This easy baked cod recipe comes together in just over 20 minutes, but there is a reason it is a big fan favorite! Tender, perfectly flaky cod, tossed in bold Mediterranean spices and baked with a tasty garlic and lemon sauce.
Fish is one of the staples of the Mediterranean diet, so my family tries to eat fish about twice per week.
Luckily, there are so many ways to prepare a tasty fish dinner. Sometimes, I go for a big baked salmon, a hearty fish soup, or something different like a saucy Moroccan fish.
But one of my favorite go-to dinners is this easy lemon baked cod! And it is the #1 fish recipe on my site, for good reason!
Why this cod recipe works?
Cod fillet is a beautiful fish that is quick to cook, tender and mild-tasting so you can easily give it some big flavors!
This baked cod recipe takes on some bold Mediterranean flavors with a tasty garlic and lemon sauce and a few warm spices, including coriander, paprika, and cumin.
Best part? You can make this lemon baked cod in just over 20 minutes from start-to-finish!
Can I use frozen cod fish in this recipe?
Fresh vs. frozen? This is one of the questions I get regularly about cooking with fish. More often than not, frozen is the better option for quality wild-caught fish.
Depending on where you live in the States, the “fresh” fish you may find sitting on ice at the fish counter was likely frozen and thawed before it was displayed. Whereas, flash frozen fish is caught and quickly frozen at the peak of its freshness, and it is often more affordable.
If you find quality frozen fish fillet (sometimes labeled cod loin), it will work in this baked cod recipe but be sure to thaw it properly before use.
How to thaw frozen fish?
Frozen fish fillets thaw quickly in about 15 to 20 minutes. Here is how:
- First, be sure to leave the fish in its vacuum-packaging. If it is not in some sort of packaging, place it in a zip-top bag (do not place it water “naked”).
- Arrange the vacuum-sealed fish in a bowl and cover it with cold tap water. Do NOT use warm or hot water; This creates more risk for bacterial growth and will also affect the texture of the fish,
- Check after 15 to 20 minutes to see if the fish feels tender and thawed through. If it is hard in some parts, leave it in for a little big longer.
How to bake cod and what temperature is best?
First, what temperature should cod be cooked at? For baked cod, I typically set my oven to 400 degrees F. How long? Depending on the thickness of your cod fillet, it could take about 10 to 15 minutes in the oven.
In this cod recipe, I use about 1 1/2 pounds of cod fillet, and it helps to use a large oven-safe baking dish or a cast-iron skillet. Here is how to make it:
- First, start by lightly coating the cod fillets in some well-seasoned flour. To do this, prepare a dredging station.
- In one shallow bowl prepare the lemon sauce by mixing together 5 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, and 2 tbsp melted butter.
- In another shallow bowl, mix together 1/3 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp ground coriander, 3/4 tsp sweet Spanish paprika, 3/4 tsp ground cumin, and 3/4 tsp kosher salt.
- Dip the fish in the lemon sauce, then coat it well with the flour mixture. Keep the lemon sauce for later use.
- Sear the fish. To give the cod some good color and texture, sear it in olive oil for about 2 minutes on each side.
- Add the lemon sauce. Now, to the lemon sauce, add 5 minced garlic cloves (so much flavor), then pour it over the cod.
- Bake in 400 degrees F heated oven for about 10 minutes or until the cod is cooked through. The fish is ready when it turns a beautiful white opaque and flakes easily when you take a fork to it.
- Garnish and serve! I love adding some parsley for a pop of green!
What to serve with this cod recipe?
To complete this fish dinner, I always like to add a big salad and a simple side. I have some ideas that will go perfectly with this cod. To add more Greek flavors, try out our Greek salad. Or give this Lebanese fattoush salad a try. If you’re looking for some beans in your salad, try our Mediterranean bean salad or chickpea salad.
For vegetarian sides, you might want to try out these hearty recipes: roasted broccoli, asparagus with salsa, or stuffed zucchini boats.
For starchy sides, give these a try: mustard potato salad, Greek-style oven fries, or lemon rice.
And to keep with a Greek theme, why not add a dip like Miletzanosalata (Greek eggplant dip) or Tzatziki with some pita chips to serve!
Can I refrigerate or freeze leftover cooked fish?
When I make this baked cod recipe, I don’t typically have leftovers. And as with all fish recipes, it is best eaten fresh on the day it is cooked, particularly because often times the fish was already frozen before it was cooked.
But, a reader recently asked this relevant question as she cooks for fewer people. Depending on how fresh the fish was to begin with, you can store the leftovers either in the fridge or even in the freezer. First, cool the fish a little, but don’t leave it in room temperature for more than 1 hour before refrigerating or freezing.
Arrange the cod in a shallow glass container with a tight lid and refrigerate for up to 2 days. If you need to warm it up, simply use a medium-heated oven until just warmed through (there is always a chance the fish will be overcooked when you warm it up again).
Generally, cooked fish can be frozen for up to 1 month. My personal preference is not to freeze it, because I feel the texture of the fish changes a little.
More recipes to try
- Whole Roasted Snapper with Garlic and Veggies
- Easy Seafood Paella
- Shrimp Kabobs
- Greek Chicken and Potatoes
- One Pot Chicken and Rice
Craving more? Check out fish recipes. You may also like our to browse top Mediterranean diet recipes.
Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients.
Baked Cod Recipe with Lemon and Garlic
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Cod fillet pieces, 4-6 pieces
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Lemon Sauce
- 5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
For Coating
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 3/4 tsp sweet Spanish paprika
- 3/4 tsp ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, and melted butter in a shallow bowl (do not add the garlic yet). Set aside.
- In another shallow bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, spices, salt and pepper. Set next to the lemon sauce.
- Pat the fish dry. Dip the fish in the lemon sauce then dip it in the flour mixture. Shake off excess flour. Reserve the lemon sauce for later.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron skillet (or an oven-safe pan) over medium-high heat (watch the oil to be sure it is shimmering but not smoking). Add the fish and sear on each side to give it some color, but do not fully cook (about 2 minutes on each side). Remove the skillet from heat.
- To the remaining lemon sauce, add the minced garlic and mix. Drizzle all over the fish fillets.
- Bake in the heated oven until the fish flakes easily with a fork (10 minutes should do it, but begin checking earlier). Remove from the heat and sprinkle chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Serving suggestions: Serve immediately with Lebanese rice and this Mediterranean chickpea salad or traditional Greek salad.
- Cook’s Tip: This recipe has been edited adding step #5 to achieve more color. Be sure to use a fish spatula to carefully turn the fish in the skillet.
- Leftover Storage: If you have any leftovers, let the fish cool a bit, then arrange in a shallow glass container with a tight lid. You can refrigerate for 2 to 3 days, or freeze for up to one month. My personal preference is not to freeze fish as, sometimes, the texture does change.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils and spices.
Nutrition
*This post first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2017 and has recently been updated with new information for readers’ benefit.
Wow! Absolutely delicious!! I am on the AIP diet, so I substituted the butter for more olive oil, the flour with paleo flour blend instead, and no paprika. I didn’t have parsley or coriander…so I used a tiny bit extra cumin. I made my husband’s portion without garlic – he made it into fish taco. We both were blown away by how good this was. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing your substitutions, Michelle! Glad you both enjoyed the recipe!
We just tried this fist with Lebanese rice. Wow, new favorite fish dish!!!
Awesome! Thank you Colin!!
Do you think this will work with baccala, salted cod?
It might! I haven’t personally tried it.
This is a superb recipe,my son and his wife are staying with us at the moment and we are taking turns at meals
The accolade I got for the meal was so good they want it again they couldn’t believe dad could produce such an outstanding meal.
So simple thank millions
Jim gray
Way to go!!! So glad this one was such a hit with the fam!
Can I use lime as I dont have lemon
The taste would be a bit different, but I don’t see why not.
What an amazing recipe! ? My whole family loved it, thank you so much, Suzy ❤️
Awesome!! So glad to hear that, Lada! Thank you!
Really delicious! My husband said he didn’t like cod but after this recipe he changed his mind. Thanks for that as there’s nothing so tasty as hearing your husband say he was wrong.
That’s great to hear, Ashley!
This is very good!! I also added capers with The garlic.
Thank you!
Yum! Thanks for sharing, Peggy!
I’m wanting to try this dish. I looked through the reviews and my only concern is if I use frozen fish then will that cause it to be more mushy? I don’t want it crispy but also not mushy.
I have never had a problem, myself, with frozen fish. I always make sure to pat it dry really well, and that seems to help.
I made this for my family last night and it was delicious. I always make a recipe exactly like it is written the first time I try it, and then make any changes if necessary. There is no need to make any changes to this one. I thought it might be too garlicky (as if that’s really a thing) but it was perfect! I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Awesome! Thanks, Lisa! Glad you liked it!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Cod can be dry but not with this recipe. I’ve already made this a few times, and my family loves it. I only made one fillet per person tonight. My teenage daughter said she was slowly savoring her dinner because she knew there weren’t any more fillets for seconds!
So glad the family enjoys it, Ann!
Great.my family were well impressed they were surprised by their dad,it looked brilliant when it came to the table and it tasted great.
Way to go, Jim!!!! 🙂
Adding this to the rotation! I recently discovered the Mediterranean Dish and have really enjoyed browsing through this blog. Easy to follow instructions and straight to the point recipes, which is refreshing given how many are accessible online; sometimes you just have to get the food on the table and I was happy it was this one! Finally, I have never left a comment on a food blog before (I have used many recipes from many blogs 🙂 but I truly felt connected to this one and though a shout-out was much deserved! Thank you Suzy, I can’t wait to try many more of your delicious, easy to follow, simply sweet recipes!
Thank you so much, Chelsea! What a kind comment. I am so glad to have you here and glad the recipes are working out well for you!
This dish was a winner with my family! We had one more at the table and I wasn’t sure if I had enough fish, so I added some shrimp (dredged in the lemon/butter as well as flour). We like lemon, so I finely diced about 2 T of lemon rind and sauteed that with the garlic.
Served with crunchy stir fried string beans.
I will definitely serve this again.
Thank you!
So glad, Emily! And thank you so much for sharing your ideas!
The flavor on this was excellent, but for some reason the coating became soggy and greasy in the pan. Maybe I didn’t have the temp high enough when I seared it. I’ll try again and hope for better results.
Thanks for sharing, Tara! I hope you do give it another try!
Good flavor, but I couldn’t get the dry mixture to stick to the fish and it only got worse in the fry pay, with most of it falling off.
We loved this dish! I’m not sure if the proportions were identical to the recipe, as I’m an experienced cook, and I tend to eyeball things. I used green garlic as that’s what came in my farm box, and I chopped some dill in with the parsley, because that’s what I had available. One concern I had was a fear that if I used my cast iron pan, it might smell like fish afterwards. Fortunately the flour/spice crust prevented the fish from “leaking” onto the pan, so no fishy odor at all! Will definitely make again soon!
Thanks, Thorina! Glad you enjoyed it!