Easy Baked Cod with Lemon Butter Sauce
A fast, restaurant-quality seafood meal ready in under 30 minutes. Delicate cod fillets are baked in a bright lemon-garlic butter sauce with briny capers for a perfectly moist finish.
Ingredients
- Nonstick spray for greasing the baking pan
- 2 tbsp Unsalted butter melted
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tbsp Fresh garlic finely minced
- 1/2 tsp Sea salt adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes mild background heat
- 2 tbsp Capers drained well
- 4 pieces Cod fillets 6 oz each, about 1 inch thick
- 1/2 tsp Paprika for color
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Do not skip this step; a hot oven ensures the fish flakes perfectly.
- Lightly coat a glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking and aid cleanup.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, sea salt, and red pepper flakes. Gently fold in the drained capers.
- Place cod fillets in the prepared dish. Pour the sauce over the fish, using a pastry brush to coat evenly. Dust the tops with paprika.
- Bake uncovered for approximately 15 minutes. The fish is done when it is opaque white, reaching an internal temperature of 145°F, and flakes easily with a fork.
- Spoon extra pan juices over the fish and serve immediately.
Notes
Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel before adding the sauce to help it cling better. If using frozen cod, thaw overnight in the fridge first. Pair with quinoa or roasted asparagus to soak up the extra sauce!