Baked Cod Recipe (20 Minutes) - Wholesome Yum (2024)

One of my favorite things ever is showing you my super simple staples for a busy weeknight dinner… like my oven baked cod recipe. Nope, this easy 20-minute meal isn’t fancy. Like many of my other fish recipes, it’s the one for nights I’d rather be with my family instead of in the kitchen. For nights when I’m just tired. For nights I get home and it’s already dinnertime. If you’re having one of those nights, don’t stress — just take a deep breath and bake this cod in the oven.

Why You’ll Love My Baked Cod Recipe

• Perfectly moist, flaky cod – This is a lean fish, so some cod recipes can be easy to dry out. Not this one! I always bake cod this way because it turns out tender, moist, and flaky.
• Bright, lemony, and buttery – The flavor of cod isn’t as rich as my baked salmon or rainbow trout, but that means the lemon butter sauce gets to shine! I love the way it brightens up the fish. (If you’re a fan of this combo with seafood as much as I am, you’ll also enjoy it in my pan fried tilapia, garlic butter shrimp, or halibut recipes.)
• Simple ingredients, big flavor – With just 5 ingredients (plus a little salt and pepper), my baked cod recipe keeps things simple for you… without giving up flavor. It’s the right ones, not how many!
• Quick and easy – This oven baked cod just as fast as my pan fried cod or grilled cod, but more hands-off. I prep it in just a few minutes, and then the oven takes less than 15. The only faster way you can cook cod is in the air fryer, but my baked version only needs your oven.
• Light, yet filling – It’s a fuss-free meal that will fill you up without weighing you down. Thanks, protein!

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for my baked cod recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

• Cod – I prefer wild-caught, but you can use any cod fish you’ve got. Look for fillets that are about 4 ounces each and similar in thickness, so that they cook at the same rate. You can use larger ones too, they’ll just take a tiny bit longer to bake.
• Butter – Hello, flavor! I use unsalted butter so that I can control the salt separately, but feel free to use salted and just add less salt to the fish. You can substitute olive oil, but obviously the flavor isn’t the same.
• Lemon – You’ll need a fresh lemon (not bottled juice) for my baked cod recipe, because I use both lemon zest and the lemon juice. You won’t regret it!
• Garlic Powder – It’s the most convenient option, but I swap in a couple cloves of fresh minced or crushed garlic when I have the extra time.
• Fresh Parsley – You can also substitute fresh dill, chives, or thyme. I recommend fresh herbs here, since you’ll sprinkle them on at the end. If you need to use dried parsley, reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon and mix it with the lemon butter before brushing it on.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper – I keep the spices simple. You can add a dash of paprika, onion powder, Italian seasoning, or even my lemon pepper seasoning if you want something extra.

How To Bake Cod

This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Make the lemon butter. Melt the butter in a shallow bowl in the microwave (or a saucepan on the stove also works), then stir in the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
2. Season the fish. Arrange the cod fillets in a baking dish. Pat dry with paper towels, then brush the melted butter mixture over both sides. Season with garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper.

3. Bake cod. Place it in the oven and bake until the cod fillets are opaque and flake easily with a fork. (See my tips below to avoid drying it out!)
4. Serve. Don’t forget to drizzle the fish with the lemon butter sauce from the pan! I also like to garnish my baked cod recipe with lemon wedges or slices, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley on top.

How Long To Bake Cod?

I bake cod in the oven for 12-15 minutes at 400 degree F, until it’s opaque and flakes easily with a fork. My general rule of thumb is to cook fish for 10-12 minutes per inch of thickness. But for perfect results, see my tip above for using a thermometer.

Storage Instructions

• Store: If you have leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Don’t store the raw fish with lemon butter sauce before baking it, because it will start to turn into (an oddly flavored) ceviche.
• Reheat: You can use the oven or a hot skillet to reheat. I don’t recommend microwaving baked cod because it gets dry, but it will work if you must.
• Freeze: Cool completely, then transfer to a zip lock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. I line parchment paper between the fillets, so they that I can separate them for faster thawing later.

Serving Ideas

Myoven baked cod recipe is seasoned simply, so it goes with just about anything. I usually opt for a vegetable side dish. Here are some of my easy sides to serve with it:

• Asparagus – One of my favorite pairings for fish, and I have so many ways to make it! The easiest is to roast asparagus in the oven at the same time as this recipe for baked cod (in a separate pan), since they need the same temperature. You can also saute asparagus on the stovetop, grill asparagus if it’s nice outside (though I’m not sure if you’d really bake cod on those days!), air fry asparagus for the fastest method, or even wrap asparagus in bacon if you want to get fancy.
• Cauliflower – My love that does it all! Whole roasted cauliflower is amazing when I have time to make it. But let’s be real, for busy weeknights my simple roasted cauliflower (or a mix of broccoli and cauliflower together) or cauliflower rice is more realistic.
• Broccoli – I’ve got a variety of methods to choose from here, too: quick sauteed broccoli (make it while the cod is baking), roasted broccoli, or air fryer broccoli. And I love them all with baked cod.
• Brussels Sprouts – For a heartier veggie, try my oven roasted brussels sprouts or parmesan smashed brussels sprouts. You’ll just need to start them sooner, since they take longer than fish.
• Potatoes – For something starchy, make my simple roasted potatoes (my kids’ fave) or baked sweet potatoes. Or sneak in some veggies with my roasted rutabaga or loaded cauliflower cheese casserole.

More Healthy Fish Recipes

If you like easy baked cod recipes like this one, you might also like some of my other healthy fish ideas:

• Lemon Squeezer – This little gadget makes it super quick and easy to get all that fresh lemon juice for my baked cod recipe. No seeds or mess!
• Citrus Zester – I hated zesting lemons until I got this one. I can’t even tell you why it works better than others, but it takes me half the time that my last one did.
• Ceramic Baking Dish – Not only does it bake cod perfectly, but it’s also pretty enough to go straight to my dinner table.