Baked Cod Lemon Herb (Printable)
Tender cod topped with golden lemon-herb crumb, baked to light, flavorful perfection.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 skinless, boneless cod fillets (5.3 oz each)
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Lemon Herb Butter Crumb
04 - 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
05 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
07 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
08 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
09 - Zest of 1 lemon
10 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
11 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
12 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ To Serve
13 - Lemon wedges
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or lightly grease a baking dish.
02 - Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange on the prepared tray or dish.
03 - In a bowl, mix breadcrumbs, melted butter, parsley, dill, thyme, lemon zest, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until the breadcrumbs are thoroughly coated.
04 - Spoon the breadcrumb mixture evenly over each cod fillet. Press gently to ensure the crumb adheres.
05 - Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cod flakes easily with a fork and the topping is golden brown.
06 - Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The fish stays impossibly tender while the topping shatters between your teeth with that satisfying crunch.
- Fresh herbs make it feel restaurant-quality, but melting butter does all the heavy lifting for flavor.
- Ready in 35 minutes, which means you can actually relax before dinner instead of standing at the stove.
02 -
- Wet fish steams instead of bakes, so don't skip the paper towel step even when you're tired—it's the difference between tender and mushy.
- If your crumb topping browns too quickly before the fish cooks through, loosely tent the tray with foil for the first 10 minutes, then remove it to finish browning.
03 -
- For extra crispiness on the crumb topping, broil for 1–2 minutes at the end, but watch it constantly so it doesn't blacken.
- Make the crumb mixture while the oven preheats so everything comes together seamlessly, and you're not standing around waiting.