Warm your plates in the oven for five minutes so the sauce stays fluid longer