Baked Cod with Herb Butter (Printable)

Tender cod fillets baked in a rich, lemony herb butter sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless, boneless cod fillets (6 oz each)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Herb Butter

04 - 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
08 - 1 garlic clove, minced
09 - Zest of 1 lemon
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Garnish

11 - Lemon wedges
12 - Additional chopped herbs (optional)

# Step-by-step:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Pat the cod fillets dry using paper towels and season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - In a small bowl, mix softened butter with parsley, dill, chives, minced garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice until thoroughly combined.
04 - Arrange the cod fillets in the prepared baking dish and evenly spread the herb butter over each piece.
05 - Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and appears opaque throughout.
06 - Serve immediately with lemon wedges and a sprinkle of extra chopped herbs, if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in under 30 minutes with ingredients you probably already have.
  • The herb butter is forgiving enough for beginners but impressive enough to serve to people you want to impress.
  • One pan means one cleanup, and the fish stays impossibly tender every single time.
02 -
  • Overcooked fish is dry fish—it goes from perfect to ruined in about two minutes, so start checking at 15 minutes and trust your eyes, not a timer.
  • Making the herb butter in advance (up to two days) actually deepens the flavors and gives you a huge head start on weeknight stress.
03 -
  • If you find yourself with extra herb butter, freeze it in small portions—it's a lifesaver for finishing pasta, roasted vegetables, or any white fish you throw on a pan.
  • Don't skip the lemon zest; it adds brightness without making the dish feel acidic or heavy, and it's the little thing that makes people ask what you did differently.

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