Description
Cod lovers rejoice – pan fried cod with lemon butter sauce delivers delicate fish perfection straight from your kitchen skillet. Rich butter and zesty lemon create an elegant dinner that comes together faster than you can slice a lemon wedge.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 4 cod fillets
Cooking Fats:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F until shimmering.
- Pat your cod fillets dry with paper towels and generously sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper across both sides.
- Carefully place the 4 cod fillets into hot skillet, positioning them skin-side down or presentation-side down for 4 minutes without moving.
- Gently flip each fillet using a thin spatula and cook the opposite side for an additional 3-4 minutes until edges turn golden brown and fish flakes easily.
- Transfer cod to a clean serving plate, keeping warm.
- Reduce skillet heat to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons butter, allowing it to melt completely.
- Toss 2 minced garlic cloves into melted butter, stirring constantly for 30-45 seconds until fragrant.
- Squeeze fresh juice from 1 whole lemon directly into the skillet, whisking butter and lemon together for 1 minute.
- Pour warm sauce directly over each cod fillet, ensuring complete coverage.
- Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley across the top as a final garnish before serving immediately.
Notes
- Let the cod come to room temperature before cooking to ensure even browning and prevent sticking.
- Pat the fish dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps create a crispy golden exterior.
- Choose fresh cod with firm, white flesh and no strong fishy smell for the best flavor and texture.
- If watching calories, replace butter with olive oil and use a light spray to reduce fat content while maintaining a delicious pan-fried result.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Cod
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 234 kcal
- Sugar: 0.4 g
- Sodium: 215 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg