Baked Cod with Herb Butter (Printable)

Flaky cod fillets baked with a fragrant, zesty herb butter for a light, satisfying main course.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless, boneless cod fillets (approximately 5.3 oz each)

→ Herb Butter

02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
03 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
04 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
05 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
06 - 1 garlic clove, minced
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - 1 tsp lemon juice
09 - ½ tsp salt
10 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ For Baking

11 - 1 tbsp olive oil
12 - Lemon wedges, to serve

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Combine softened butter, parsley, dill, chives, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until thoroughly mixed.
03 - Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels and place them evenly in the prepared baking dish.
04 - Spread the herb butter mixture evenly over each fillet.
05 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and becomes opaque throughout.
06 - Serve immediately accompanied by lemon wedges.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The fish stays impossibly tender because the herb butter keeps it moist while it bakes, and you barely do anything to achieve it.
  • It tastes like you spent an hour cooking when you actually spent ten minutes chopping.
  • Works for weeknight dinners or when someone's coming over and you need to feel confident.
02 -
  • Wet fish steams instead of bakes, so paper towels are your silent hero. Dry those fillets thoroughly, even if it feels like overkill.
  • The herb butter should be spread while soft and cool, not melted. If it starts to separate or become greasy, you've overworked it, and the herbs won't hold together the same way.
03 -
  • If you can't find fresh dill, fresh tarragon works beautifully in its place, bringing a subtle anise flavor that's equally elegant with cod.
  • Make the herb butter the morning of and keep it in the fridge. When you're ready to bake, it'll come back to room temperature quickly and spread like a dream.

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