Lemon Butter Cod (Or Any White Fish!)
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on Jan 20, 2024, Updated Apr 10, 2024
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If you’re in the market for a light dinner that’s on the table in just 20 minutes or less, look no further than this Lemon Butter Cod! Made with fewer than 10 ingredients and easily adaptable for any variety of white fish you have, this easy, buttery lemon fish recipe is about to revolutionize your weeknights.
Ingredients & Substitutions
As promised, you only need a handful of ingredients to make buttery lemon sauce for fish, which transforms basic filets into something truly magnificent. See recipe card below for the full recipe.
- Firm White Fish Filets – Don’t have cod? No worries. This fish butter lemon sauce recipe works beautifully with any relatively firm, flaky white fish like paiche, halibut, sea bass, swai, tilapia, or mahi mahi.
- Butter – I used salted butter here, so feel free to use what you have on hand and just adjust the seasoning as needed at the end. Swap in vegan butter to get all the yummy butter flavor without any of the lactose.
- Olive Oil – Pairing butter with olive oil helps to increase the smoke point so you can get a good sear while still getting all the yummy, buttery flavor.
- Lemon Zest & Juice – Fresh citrus is what takes this lemon butter sauce for fish to stratospheric new flavor heights. To get the most from your fruit, roll it firmly on the counter for 10-15 seconds to release as much juice as possible. Wash, dry, and zest it, then slice it open to juice it.
- Garlic Powder & Onion Powder – These spice staples bring the sweetness of cooked alliums to the party with a quick shake of a bottle.
- Paprika – For a bit of color and warmth.
- Salt & Pepper – For seasoning.
- Cilantro – I always have a bunch of cilantro on hand. Use a few sprigs for garnish if you have them. Any other fresh, tender herbs like parsley, basil, thyme, or oregano are also great as stand-ins.
How To Make Cod with Lemon Butter Sauce
Once you try this cod with lemon butter sauce, you’ll see just how easy it is to make a stellar, restaurant-quality dinner in mere minutes! Here’s how it’s done:
- Make Lemon Butter Sauce. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with olive oil and sea salt, lemon juice, and zest. Stir to combine.
- Make Spice Mix. In a separate bowl, combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Season Fish. Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels. Evenly sprinkle spice mixture onto both sides of fish fillets.
- Sear Fish. In a large, heavy pan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until hot. Cook 2 fish fillets at a time to avoid overcrowding, which allows for even browning. Cook each side 3 to 4 minutes just until fish becomes opaque, feels somewhat firm in the center, and is browned.
- Lightly Drizzle some of the lemon butter sauce as you cook, reserving the rest for serving.
- Serve fish with remaining lemon butter sauce, cilantro, and lemon slices.
Watch this video to see how quickly this dish comes together.
Serving & Topping Suggestions
This lemon butter sauce fish is perfect for serving over a pile of cozy mashed sweet potatoes, cilantro lime rice, al dente pasta, or in a roasted veggie burrito bowl. It can also be turned into cod fish tacos!
Expert Tips
- Allow the fish to reach room temperature in a colander to eliminate any excess water, especially if it was previously frozen.
- Check for pin bones. Run your fingers over the defrosted fish fillets. While they’re rare, they’re also quite unpleasant and can be dangerous. If you find one, pull it out with some kitchen tweezers.
- Pat the fish with paper towels to dry before seasoning and cooking. This step guarantees the achievement of a gorgeous browned exterior on the fillets.
- Cook skin side first, if you have skin-on fillets. The added fat helps to protect the delicate meat, plus getting the skin nice and crispy adds some textural interest.
- Avoid overcooking the fish, as it will be tough and rubbery.
Frequently Asked Questions
I personally think using BOTH is the way to go. Olive oil has a higher smoke point, which means you can get a better sear on the fish. But, butter has all the flavorful charm! When you mix the two, you get the best of both worlds.
Fish is ready to eat when it is white and opaque, and flakes or separates easily with a fork. You can also use a kitchen thermometer to ensure that the center of the fillets is 145 degrees F.
Pan frying produces a delectably browned crust on both sides of the fish, a feat not achievable through baking or steaming.
Storage & Reheating
If you have any leftovers of this cod with lemon butter sauce, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I don’t recommend reheating fish in the microwave. In a skillet, heat a skillet on low, add oil, and add fish. Cover and check every two minutes to ensure it is heating evenly and aren’t overcooking. Flip as little as possible to keep fish from flaking.
Recommended Equipment
More Healthy White Fish & Seafood Recipes
Lemon Butter Cod (Or Any White Fish!)
Ingredients
- 4 firm white fish fillets, about 6 inches long, 1-inch thick (recommend paiche or tilapia)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- zest and juice from 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
- lemon slices for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine melted butter with olive oil and sea salt, lemon juice, and zest. Stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Evenly sprinkle spice mixture onto both sides of fish fillets.
- In a large, heavy pan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until hot. Cook 2 fish fillets at a time to avoid overcrowding, which allows for even browning. Cook each side 3 to 4 minutes just until fish becomes opaque, feels somewhat firm in the center, and is browned.
- Lightly drizzle some of the lemon butter sauce as you cook, reserving the rest for serving.
- Serve fish with remaining lemon butter sauce, cilantro, and lemon slices.
Video
Notes
- Run your fingers over the defrosted fish fillets to check for pin bones. While they’re rare, they’re also quite unpleasant and can be dangerous. If you find one, pull it out with some kitchen tweezers.
- If you have skin-on fillets, I recommend cooking the skin side first. The added fat helps to protect the delicate meat, plus getting the skin nice and crispy adds some textural interest.
- Remember the proper order of operations for your lemons: roll, wash, dry, zest, slice, and juice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
Originally published: March 2019.
This sounds yummy this lemon butter cod. I have several lemon trees and need to use some of the lemons. I will be using swai.
Thanks for all the yummy recipes you post.
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A wonderful recipe for this Lental season, easy and looks delicous. Another great dish, mija. Thanks