10+ Cod Fish Recipes You’ll Love to Try at Home

Cod fish just makes sense in the kitchen. It’s mild, flaky, and holds up well whether you’re baking, frying, or tossing it into a stew. You can really do a lot with it, and it doesn’t demand fancy ingredients or complicated steps.

Maybe you’re just looking for something quick after a long day. Or maybe you want to impress someone with a cozy, home-cooked meal. Cod’s got your back either way.

You’ll find recipes here that keep things simple, with ingredients you probably already have. No culinary gymnastics required—just honest, good food.

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Ingredients

• Cod fillets
• Olive oil or butter
• Garlic
• Lemon
• Salt
• Pepper
• Fresh herbs like basil or parsley
• Tomatoes or other vegetables (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) if baking.
2. Season the cod with salt, pepper, and any herbs you like.
3. Heat oil or butter in a pan if pan-searing, or place cod in a baking dish if baking.
4. Cook cod for 4-6 minutes per side when pan-searing, or bake for 12-15 minutes.
5. Add garlic, lemon juice, or sauce during the last few minutes of cooking for extra flavor.
6. Serve immediately with your choice of sides.

1) Pan-Seared Cod in White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce

This pan-seared cod comes together fast and packs a punch. The fish cooks until it’s just flaky, then you drown it in a sauce of white wine, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and plenty of fresh basil.

The sauce is tangy from the tomatoes and bright from the herbs. It’s ready in about 15 minutes, so you’re not stuck at the stove all evening.

Serve it with rice or just tear off a chunk of crusty bread to mop up every bit.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds cod fillets
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Pat cod dry and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Cook cod for 3-4 minutes per side until flaky.
4. Remove fish and set aside.
5. Add garlic to the skillet and sauté until fragrant.
6. Add tomatoes and cook until soft.
7. Pour in white wine and simmer for 2 minutes.
8. Stir in basil, then return cod to the pan for a minute.
9. Serve cod with sauce spooned over it.

For more details, see this pan-seared cod in white wine tomato basil sauce recipe.

2) Baked Cod with Lemon and Garlic Mediterranean Style

If you want something easy but still a little special, try this baked cod with lemon, garlic, and Mediterranean flavors. It’s done in about 20-25 minutes, so you won’t be waiting forever.

Just preheat your oven, toss the cod in a baking dish, and pile on the garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Throw in some tomatoes, olives, and onions if you’re feeling it.

As it bakes, the fish gets tender and flaky. The lemon and garlic make it taste really fresh.

Pair this with rice or a green salad for a light meal.

Ingredients:

• 4 cod fillets
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup olives, sliced
• 1 small onion, sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Place cod fillets in a baking dish.
3. Add garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil over the fish.
4. Scatter tomatoes, olives, and onions around the cod.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until fish flakes easily.

3) Garlic Butter Cod with Rich Butter Sauce

Garlic butter cod is one of those recipes you’ll want to make on repeat. Melt some butter in a pan, add garlic, and let it sizzle for a minute.

Drop in the cod and cook until it’s opaque and flakes with a fork. Baste the fish with the garlic butter as it cooks to keep it juicy.

If you want a little crunch, dust the cod with seasoned flour before cooking. That helps the sauce cling and gives the fish a bit more texture.

Ingredients

• Cod fillets
• Butter
• Garlic cloves, minced
• Salt
• Pepper
• Seasoned flour (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.
2. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Season cod fillets with salt and pepper.
4. (Optional) Lightly coat fillets in seasoned flour.
5. Add fillets to the pan and cook until opaque, about 3-4 minutes per side.
6. Spoon garlic butter sauce over fish while cooking.
7. Serve warm.

You can find more tips and details on cooking garlic butter cod at 40 Aprons.

4) Dad’s Baked Cod by a 2x James Beard Award Winning Chef

This baked cod recipe comes straight from a chef with over 50 years of kitchen wisdom. It’s simple, honest, and just plain good.

Season the cod with salt and pepper, lay on some lemon slices and thyme, and bake until it’s flaky. That’s it.

Serve it with steamed veggies or rice if you want to keep things easy.

Ingredients

• 2 cod fillets (about 7 ounces each)
• Salt to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Place the cod fillets on a baking dish.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Lay lemon slices and thyme on top of the fish.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
6. Serve immediately.

More details can be found on this Dad’s Baked Cod recipe page.

5) Pan Seared Cod with Garlic White Wine Sauce

This pan-seared cod with garlic white wine sauce is a winner for busy nights. The fish cooks fast and stays tender.

Season your fillets, sear them until golden, and set aside. Sauté garlic in butter, splash in some white wine, and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Pour that sauce over the cod and serve. Simple, but kind of fancy, right?

Ingredients

• 4 cod fillets
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine

Cooking Instructions

1. Season cod with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
3. Cook cod for 3-4 minutes per side until golden.
4. Remove cod and keep warm.
5. In the same pan, melt butter and add garlic.
6. Pour in white wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
7. Pour sauce over the cod and serve.

For more details, visit this pan-seared cod with garlic white wine sauce recipe.

6) Lemon Butter Cod with Flaky Fish and Bright Lemon

Lemon butter cod is just so fresh and comforting. The fish stays moist, and the lemon and butter combo brightens everything up.

You don’t need much time or effort here. Cook the cod in a simple lemon butter sauce, and you’re done.

The lemon gives a clean zing, while the butter adds richness. It’s not heavy, just really satisfying.

Ingredients

• 4 cod fillets
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Place cod fillets in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
4. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Stir in lemon juice and parsley, then pour sauce over the cod.
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.

7) Fresh Cod with Herbs and Lemon in Under 20 Minutes

If you’re short on time, this one’s for you. Fresh herbs and lemon give cod a bright lift without any extra fuss.

Just bake the fillets with lemon slices and herbs. The fish comes out moist and full of flavor, and you’ll be sitting down to eat in under 20 minutes.

A little garlic and a handful of parsley or thyme go a long way. That lemon zing really wakes up the mild cod.

Ingredients

• 4 cod fillets
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Fresh parsley or thyme, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Place cod fillets in a baking dish.
3. Drizzle olive oil over the fish.
4. Sprinkle garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper on top.
5. Add lemon slices over the fillets.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Try this easy, fresh cod recipe for a quick and healthy meal. Learn more at Let’s Eat Cuisine.

8) Perfect Ten Baked Cod with Butter, Lemon, and Crackers

This baked cod is about as easy as it gets, but it tastes like you spent ages on it. You just melt some butter, toss in crushed buttery crackers, and use that for a crunchy topping.

Pop the cod in the oven at 400°F (205°C) for 10 minutes. When time’s up, take it out and pour over lemon juice and white wine.

Spoon the cracker mixture on top of the fish. Slide it back into the oven for a few more minutes so everything turns golden and crisp.

Honestly, this is the kind of weeknight dinner that feels a bit fancy but doesn’t ask much of you.

Ingredients

• 4 cod fillets
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup buttery round crackers, crushed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup white wine

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
2. Melt butter and stir in crushed crackers.
3. Place cod fillets in a baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and pour lemon juice and wine over the fish.
5. Spread cracker mixture on top of each fillet.
6. Bake for another 5 minutes until golden and cooked through.

9) Easy Pan Fried Cod with Lemon Butter Sauce

You can whip up this cod dish in no time. Just season your fillets with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a pan until it’s shimmering. Lay the cod in and let it cook for about 3-4 minutes per side.

You’re looking for golden color and a flaky texture. While the fish cooks, melt butter and stir in fresh lemon juice for a quick sauce.

Pour the lemon butter over the finished cod. I usually serve this with steamed veggies or a scoop of rice—keeps things light and fresh.

Ingredients

• 4 cod fillets (6 ounces each)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Cooking Instructions

1. Season cod fillets with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
3. Cook cod for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and flaky.
4. Melt butter in a small pan over low heat.
5. Stir in lemon juice into the melted butter.
6. Pour lemon butter sauce over the cooked cod.

10) Pan Fried Cod with Garlic Tomatoes (Bacalao Frito)

Here’s a cod recipe that’s simple but packed with flavor. You pan-fry the fish until it’s golden and tender.

Then you top it with a garlic tomato sauce that’s bright and a bit rustic. The whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes—pretty handy for a weeknight.

You just need fresh tomatoes, garlic, and a splash of olive oil. The garlic and tomatoes simmer down into a sauce that’s honestly perfect for sopping up with bread or spooning over rice.

Ingredients

• 4 cod fillets
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat.

2. Toss in the cod fillets. Let them cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, just until they turn golden.

3. Take the cod out and set it aside for now.

4. Using the same pan, add the garlic. Sauté it for a minute—don’t let it burn!

5. Throw in the tomatoes, sprinkle in a bit of salt and pepper, and let everything cook for another 5-7 minutes. The sauce will thicken up nicely.

6. Slide the cod back into the pan. Just warm it through—no need to overdo it.

7. Finish with a handful of fresh parsley on top. Serve right away.

If you want more details (or just like watching food videos), check out Spain on a Fork’s Pan Fried Cod with Garlic Tomatoes.