Garlic Herb Butter Cod (Printable Version)

Baked cod with garlic herb butter, green beans, and baby potatoes for a light, flavorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish & Marinade

01 - 4 cod fillets (about 5.3 oz each), skinless
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
04 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garlic Herb Butter

06 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
11 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables

13 - 1 pound baby potatoes, halved
14 - 10 ounces green beans, trimmed
15 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Toss baby potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread on half of the tray. Roast for 10 minutes.
03 - In a small bowl, mix softened butter with minced garlic, parsley, dill, chives, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined.
04 - Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels. Rub evenly with 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
05 - After potatoes have roasted for 10 minutes, add trimmed green beans to the tray. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
06 - Place seasoned cod fillets on the tray. Top each fillet with a generous portion of the garlic herb butter mixture.
07 - Return tray to oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until cod is just opaque and flakes easily with a fork, potatoes are golden brown, and green beans are crisp-tender.
08 - Transfer to serving plates immediately. Spoon any melted herb butter from the tray over the cod and vegetables.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks on one tray, which means you're not staring at four different pans wondering which one to worry about.
  • The herb butter melts right into the fish and vegetables, making the whole meal taste like you spent hours on it when really you didn't.
  • It's gluten-free without feeling like a restriction, just genuinely good food that happens to be.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the cod fillets; I learned this the hard way when I served slightly steamed, watery fish instead of the golden, flaky version it should be.
  • The herbs must be fresh, not dried; dried herbs will taste dusty and won't give you that bright, garden-like flavor that makes people ask what you did differently.
  • Watch your oven temperature; if it's too hot, the herb butter burns before the fish finishes; too cool and you'll wait forever while the potatoes refuse to caramelize.
03 -
  • If your herb butter seems too soft, chill it for five minutes before topping the cod; it holds its shape better and looks more intentional.
  • Save every drop of the melted herb butter at the bottom of the pan; pour it over everything just before serving, and people will think you're a better cook than you actually are.
  • Buy your herbs the day you plan to cook if possible; they're noticeably fresher and make a real difference in how the dish tastes.
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