Baked Cod Garlic Butter (Printable)

Tender cod fillets baked with garlic butter and fresh herbs for a flavorful main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless, boneless cod fillets (6 oz / 170 g each)

→ Garlic Butter

02 - 1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter, melted
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
05 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
06 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Fresh Herbs & Garnish

07 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
08 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
09 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
10 - 1 lemon, sliced for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels and place them evenly in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper until combined.
04 - Pour the garlic butter mixture evenly over the cod fillets, ensuring each is well coated.
05 - Sprinkle chopped parsley, dill, and chives over the fillets.
06 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the cod flakes easily with a fork and is opaque throughout.
07 - Garnish with lemon slices before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes, which means weeknight dinner that feels special without the stress.
  • One baking dish means minimal cleanup, and your kitchen actually smells incredible while it's cooking.
  • The fish stays impossibly tender because you're not fussing with it—just pop it in the oven and let the garlic butter do the work.
02 -
  • Wet fish steams instead of cooks properly, which is why that paper towel step is your secret weapon for actually crispy, flaky texture.
  • Every oven runs hot or cool, so bake for 15 minutes first, then peek inside instead of just setting a timer and hoping for the best.
  • Don't mince the garlic more than a few minutes before cooking, or it starts to turn bitter and sharp instead of sweet and mellow.
03 -
  • Make the garlic butter mixture a few hours ahead and keep it covered at room temperature, then simply pour it over the cold fish right before baking—this saves you a step when you're actually cooking.
  • If your lemon is sitting on the counter and feels hard, microwave it for 15 seconds before squeezing, and you'll get nearly double the juice with half the effort.

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