Baked Cod with Herb Butter (Printable)

Flaky cod fillets baked in fragrant herb butter with hints of lemon and fresh herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless, boneless cod fillets (5.3 oz each)

→ Herb Butter

02 - 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
06 - 1 garlic clove, minced
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ For Baking

11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - Lemon wedges, to serve

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil.
02 - In a small bowl, blend the softened butter with parsley, dill, chives, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper until fully incorporated.
03 - Pat the cod fillets dry using paper towels and lay them evenly in the greased baking dish.
04 - Distribute the herb butter mixture evenly over the surface of each cod fillet.
05 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and is opaque throughout.
06 - Serve immediately, accompanied by lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The fish stays impossibly tender because you're not overthinking it—just butter, herbs, and gentle heat.
  • People always assume it took longer than it did, which feels like you've pulled off something clever.
  • It works for weeknight dinners and dinner parties with equal ease, no recipe pivoting required.
02 -
  • Don't bake longer than 18 minutes—overcooked cod becomes dry and mealy, and those two minutes make the difference between moist and ruined.
  • Pat the fish dry before it hits the oven; if you skip this, the top won't brown properly and the butter never quite adheres.
  • Use real fresh herbs, not dried—dried herbs can taste slightly bitter when raw in butter, and this dish depends on bright, fresh flavor.
03 -
  • Make the herb butter ahead and store it in the fridge—it keeps for three days and means dinner comes together in minutes.
  • If your fillets are unusually thick, tent them loosely with foil for the first five minutes so they cook through gently without the top drying out.

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