Baked Cod with Garlic Butter (Printable)

Tender, flaky cod fillets baked in garlic butter and fresh parsley. An elegant, easy Mediterranean dish ready in 25 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 cod fillets, approximately 5 ounces each
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garlic Butter

03 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
04 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
06 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional

→ Herbs and Garnish

07 - 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
08 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to accommodate all fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest if using.
04 - Arrange cod fillets in the prepared baking dish. Spoon garlic butter mixture evenly over each fillet.
05 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
06 - Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The garlic butter forms this incredible protective blanket that keeps the fish impossibly moist while infusing flavor throughout every bite.
  • Its the kind of elegant dish that looks and tastes like restaurant fare but requires almost zero culinary skill - my kind of kitchen victory.
02 -
  • Overcooking cod is tragically easy - I've turned perfect fillets into rubbery disappointments by just a few extra minutes in the oven, so start checking at the earliest suggested time.
  • The residual heat in the dish continues cooking the fish even after you've removed it from the oven, so take it out when it's just barely done.
03 -
  • For a golden top with extra flavor, switch your oven to broil for the final minute - but watch it like a hawk as the garlic can burn in seconds.
  • Warming your serving plates in the oven for a few minutes before plating keeps the delicate fish hot all the way to the table, preserving that perfect just-cooked texture.

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