Turn simple fish fillets into the most delicious meal with this easy recipe for Lemon Butter Pan Seared Cod. Flaky fish is cooked in a skillet until golden brown and finished with a decadently rich garlic butter sauce with bright lemon juice.
Pan Seared Cod is ready in 20 minutes, and perfect for any night of the week!
You are going to love this easy recipe for Pan Seared Cod with a simple and delicious lemon garlic butter sauce! It comes together so quickly, with the best savory flavors, and everyone loves it.
This is truly the best cod recipe! You may even get the pickiest eaters to try fish with this one.
I made this last night and it was a perfect recipe. It was amazing and I will make it again. We eat fish (mostly cod) a couple times a week. Thanks for the recipe.
Keli
Looking for more delicious and easy fish recipes? I have so many for you to try!
Honey Garlic Salmon is also made on the stove, with the most amazing sweet and savory sauce. Lemon Butter Baked Tilapia and Beer Battered Fried Fish are fish dinner winners too!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Amazing Flavor – On its own, cod is a mild fish, and benefits greatly from the rich, savory notes of garlic, butter, and spices. A kick of lemon juice makes cod fillets absolutely perfect!
- Quick and Easy – Compared to other proteins, fish fillets cook up very quickly in a skillet on the stove. This recipe, including the delicious pan sauce, will be ready to serve in just 20 minutes.
- Versatile Recipe – This method for pan-seared cod can be used with other types of fish, such as tilapia, haddock, catfish, or pollock.
Ingredients For Lemon Butter Cod
Here’s what you need to make this amazing fish dinner:
- Cod Fish Fillets: Start with fresh cod, or buy frozen fillets and thaw them out completely before cooking. Look for fillets that are about 1 inch thick or less.
- Flour: A coating of all-purpose flour helps to brown the fish and aids in thickening the sauce.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and oregano are delicious together!
- Chicken Stock: to make the sauce thick and savory.
- Butter: Use butter and oil to pan-sear the cod, and use cold butter to finish the garlic sauce.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives this sauce so much amazing flavor.
- Lemon Juice: The bright tang of fresh lemon juice finishes off the sauce perfectly. I also like to serve fish with lemon wedges.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Cook Cod on the Stove
- Season the Fish: Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels. Combine flour with seasonings, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then sprinkle the seasoning blend all over the fillets.
- Pan Sear the Cod: Start by heating olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cod, and sear for 3-4 minutes.
- Flip: Cook on the other side for 3-4 minutes, until fully cooked and golden brown. Remove from the skillet and transfer to a plate.
- Make the Sauce: To the same skillet, add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Then add chicken stock and allow it to reduce for 6 or 7 minutes. Stir in cold butter so it’s emulsified with the sauce, and continue to cook and thicken until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and parsley, and season to taste before pouring the sauce over the cooked cod fillets and serving.
Tip!
Keep the cod warm while you make your sauce and side dishes! This is especially important since it cooks so quickly. Place it on a plate and cover with foil.
Recipe Tips
- To quickly thaw cod fillets, place them in a plastic zip-top bag, and then place the bag in a large bowl filled with cod water. Weigh down the bag with a plate. Replace the water as needed to keep the fish at a cool temperature. Your fillets will be thawed in less than an hour this way!
- If you have more time, you can also thaw frozen fish fillets in the fridge overnight.
- Dry the fish with paper towels before seasoning and cooking. This will ensure that you get beautiful browning on the fillets.
- The best type of skillet to use when cooking fish is a non-stick skillet. Cod can very easily get stuck to other types of pans, and that makes it difficult to flip over and serve!
- Another great tool for cooking fish is a fish spatula! I highly suggest getting one of these if you don’t already have one.
- Avoid overcooking the fish, as it will be tough and rubbery.
Oh my goodness, this was so easy, but so tasty! I love the fresh flavor the lemon juice adds to the garlic butter sauce. Delish!
Kara
Storing Tips
You can store leftover cooked fish in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure that it is in a well-sealed container.
To reheat, place the fillets in a pan and heat over medium-low heat until warmed through to your liking.
What To Serve With Pan Seared Cod
This tasty fish dinner goes so well with your favorite side dishes!
Make it a pasta night and serve lemon butter cod with my easy creamy lemon pasta or cheesy lemon ricotta pasta.
If your family loves potatoes, my roasted fingerling potatoes are so delicious, creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Twice baked potatoes with bacon and cheese are a great option for a fancier meal too.
Recipe FAQs
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°F (63°C)
You should pan-fry cod fillets for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until they’re fully cooked. If your fillets are particularly large, they may need a few extra minutes in the pan.
I usually prefer to remove the skin before cooking, but you can cook it with the skin on if you prefer. Cook the skin side first until it’s nice and crispy before flipping over.
More Pan Seared Seafood Recipes
All Seafood Recipes →
This easy recipe for pan seared cod is easy enough for a weeknight meal, and also fancy enough for a dinner party. Don’t forget to save the recipe!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Lemon Butter Pan Seared Cod
Equipment
- Fish Spatula
Ingredients
- 4 6-ounce (170 g) cod fillets about 1 inch thick
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons (40 g) unsalted butter cold, divided
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels. Then in a small bowl, combine flour with the seasonings, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the seasons all over the cod from all sides.
- In a large non stick skillet, over medium high heat, heat olive oil and melt 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Add the cod, and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until fully cooked and golden brown. The internal temperature must reach 145°F (63°C). Remove from the skillet, and transfer to a serving plate.
- To the same skillet, add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Then add the stock, and allow to reduce over medium heat (takes 6-7 minutes). Add the remaining cold butter, and stir it in so it’s emulsified with the sauce (it will help the sauce thicken).
- The sauce is ready when it coats the back of your spoon, and when you run your finger through it, you get a sharp line. Remove from heat, add lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and add in the chopped fresh parsley. And stir to combine.
- Pour the sauce over the cooked cod fillets, and serve immediately.
Notes:
- To quickly thaw cod fillets, place them in a plastic zip-top bag, and then place the bag in a large bowl filled with cod water. Weigh down the bag with a plate. Replace the water as needed to keep the fish at a cool temperature. Your fillets will be thawed in less than an hour this way!
- If you have more time, you can also thaw frozen fish fillets in the fridge overnight.
- Dry the fish with paper towels before seasoning and cooking. This will ensure that you get beautiful browning on the fillets.
- The best type of skillet to use when cooking fish is a non-stick skillet. Cod can very easily get stuck to other types of pans, and that can make this recipe difficult.
- Avoid overcooking the fish, as it will be tough and rubbery.
- To Store: You can store leftover cooked fish in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure that it is in a well-sealed container.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Jas5489 says
Delicious! 4 minutes per side seems long, but don’t be afraid to let it cook. Fish was flaky and perfect.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
That’s a great tip! Thank you so much for the great feedback.
Angie Grant says
I made this tonight! It was awesome! My husband said it was his new favorite way to eat fish! I used halibut that he caught! Pan searing with the seasoned fish gives it that extra! A little crispy on the outside, and cooked perfectly on the inside! Loved the sauce, it set it off! Yum!
Diana says
Hi Angie, thank you for sharing this with me! I bet it tasted even better since you used freshly caught fish!