Baked Cod with Garlic-Chili Butter and Lemon Zest
Tender cod fillets baked under a vibrant garlic-chili butter topped with fresh lemon zest for a bright and flavorful seafood dish. This Mediterranean-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs cod fillets, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 260 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces, about 6 oz each cod fillets
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp, melted unsalted butter
- 3 cloves, minced garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp olive oil
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat dry 4 cod fillets and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Place fillets in a baking dish brushed with 1 tbsp olive oil.
- Step 2: In a small bowl, combine 4 tbsp melted unsalted butter, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 1/2 tsp red chili flakes. Pour this garlic-chili butter evenly over the cod fillets.
- Step 3: Bake for 12-15 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Remove from oven and sprinkle 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley over the top before serving.









