Description
A light, flaky baked cod recipe with a bright and fresh lemon dill sauce that’s perfect for elegant dinner parties or simple weeknight meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 fresh cod fillets (6 oz / 170g each), wild-caught if possible
- 2 medium lemons (1 for zest and juice, 1 for slices)
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (45g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (15ml)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease your baking dish with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Pat your cod fillets dry with paper towels. Place the fillets in the baking dish in a single layer. Drizzle olive oil over each fillet and season generously with salt and pepper. Lay thin lemon slices on top of each piece.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to brown it.
- Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, and chopped dill. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the cod fillets, spreading it around with a spoon.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the cod flakes easily with a fork and is opaque throughout. Thicker fillets may require a couple more minutes.
- Optional: Sprinkle fresh parsley over the top for color and extra brightness.
- Serve immediately, spooning any extra lemon dill sauce from the pan over the fish.
Notes
Let the cod sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before cooking to ensure even cooking. Pat the fish dry to avoid watery sauce. Keep a close eye on garlic when cooking to prevent burning. For crispier edges, broil for 1-2 minutes at the end. The lemon dill sauce can be made ahead and gently reheated before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cod fillet (6 oz /
- Calories: 210
- Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 2
- Protein: 25
Keywords: baked cod, lemon dill sauce, easy fish recipe, dinner party recipe, healthy fish, quick seafood