Baked Herb-Crusted Cod with Lemon Butter Sauce
Delicate cod fillets baked with a fragrant herb crust and finished with a bright lemon butter sauce, ideal for a light Father’s Day dinner. This Mediterranean-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs cod fillets, panko breadcrumbs, fresh parsley for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 310 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 fillets (6 oz each) cod fillets
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cloves, minced garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
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Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. In a shallow bowl, mix 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, and 1 tsp lemon zest.
- Step 2: Pat dry 4 cod fillets (6 oz each) with paper towels and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
- Step 3: Brush each fillet with 3 tbsp olive oil, then press the herb-panko mixture firmly onto the top side of each fillet to form a crust.
- Step 4: Place fillets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12-15 minutes until the crust is golden and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Step 5: While the fish bakes, melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice.
- Step 6: Drizzle the warm lemon butter sauce over the baked cod fillets before serving.







