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 seafood recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs cod fillets, panko breadcrumbs, and fresh parsley for a weeknight-friendly dinner. 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 "Build a week of meals around this recipe" 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 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
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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.









