Garlic Butter Cod Fish

By: Olivia Updated: 12/15/22

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This cod fish recipe combines fresh fish fillets with a flavourful garlic butter sauce. Make this easy cod fish recipe for a quick one-pan dinner! This is one of my favourite cod recipes and I’m sure you’ll love it too.

close up of white fish fillets garnished with scallions cooking in cast iron skillet

When the day is busy or stressful, making a meal with lots of steps can be overwhelming. Simple recipes make it easy to have a healthy, balanced meal made from fresh ingredients so you don’t end up turning to take out on a nightly basis.

During my busy week, I love cooking with fish like salmon, tuna, swordfish or cod because they have no time at all to be cooked like this cod fish recipe that is ready in less than 20 mins. They are also great if you’re following a healthy diet because they do hold many nutrients, vitamins, minerals, omega-3s and other health benefits. But it’s good to know that Cod and other lean fish are lower in omega-3 fatty acids than fatty fish like salmon.

This flavorful cod recipe uses just a few ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Even better, both the fish and the sauce are cooked in the same pan, meaning there are fewer dishes to wash later!

If you’re looking for more fish recipes, you will love these recipes too: 3-Ingredient Tilapia Skillet Recipe, Garlic Butter Rainbow Trout in Foil Recipe, Garlic Butter Halibut Fish Recipe and Garlic Butter Salmon Recipe.

pieces of garlic butter cod cooking in cast iron skillet

How to make this cod fish recipe

This cod recipe couldn’t be simpler, but yet it’s a very tender and flavorful fish recipe! Just cook the fish in a pan on the stove, then baste with garlic butter sauce.

Ingredients

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Cod fish fillets – This is an affordable white fish that takes on the flavors it’s cooked with. Haddock, Pollack, or Mahi Mahi would make great substitutes. Feel free to use fresh or frozen versions of cod. Just be sure that it is fully thawed before you use it.
Olive oil – Or use another neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point like vegetable, avocado, or safflower oil.
Spices: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper. Optional: some cayenne pepper
Unsalted butter – I suggest using unsalted butter as it’s easier to control the salt levels as salted butters all vary in the amount of salt in them.
Garlic – I prefer freshly minced garlic over jarred minced garlic.
Lemon zest – lemon zest adds a nice bright flavour to your dish. Or you can also squeeze a little bit of fresh lemon juice.
Green onions or fresh parsley, for garnish.

Instructions

Season the fish

Pat the fish dry with a paper towel so the seasonings adhere better to the surface. It will also help the fish crisp on the outside when seared. If the fish is wet, the seasoning will have trouble sticking and the fish will steam in the pan instead of crisp up.

Season both sides of the cod fillets with the spices. It may help to mix them together in a small bowl so you can evenly distribute the seasoning overtop the cod.

Next, sear the fish on both sides in hot oil. Continue cooking until the fish flakes apart, flipping again halfway through. If you have a fish spatula, it’s makes flipping much easier. Melt the butter in the pan with garlic and lemon zest. Coat the fish in the garlic butter by spooning it overtop.

Cod in garlic butter sauce in a cast iron.

Remove the pan from heat and transfer the fish to a serving dish. Avoid letting the cod cool in the pan as the residual heat will continue to cook the fish. Then, sprinkle chopped green onions over the top and serve with your favorite sides.

Close up of five garlic butter cods in a cast iron pan.

Recipe notes

Storage – Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating – Heat in the microwave or on the stove until the fish is warmed through. You may need to add a splash of water or more butter for added moisture.
Meal prep – This cod fish recipe makes enough for a week’s worth of lunches. Simply add one fillet to each meal prep container along with your side of choice.
Freezer – You can freeze the cooked garlic butter cod once it’s reached room temperature. Transfer the cod into an airtight freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to a month. Due to how delicate the cod can be, a container is best to keep it from getting squished while it’s freezing. If you have the space, let the cod freeze in a bag while laying flat before moving it around to prevent it from breaking.
Special tools– While it’s possible to make this dish with a regular spatula, it’s well worth it to invest in a quality fish spatula. It’s designed to cradle delicate fillets and easily flip them without them breaking apart.

Cod Fillets vesus Cod Loins:

Cod fillets are vertical cuts from the body (from the backbone down to the belly). Cod loins are thick fillets cut from larger fish. If you replace cod fillets for cod loins in this recipe, please adjust the cooking time if your fillet is large.

making a garlic butter cod recipe by cooking cod fillets in garlic butter

Frequently Asked Questions

How does cod taste?

In general, the main varieties of cod are Pacific cod and Atlantic cod but both are firm, mild and flaky.
Cod is a popular fish that has lean protein (unlike Salmon, which is a very fatty fish) and it’s a sweeter white fish, meaning it doesn’t have a prominent fishy taste to it. It takes on seasoning really well so since this is cooked with garlic butter, the cod will taste of garlic butter.

What makes cod fish tough or rubbery?

Cod should be flakey and moist. If your cod is tough or rubbery, that means you’ve overcooked it. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to fix it but you could always repurpose the cooked cod into a stir fry or salad.

How to tell when cod is cooked

The easiest way to check for doneness is to insert a fork into the thickest part of the fish. Gently twist the fork at an angle; if it is cooked properly, the fish should flake apart easily.
Also, it will look opaque rather than shimmery and translucent once it’s cooked through. To be sure, check the internal temperature. It should be between 140 and 145 degrees F.

How can I thaw frozen fish?

If you have frozen cod, you can thaw them overnight in the fridge. If you’ve forgotten to thaw them, you can place them (in a bag if needed) in a large bowl of cold water. Switch out the water whenever it gets to room temperature. It should take around 30 minutes for the fish to thaw, just like shrimp. If you’re in the mood for shrimp instead, try my Garlic Butter Shrimp Skillet Recipe, Shrimp and Sausage Vegetable Skillet, or and of these 35 Healthy Shrimp Dinner Recipes.

Is the lemon needed?

A touch of lemon zest really makes the garlic butter cod fish taste fresh and bright. It’s a little touch that really makes a difference!

What to serve with this garlic butter cod fish

Because this recipe has such simple, classic flavours, it’s easy to pair with any of your favourite sides. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Tossed green salad makes a delicious addition to this fish.
Mashed sweet potatoes, regular mashed potatoes or Roasted Butternut Squash Mash – This side dish is ready in 30 minutes, with almost no hands-on time.
Roasted Cauliflower – We love this recipe. Cauliflower is so crispy and flavourful. This cod fish recipe also goes well with Roasted Sweet Potato.
Sauteed zucchini, carrots, asparagus or green beans.

Other easy seafood recipes

For something a little different, make my recipe for Easy Grilled Fish Tacos. It’s another great way to add lots of flavor to cod fillets. Or try one of these other recipes for dinner: