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GET IT NOWMy Baked Cod Recipe Is Flaky, Buttery, And So Easy
One of my favorite things ever is showing you my super simple staples for a busy weeknight dinner… like this baked cod. This easy 20-minute meal isn’t fancy. Instead, 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. Here’s why it’s perfect for those:
- Perfectly moist, flaky cod – This is a lean fish, so some cod recipes can be easy to dry out. Not this one!
- 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, you’ll also enjoy it in my pan fried tilapia, garlic butter shrimp, or halibut recipes.)
- Quick and easy – My oven baked cod recipe has fast, hands-off prep and needs just 5 ingredients (plus a little salt and pepper). The only faster way I’ve cooked cod is in the air fryer, but this baked version only needs your oven.
If you’re having one of those nights, don’t stress — take a deep breath and bake cod in the oven with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my baked cod recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- 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
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Mix 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 in the oven. It’s done when it’s opaque and flake easily with a fork, but see my tips below to avoid drying it out!
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 all my 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.
- 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.
- A quality lemon squeezer and citrus zester makes cooking this dish much more enjoyable. I had others in the past, and I hated juicing and zesting lemons. The ones I’ve linked here are what I have now — they make it fun, effortless, and take half the time!
- Make sure your baking dish is large enough to have space between fillets. If they are crowded, baking cod will take much longer and it won’t cook evenly.
- How long to bake cod? My general rule of thumb is to bake cod for 10-12 minutes per inch of thickness, 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.
Baked Cod Recipe (20 Minutes)
My oven baked cod recipe is tender and flaky, with a dreamy lemon butter sauce! It takes just 20 minutes, with 5 simple ingredients.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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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.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cod fish fillet
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get moist, flaky, and evenly cooked fish every time, plus one of my favorite variations.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Don’t prep the raw cod with lemon butter sauce without baking it, because it will start to turn into (an oddly flavored) ceviche.
- Reheat: I usually reheat baked cod in the oven again, but my air fryer also works well. I don’t recommend microwaving fish because it dries out.
- Freeze: You can freeze the fillets in a zip lock bag for up to 3 months. I line parchment paper between them, so I can separate them for faster thawing later.
- Note on the lemon: 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.
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Baked Cod Recipe
Serving Ideas
My 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, air fry asparagus for the fastest method, or even wrap asparagus in bacon if you want to get fancy.
- Broccoli Or Cauliflower – Whole roasted cauliflower is amazing when I have time to make it. But let’s be real, for busy weeknights my simple roasted cauliflower, roasted broccoli, or a mix of broccoli and cauliflower together is more realistic.
- Brussels Sprouts – For a heartier veggie, try my roasted brussels sprouts or smashed brussels sprouts. You’ll just need to start them sooner, since they take longer than baked cod.
- 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 Fish Recipes
If you like my easy baked cod recipe, you might also like some of my other ways to cook fish:
88 Comments
patty auricchio
1I 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!!!
Leigh
0This was simple, elegant, easy and divine! My husband and I own a restaurant and I cook dinner for us on our nights off, making sure we (and he especially) have some healthy meals before the madness begins again. I added whole cherry tomatoes as suggested, topped with fresh parsley and served with spinach-pesto mashed potatoes and a big colorful salad that used up all the odds and ends left over in the walk-in. Fresh but satisfying on a cold winter night! I’ll make this many, many more times, thank you!
Wholesome Yum D
0Leigh, I love hearing this! What a gorgeous sounding dinner, and using up the odds and ends from the walk-in is such a pro move. The cherry tomatoes and that spinach-pesto mash sound incredible together. So glad this one earned a spot in your off-night rotation!
Lori Zold
0I cooked the cod from frozen and it took 30 minutes. This is my only criticism. The flavor is fabulous. I served it with cauliflower rice pilaf.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor, Lori! Mine doesn’t usually take that long even from frozen, but your fillets were probably thicker than the ones I usually get. Either way, I’m glad it turned out well. Enjoy!
Ed
0I love this recipe. I use it for black cod. I prepare it using the bake setting on a Ninja – Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Countertop Indoor Grill. It is easy to prepare and always comes out perfect.
Wholesome Yum D
0Thanks for the kind words, Ed! I’m so glad it works well with black cod and your Ninja Foodi. 🙂
Robyn
0I made this while we were staying in a cottage in Kangaroo Island, not long after we went Keto. I used fresh dill instead of parsley. So simple but delicious, thank you 🙏
Wholesome Yum D
0That sounds like such an amazing place, Robyn! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and I bet the fresh dill was a perfect swap. Thanks for taking the time to share!
AG Tex
0Great recipe for a quick and easy dinner! It disappeared in a flash!
Wholesome Yum D
0That sounds like a hit! I love hearing that it came together quickly and disappeared just as fast, always the sign of a keeper recipe.
Sherry
0I have fixed the baked cod twice now and loved it! The lemon juice, zest and butter combo really makes it. My husband loves it too. It’s a keeper for sure, and fish is so good for you. Thanks Maya!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Sherry! I’m glad you both love it.
Ilko
05star rating, best delicious easy recipe
Pattie W.
0I’m making this tonight. The picture and video look like there is so much of the lemony liquid in the baking dish. Yum! After brushing the fish with the mixture,do you just pour the remaining mixture in the baking dish?
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Looking forward to your reply.
Pattie
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Pattie, I brush all the lemon mixture on the fish. Some of it does drip off into the pan, and more liquid collects at the bottom as it cooks. You’re right that this sauce at the bottom is delicious to drizzle on the baked cod. Let me know what you think when you try it!
Melanie
0Lovely recipe! I don’t usually care for fish, but this recipe has sold me on eating fish! Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Melanie! I’m so glad my recipe helped you like fish.
Juli
0This is easy to make and tasty. I usually overcook fish, but this came out moist and full of flavor. My husband on a low sodium diet and this recipe is perfect. Finished it with fresh parsley and dill and served with rice pilaf and salad. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Juli! I’m so glad my recipe helped you cook your fish perfectly. That sounds like a delicious meal.
LeAnn Morgan
0The flour just ends up mushy. Would be much better browned before baking.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi LeAnn, It sounds like you didn’t follow my reicpe. It does not contain any flour. This is a moist, flaky cod, not a seared or fried one.
Karen
0This is a super easy and incredibly delicious recipe. I made it for Valentine’s Day dinner. It was huge success! Thanks, Maya. I will definitely be making it again.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you liked it, Karen! Hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day.
Pat Fitzpatrick
0Easy peasy with ingredients most people have on hand, even if you use bottled lemon and garlic powder. Turns out just as yummy. Just catch the doneness at the right time and you are sure to hear some goodness moans.
Bonnie
0Love it! Use it all the time! Thank you for posting!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Bonnie! So glad to hear that!
Mary
0I’m not a cook, so I appreciate the simplicity of the recipe. My husband and I enjoyed it. I had to adjust a little for a 2 serving recipe, but it wasn’t scary for me. I suppose now that I’m older, I can adjust recipe amounts a tiny bit. The butter was amazing (Kerrygold Costco knockoff). Thank you for your help in the kitchen with a simple fish recipe.
Ollie
0Made this for dinner last night, and it was delicious! The lemon zest added a great touch. I used fresh cod from the market, which made it extra tasty.
D Lewis
0This is a great recipe. It’s light, delicious and can be scaled for the size of your family. Kids will love this.
Kristen
0I’m typically not one for fish, but this was delicious!
Kelly
0The lemon butter was so good on this cod. Just so bright and delicious!
Kristyn
0So light & refreshing!! Love the lemon flavor! We’ll be making this all summer!
Nic
0Tried this last night, and it was incredible! The lemon zest added a refreshing touch, and the butter made it so rich. Even my picky eater asked for seconds!
Bennie Muncher
0I went over this site and I believe you have a lot of superb information, saved to fav (:
Karen
0I have made this once before and it was very well received. This time, I’m going to reduce some dirty dishes by melting the butter directly in the Pyrex glass baking dish in the microwave while the oven is preheating. Continue with the recipe and roll all sides of the fillet directly into the butter mixture in the Pyrex. Easy peasy. Oh, and I only used 1/2 the amount of butter and then added avocado oil, feels a little healthier without compromising flavor.
Nate
0I made this today and my kids (7yo and 20month old) both loved it. Husband is not a fish lover and still thought it was lovely. 200ºC was a bit high so fish over cooked slightly. The thermometer trick didn’t work, temp wasn’t going up past 45 ºC (new thermometer) but I could see it was cooked so not an issue. Perhaps because they were thin slices but delicious all the same. Thank you! ❤️
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!
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!