Lemon Garlic Baked Cod
Juicy, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make, this Lemon Garlic Baked Cod is the perfect weeknight dinner. With just a few simple ingredients, it’s packed with flavor and so versatile—serve it with rice, potatoes, or even use it in fish tacos for a delicious twist.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 8-10 skinless cod fillet portions about 4-6 oz each
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4-6 garlic cloves minced
- salt ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons dry herbs and/or seasoning blends garlic powder, onion powder, dry chives, parsley, paprika, etc.
- 2 lemons zest and juice of one lemon for the garlic mixture, the second lemon for serving
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley minced (or to taste) dill, chives, rosemary, thyme are also good options
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Ensure the oven is fully preheated before placing the fish inside.
- In a pan, melt butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant and slightly golden, about 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the garlic—if it gets too dark, it will become bitter. Turn off the heat once the garlic is golden, as it will continue cooking from the residual heat.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice into the pan and zest the lemon using a microplane (using one lemon). The lemon juice will stop the garlic from cooking further.
- Arrange the cod fillets on a rimmed baking sheet. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and your choice of dry herbs and spices.
- Spoon the garlic-lemon mixture evenly over the fish. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, like parsley, dill, or chives.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to overcook, as fish can dry out quickly.
- Finish and serve. Once the fish is done, squeeze more fresh lemon juice over the top and garnish with extra fresh herbs. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- When seasoning the fish, feel free to use your favorite dry herbs and spices. I personally love Trader Joe's Onion Salt and Aglio Olio seasoning. If using seasoning blends that contain salt, be mindful of how much additional salt you add. Other great options are Lemon Pepper and Old Bay.
- You can also experiment with different fresh herbs. In addition to parsley, I love dill and chives, but rosemary, thyme, or basil are also great. it's an easy way to create different flavors.
- If you're not a fan of cod, this recipe works wonderfully with other firm white fish such as halibut, tilapia, or haddock, sea bass, snapper, rainbow trout or even salmon for a slightly different taste.
- This recipe is perfect for Cod Fish Tacos—just cut the fish into portions and serve in soft tortillas with your favorite toppings.
