How do you bake lemon and garlic cod?

To bake baked lemon-garlic cod, you'll first coat the fish in a mixture of fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and minced garlic. Then, scatter diced butter and thin lemon slices over the top and bake at 400°F (200°C) until the fish is flaky and cooked through.

Is it better to bake cod, covered or uncovered?

It's better to bake cod uncovered. Baking uncovered allows the butter sauce to bubble and reduce slightly, creating a more flavorful, concentrated sauce and ensuring the fish bakes rather than steams, resulting in a perfectly flaky texture.

How long to cook cod in lemon butter sauce?

For this recipe, you cook the cod in lemon butter sauce for about 15 to 20 minutes at 400°F. The best way to tell it's done is to check if it flakes easily with a fork; that means it's perfectly cooked.

What are some common mistakes when baking cod?

A common mistake when baking cod is overcooking it, which makes the fish dry and rubbery. Another is not patting the fish dry first, which can cause it to steam in the oven.

What temperature is best for baking cod?

For this baked lemon-garlic cod, I find that 400°F (200°C) is the perfect temperature. It cooks the fish through quickly while keeping it incredibly moist and tender.

What's a good seasoning for cod?

For this recipe, the combination of salt, black pepper, garlic, and lemon is all you need! It creates a vibrant, simple flavor that highlights the freshness of the fish.

The Best Baked Lemon-Garlic Cod with Butter Sauce

Description

Tender, flaky cod fillets baked in a vibrant lemon-garlic and butter sauce. A light, flavorful, and incredibly easy weeknight meal.

Ingredients

Scale

1 ½ pounds cod loin fillets, patted dry

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 cloves garlic, minced

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

¼ cup unsalted butter, diced into small pieces

1 small lemon, thinly sliced (for topping)

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
Place the patted-dry cod fillets in the prepared baking dish in a single layer. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and minced garlic.
Pour the lemon-garlic mixture evenly over the top of the cod fillets.
Scatter the diced butter pieces evenly over the fillets. Arrange the thin lemon slices on top.
Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cod is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork.
Remove from the oven. Spoon the buttery pan sauce over the fillets. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

Don’t skip patting the cod dry! This is my number one tip. Excess moisture can make the fish steam instead of bake, leading to a watery sauce and a less-than-perfect texture.

Use fresh ingredients. The fresh lemon juice and minced garlic are the stars of this show. Jarred alternatives just won’t give you that bright, vibrant flavor.

Don’t overcook the fish. Cod is very lean and can dry out quickly. Start checking on it around the 15-minute mark.

Spice it up! You can add a pinch of smoked paprika, a dash of dried dill, or a little bit of red pepper flakes to the garlic mixture for a little extra kick.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 265 kcal
Sugar: 0.5g
Sodium: 215mg
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Unsaturated Fat: 10g
Carbohydrates: 2g
Fiber: 0.5g
Protein: 25g
Cholesterol: 70mg

Keywords: baked cod, lemon garlic cod, butter sauce, fish recipe, easy dinner, healthy dinner, weeknight meal