Baked Cod with Herb Butter (Printable)

Tender cod fillets baked with herb-infused butter for a light, elegant main dish.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless cod fillets (approximately 5.3 oz each)
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Herb Butter

04 - 1/4 cup 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 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
10 - 2 teaspoons lemon juice

→ Garnish

11 - Lemon wedges, for serving
12 - Extra fresh herbs, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Pat cod fillets dry and season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange fillets in the baking dish.
03 - In a bowl, mix softened butter with parsley, dill, chives, minced garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice until fully blended.
04 - Spread the herb butter evenly atop each cod fillet.
05 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
06 - Plate the cod immediately, garnished with lemon wedges and optional fresh herbs.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's done in 25 minutes flat, which means you're eating beautiful food without the stress.
  • The herb butter does all the heavy lifting, turning something plain into something guests think you fussed over for hours.
  • One baking dish means cleanup is barely worth mentioning.
02 -
  • Cold herb butter spread on cold fish will sit on top instead of melting in; always use softened butter or let the fish come to room temperature first.
  • Overcrowding the baking dish traps steam and makes the fish cook unevenly—give each fillet breathing room so air circulates underneath.
  • Lemon zest tastes entirely different from lemon juice; the zest carries the bright, sharp oils while juice is just acid, and you need both for real depth.
03 -
  • Make the herb butter ahead of time and freeze it in a small container; you can pull out exactly what you need for a weeknight dinner without any extra work.
  • If your fish fillets are very thick, you can butterfly them or pound them slightly thinner so they cook evenly without the outside drying out before the inside is done.

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