Baked Cod with Lemon Butter Capers (Printable)
Tender cod fillets topped with bright lemon butter sauce and briny capers. A light, elegant Mediterranean dish ready in under 30 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 cod fillets, skinless and boneless, approximately 5.3 ounces each
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Lemon Butter Sauce
04 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
08 - 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
→ Garnish
10 - Lemon slices
11 - Additional fresh parsley
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to accommodate cod fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper. Arrange fillets in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, and capers. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, then remove from heat.
04 - Spoon the lemon butter sauce evenly over the cod fillets, ensuring all pieces are adequately coated.
05 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until cod is opaque and flakes easily when tested with a fork.
06 - Remove from oven. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and garnish with lemon slices if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce practically makes itself while the oven does the work, giving you those precious extra minutes to pour yourself a glass of wine and relax.
- It has that restaurant-quality presentation that somehow only requires about 10 minutes of actual hands-on effort.
02 -
- Overcooking cod is the surest way to disappointment, so start checking for doneness at the 12-minute mark, especially if your fillets are on the thinner side.
- The residual heat from the baking dish will continue cooking the fish for a few minutes after you remove it from the oven, so plan accordingly.
03 -
- Allow the fish to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking, which helps it cook more evenly and reduces the chance of the dreaded cold center.
- Save the lemon halves after juicing and place them in the baking dish alongside the fish, the heat will release the remaining oils and add subtle aromatics to the dish.