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Get It NowOne of my favorite things ever is showing you my super simple staples for a busy weeknight dinner… like my oven baked cod recipe. Nope, this easy 20-minute meal isn’t fancy. Like many of my other fish recipes, it’s the one for nights I’d rather be with my family instead of in the kitchen. For nights when I’m just tired. For nights I get home and it’s already dinnertime. If you’re having one of those nights, don’t stress — just take a deep breath and bake this cod in the oven.
Why You’ll Love My Baked Cod Recipe
- Perfectly moist, flaky cod – This is a lean fish, so some cod recipes can be easy to dry out. Not this one! I always bake cod this way because it turns out tender, moist, and flaky.
- Bright, lemony, and buttery – The flavor of cod isn’t as rich as my baked salmon or rainbow trout, but that means the lemon butter sauce gets to shine! I love the way it brightens up the fish. (If you’re a fan of this combo with seafood as much as I am, you’ll also enjoy it in my pan fried tilapia, garlic butter shrimp, or halibut recipes.)
- Simple ingredients, big flavor – With just 5 ingredients (plus a little salt and pepper), my baked cod recipe keeps things simple for you… without giving up flavor. It’s the right ones, not how many!
- Quick and easy – This oven baked cod just as fast as my pan fried cod or grilled cod, but more hands-off. I prep it in just a few minutes, and then the oven takes less than 15. The only faster way you can cook cod is in the air fryer, but my baked version only needs your oven.
- Light, yet filling – It’s a fuss-free meal that will fill you up without weighing you down. Thanks, protein!
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for my baked cod recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Cod – I prefer wild-caught, but you can use any cod fish you’ve got. Look for fillets that are about 4 ounces each and similar in thickness, so that they cook at the same rate. You can use larger ones too, they’ll just take a tiny bit longer to bake.
- Butter – Hello, flavor! I use unsalted butter so that I can control the salt separately, but feel free to use salted and just add less salt to the fish. You can substitute olive oil, but obviously the flavor isn’t the same.
- Lemon – You’ll need a fresh lemon (not bottled juice) for my baked cod recipe, because I use both lemon zest and the lemon juice. You won’t regret it!
- Garlic Powder – It’s the most convenient option, but I swap in a couple cloves of fresh minced or crushed garlic when I have the extra time.
- Fresh Parsley – You can also substitute fresh dill, chives, or thyme. I recommend fresh herbs here, since you’ll sprinkle them on at the end. If you need to use dried parsley, reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon and mix it with the lemon butter before brushing it on.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – I keep the spices simple. You can add a dash of paprika, onion powder, Italian seasoning, or even my lemon pepper seasoning if you want something extra.
How To Bake Cod
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Make the lemon butter. Melt the butter in a shallow bowl in the microwave (or a saucepan on the stove also works), then stir in the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Season the fish. Arrange the cod fillets in a baking dish. Pat dry with paper towels, then brush the melted butter mixture over both sides. Season with garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper.
- Bake cod. Place it in the oven and bake until the cod fillets are opaque and flake easily with a fork. (See my tips below to avoid drying it out!)
- Serve. Don’t forget to drizzle the fish with the lemon butter sauce from the pan! I also like to garnish my baked cod recipe with lemon wedges or slices, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley on top.
My Recipe Tips
- I recommend thicker fillets for most cod recipes, which dry out less. You can use regular cod fillets (vertical cuts from the side of the fish) or cod loin (thicker fillet cut from larger fish). Either will work, but I prefer cod loin, which has larger flakes.
- Thaw the fish if you can, but you can also bake from frozen. I usually thaw my fillets first for more even cooking, but my baked cod recipe also works from frozen! Just rinse to remove any ice, pat dry, and proceed with the recipe. Frozen cod will take an extra 5-10 minutes to bake.
- Make sure your baking dish is large enough. A little contact here and there is fine, but give the fillets some space. If they are crowded, baking cod will take much longer and it won’t cook evenly.
- For flaky, tender fish, check the internal temperature. You can go by my estimated baking time below, but I always use my instant-read thermometer to make sure it’s perfect. I recommend removing cod from the oven at 135-140 degrees F, when it’s flaky but still moist. You can aim for 145 degrees F if you like it more well done.
- Variation: Toss in some cherry tomatoes! I do this sometimes and they add this amazing flavor as they burst while baking. It reminds me of my friend’s pan fried cod recipe, except it’s baked… and oh-so-buttery.
How Long To Bake Cod?
I bake cod in the oven for 12-15 minutes at 400 degree F, until it’s opaque and flakes easily with a fork. My general rule of thumb is to cook fish for 10-12 minutes per inch of thickness. But for perfect results, see my tip above for using a thermometer.
Storage Instructions
- Store: If you have leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Don’t store the raw fish with lemon butter sauce before baking it, because it will start to turn into (an oddly flavored) ceviche.
- Reheat: You can use the oven or a hot skillet to reheat. I don’t recommend microwaving baked cod because it gets dry, but it will work if you must.
- Freeze: Cool completely, then transfer to a zip lock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. I line parchment paper between the fillets, so they that I can separate them for faster thawing later.
Serving Ideas
My oven baked cod recipe is seasoned simply, so it goes with just about anything. I usually opt for a vegetable side dish. Here are some of my easy sides to serve with it:
- Asparagus – One of my favorite pairings for fish, and I have so many ways to make it! The easiest is to roast asparagus in the oven at the same time as this recipe for baked cod (in a separate pan), since they need the same temperature. You can also saute asparagus on the stovetop, grill asparagus if it’s nice outside (though I’m not sure if you’d really bake cod on those days!), air fry asparagus for the fastest method, or even wrap asparagus in bacon if you want to get fancy.
- Cauliflower – My love that does it all! Whole roasted cauliflower is amazing when I have time to make it. But let’s be real, for busy weeknights my simple roasted cauliflower (or a mix of broccoli and cauliflower together) or cauliflower rice is more realistic.
- Broccoli – I’ve got a variety of methods to choose from here, too: quick sauteed broccoli (make it while the cod is baking), roasted broccoli, or air fryer broccoli. And I love them all with baked cod.
- Brussels Sprouts – For a heartier veggie, try my oven roasted brussels sprouts or parmesan smashed brussels sprouts. You’ll just need to start them sooner, since they take longer than fish.
- Potatoes – For something starchy, make my simple roasted potatoes (my kids’ fave) or baked sweet potatoes. Or sneak in some veggies with my roasted rutabaga or loaded cauliflower cheese casserole.
More Healthy Fish Recipes
If you like easy baked cod recipes like this one, you might also like some of my other healthy fish ideas:
Tools I Use For This Recipe
- Lemon Squeezer – This little gadget makes it super quick and easy to get all that fresh lemon juice for my baked cod recipe. No seeds or mess!
- Citrus Zester – I hated zesting lemons until I got this one. I can’t even tell you why it works better than others, but it takes me half the time that my last one did.
- Ceramic Baking Dish – Not only does it bake cod perfectly, but it’s also pretty enough to go straight to my dinner table.
Baked Cod Recipe (20 Minutes)
This oven baked cod recipe is tender & flaky, with the best lemon butter sauce! Learn how to bake cod with just 5 ingredients, in 20 minutes.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). You can bake the cod fillets from frozen or thaw them first in a bowl of cold water. (I prefer thawing if you have time, as it makes it easier to brush on the butter without solidifying.)
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Use paper towels to pat the cod fillets dry. Arrange them in a single layer in a 9×13 baking dish.
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In a small bowl in the microwave or saucepan on the stove, melt the butter. Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
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Brush the lemon butter over the cod fillets. Season with garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Flip and repeat both lemon butter and seasoning on the other side.
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Bake for 12-15 minutes (the time will vary by thickness), until the baked cod is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. For moist, tender flakes, aim for an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cod fish fillet
*An average lemon is about 2 tablespoons of juice and 1 teaspoon of zest. If yours is very large, you might not need to use all of it.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
52 Comments
Wendi
0Simple and delicious! Thank you!
Connie Martin
0This was delicious – I wasn’t sure if I’d like it, I’m not much of a lemon lover, but it was so good, Just enough lemon, butter and garlic!! And it was simple and easy to make!
Giangi
0Simple and super delicious, this is one of my favorite recipes.
The flavor is ouy of this world, and the cod, my favorite fish, is baked to perfection.
Thank you.
Erin
0This was so easy and I love the lemon flavor! I usually prefer fried fish but this was great! Thanks.
Allie
0This cod turned out sooo good. I love the hint of lemon too! Def going to keep this recipe to make again.
Gina
0Love the simplicity of this dish while still being super flavorful. Lemon and butter are the perfect combo to bring out the flavor of the fresh cod!
Lauren
0Has anyone tried to add capers to this?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Lauren, I have not tried that but it would probably a nice addition.
Sarah
0You can’t beat these flavors-lemon butter and garlic. They compliment the cod perfectly and this was delicious served with mashed potatoes.
Lisa Keay
0Delicious and not complicated!
Heather Mussara
0Not bad, but mine needed more flavor. I scaled the recipe for 4 pieces and spooned the sauce over but it feels like was a bit bland.
Diane
0Delicious recipe! The flavors are subtle and oh so good. The combination of the cod flavor with the lemon and the butter is heavenly. I added mushrooms for presentation purposes. The best part of this recipe is the right amount of lemon to butter combination. Sometimes less is better. This recipe lets the flavor of the cod stand out. I served this over angel hair pasta and had carrots and brussels sprouts as the veggie. This dish is just as good as any plate you would get in a fancy NY restaurant.
Derrick Pohl
0Weird. I cooked Pacific cod pieces 1/2” to 1” thick in clear Pyrex 9×13” pan at 400 F, confirmed with two thermometers in oven, for 25 minutes from a mostly thawed state & couldn’t get internal temperature to go above 120 F even though fish was obviously cooked to perfection. Could it be because my meat thermometer is not the instant-read type? Takes up to a minute to give temperature reading.
Tastes great once sauce in pan is poured over it. Bland without that, which might explain an earlier bad review someone left.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Derrick, It does sound like maybe you are having an issue with your meat thermometer.
Julie van der Wekken
0Excellent simple recipe that compliments the flavor of the cod. Thanks so much!
patty auricchio
0I am from New England an I must say that this recipe is awesome… I also use this recipe for baked haddock but I add bread crumbs to the haddock dish.. Either way it’s definitely relishes with minimal ingredients an minimal time to prepare!!! That’s saying alot coming from a person who grew up in a home of professional fisherman!!!
Lisa
0Absolutely delicious!! The only changed I made was using ghee in place of unsalted butter. Recipe is a keeper!
Terri
0I peeled, cut potatoes into larger squares, and boiled until soft. In a bowl, I melted butter, dry parsley, and garlic powder in microwave. It was salty, so I added a teaspoon of vinegar. Once melted, I added and tossed the potatoes. They were great served with baked lemon cod. Will make again.
Charsetta
0Was looking for something to make for dinner with my Cod and this popped up in the search. Tried it and it was a hit stayed with in my healthy eating guidelines.
Sarah
0This looks great, thank you for sharing the recipe! It’s also important to slow down, enjoy every bite, and savor your food. It can lead to better digestion and absorption of nutrients, improved mood and healthier weight.
Dan
0Really nice! Thanks for the recipe. I just held off the garlic as not a lover of it.
Sandra W.
0JENNIE:
Did you make this as is? Even before KETO, I just buttered it, and sprinkled both sides with sweet paprika, then baked it. Smoked paprika could also be tried.
Anther thing you may want to try is (not with the paprika, but just by itself) is dill, either from a spice bottle or fresh. Don’t smother it on….use just a touch. You can always use more to your liking when it comes to using spices.
Both spices go well on flounder, if you can find it.
Come back & let us know how it turned out for you. Good luck.
Sandra W.
Jan
0Love the lemon cod recipe!
Jennie
0I made the recipe exactly as written, but found it was almost inedibly bland. Definitely will not make again.
Lina
0Yum! Super easy and a family favorite.
Katie
0Lemon and cod are meant to be together. This is so bright and flavorful!
Becky
0I don’t have lemon and was wondering if I can substitute lemon juice concentrate instead. If so, how much? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Becky, I would suggest 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
A.J.
0Fabulous recipe! Easy but oh so good! This is my go to recipe when I want fish in a hurry!
Amy
0This recipe is so buttery and flavorful! I will never make it any other way again. It was perfection.
Natalie
0I love cod & baking it is the best way to cook it!! The lemony flavor is so fresh!
Kristyn
0I need to eat more fish!! This recipe is perfectly tasty & the fish just melts in your mouth!
Toni
0This is really good!! I will definitely make it again!
Matt
0I have always loved using lemon with fish. This lemon-baked cod recipe is so good and incredibly easy to make. Such a great fish recipe. Can easily do the same with salmon as well.
Steve
0Super easy to make and my family loved it. Just delicious!
Joanne
0Easy & delicious!
Connie
0Two quick questions:
1. Can lime be substituted for lemon?
2. How can it be so low in calories with so much butter?
Thank you.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Connie, Yes, lime is fine if you prefer that flavor. This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of butter and serves 8. If you have more questions you can refer to our nutrition policy.
kazy
0Hi Connie. 1/4 cup of butter is 57 grams divided by 8 servings means you’re only consuming 7 grams of butter. Hope that helps in understanding why the calories are so low.
Stephanie
0Delicious, simple recipe. I keep organic lemon juice in my fridge because I use it so often so I didn’t happen to have any fresh lemons on hand but it was still tasty and I look forward to trying it with the zest next time. I also used Kerrygold Garlic Herb Butter so I didn’t need any extra salt/pepper. I served it with cauliflower mashed potatoes, big hit at our house.
Judy
0I’m trying to eat more fish. This was delicious.
SJ
0This sounds good. Can you grill this?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi SJ, Yes, you can grill this fish either in foil packets or on oiled grill grates.
Owen
0Love your recipes but the amount of pop ups on your website is irritating beyond belief.. I’m all in favour of people making money but come on.. you close one, 3 more open. not impressed and really hope that you can do something about it.. 🙁
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Owen, Thanks for your feedback! I now have a completely ad-free version of the website. It’s called Wholesome Yum Plus and you can start using it right away!
Sandra
0Baked cod is a favorite in this house. Would you believe that I’ve never tried lemon butter on it? Lemon anything goes well with so many foods. Here’s our favorite way to have cod, & I sure hope that it can be paired up with the lemon butter: thaw the fish, pat dry. Melt butter in a 1/2 sheet pan lined with non-stick foil. Melt the butter (1/2 of a stick) just until melted. Put the cod on sheet of wax paper and dust it with sweet paprika on one side. Place cod in pan with the paprika side down in the butter. Brush on some of the butter from the pan and dust that side with the paprika. Bake at 350 degrees until it just starts to turn opaque and flip it over to the other side. Remove when fish can be easily flaked with a fork.
Paprika is the only thing ever used when I baked it. I leave the salt & pepper to my guys to put on for themselves. Now, after seeing your recipe, I will have to try it this way, still leaving the salt & pepper to the guys. Can’t wait to see if they like the garlic powder & buttered lemon. This really sounds like a winner here.
Krissy
0Really good fish recipe and super easy to make. More fish in our diets is always a good thing.
Emily
0This is such a simple and easy way to bake fish! Definitely, a weeknight staple and the lemon adds the perfect amount of zing.
Chris
0Lemon and cod is a match made in heaven! Your photos are making me drool so bad!!
Irina
0I am used to making cod recipes, but I have just discovered a single ingredient that I have never added, which is garlic powder. Next time I bake the cod, I will try your way of cooking.
Laverne
0My granddaughter is on a keto diet and this really made our day. We love cod and this makes us not miss the breaded variety. Simply delish!!!
Helen
0I really love the fish you can buy at Aldi, such good value and I’ve always found it to be good quality. This is a delicious recipe, and so easy to make that it really is ideal for any day of the week. Perfect with lots of green veggies.