Pan-Seared Cod with Garlic and Lemon Butter Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-24 · Updated 2026-05-24

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Light and flaky cod fillets pan-seared to golden perfection and finished with a zesty garlic lemon butter sauce. This Spanish-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs cod fillets, olive oil, unsalted butter for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 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.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 Spanish cuisine 320 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 fillets (6 oz each) cod fillets
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat dry 4 cod fillets and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cod fillets skin-side down and sear for 4-5 minutes until golden and crisp.
Step 3: Flip the fillets gently and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until cooked through and opaque.
Step 4: Reduce heat to medium-low and add 3 tbsp unsalted butter and 4 minced garlic cloves to the pan. Sauté garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 5: Stir in 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, spooning the sauce over the fillets for 1 minute.
Step 6: Remove from heat and serve immediately with the garlic lemon butter sauce drizzled on top.