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.
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This sounds fantastic! Two quick questions:
1) Would I be able to use Talapia or Basa instead of Cod?
2) I have tried a recipe before where the fish went into the oven and it came out super water. However, in that recipe you didn’t sear the fish first before throwing it in the oven. I guess my question is, does this turn super watery?
Thank you!
Sure, you can use a different white fish fillet in this recipe. And secondly, no, this has not turned out watery for me, and you can certainly view readers reviews/comments to see what their experience has been. This should turn out nice and tender with great flavor.
Great…thank you! I’m very excited to try it!
Really great flavors. A home run.
Awesome, Karen! thank you for sharing!
Step 5 says to heat skillet over medium-high, and then to turn heat to medium-high…. huh?
Thanks for pointing this out, you will keep the heat as is.
This was amazing. I used a little extra lemon and garlic. I also used a skillet that could go stovetop to oven. When we flipped the fish over, I let it cook on the stove for just a minute and then added the lemon and garlic and popped the whole thing in the oven for about 8 minutes. It was so easy and delicious. Thank you!
Awesome, Sara! Thank you so much for sharing!
Made this tonight for dinner and my husband said it was THE best fish dish he ever had! I thought it was wonderful and the combination of spices was very interesting and tasty. The fish was moist and flaky. Thank you, and I am so glad I found your blog.
That’s what I love to hear Mary! Thank you so much for sharing. I am honored you’re enjoying the recipes here.
What if I don’t have coriander?
Hi Jane, I can’t think of a particular alternative to quality coriander here. But you can use the same method and change up the spices to your liking. It just won’t be this particular recipe 🙂
Sorry — one more comment. When I removed the cod from the baking sheet and then served it, the flour/butter/oil mixture (or what was left of it) stuck to my spatula, which caused the fish to break apart.
Help — anyone have a solution? As before, I’m pretty sure this is my fault! 🙂
It didn’t turn out well for me but I’m pretty sure it’s my fault. After coating the cod with the oil/butter mixture and the flour mixture, I seared it in my Lodge pan. But most of the flour mixture seemed to get left in the frying pan and never made it to the baking pan.
What did I do wrong? Thanks for any advice
Hi Phil, thanks for sharing. I’m assuming the oil was pretty hot when you added the fish to the skillet? My first thought is, if you are not sure, try only a small piece of fish first, then add the rest. Secondly, I would wait to turn the fish a little, leave it in place until everything sets before flipping. These are just a couple of guesses. I’ve made this recipe so many times and haven’t had this issue, but I’ve noted this in my little book so that next time I make it, I’ll pay attention and come back if I find something else to add.
Thanks, Suzy. Again, I’m 99% sure it’s my error. But if you try this again and an epiphany strikes on what I might’ve done wrong, yes, please let me know. Thank you, Suzy!
Will do!
Phil, I am planning on making this recipe tonight, but had a thought. I have three cast iron pans, and my largest is a Lodge pan that has a bit of a bumpy texture — it’s not as smooth and slick as the others. For a steak, it’s fine, but for something more delicate, like fish, I’m guessing it’s the pan’s fault, not yours! I think I’m going to go with one of my ceramic or copper pans just to be safe, although the cast iron certainly looks pretty in the photos. Can’t wait to try it!
Wonderful recipe. I used gluten free flour and grated the lemon rind in to both bowls (can’t waste that flavour) and followed recipe serving it up with vegetables. Delicious and very moist. Even better I bought the cod loins on offer from Tesco with 25% off! Thank you.
Will definitely cook this again.
Thank you for sharing, Mary! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
My husband used homemade bread crumbs. It was delicious and quick. A definte remake. Thank you for sharing.
Awesome, Pam! Thank you so much for sharing!
Sorry I forgot stars, 5plus
awesome.Thank you!
I am new to your site. This is the most wonderful recipe for Cod, or any firm white fish. It was tender, moist, just awesome. It can be difficult at times to find recipes that you can cut down for just one. I also made Chickpea salad minus the eggplant as I didn’t have one. I doubled the recipe–oh my– I eat it for breakfast, lunch whenever I want a treat. I am anxious to try many if not all of your recipes. I do hope you will give serious thought about a cookbook. I love everything about each of your posts, so much informatiom. Sorry this is so long. Please, Please think about a cookbook.
So glad to hear this, Gloria! Thank you for sharing
Tried this last night! Husband enjoyed the flavours but I messed on the fish. Didn’t plan ahead so tried to quick thaw it and it ended up tough and chewy so we shall try again but thaw fish properly first :D. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Sandy! Yes, you definitely need the fish to be completely thawed before using. Hope it works out better next time.
If you ever unthaw white fish run it under warm water that is better than the microwave. Hope that helps
I meant to say, everyone raved about the fish
I’ve made this for my husband and myself. We loved it. Then made it for a dinner party of 10 using Captain’s Cut Cod. Everyone raced. Not a morsel was left. I sautéed the fish before company arrived earlier in the day, and just finished it off in the oven. I used 20 cloves of garlic, but the next time I’ll use the 25 as recommended. Remember, I had 5 times the recommended fish portions.
Thanks so much for sharing, Nina! Love your tip about how you split the work…sauting earlier and then finishing the fish just before company arrived. Thank you!