Baked Cod Lemon Butter Capers (Printable Version)

Tender cod baked with zesty lemon butter, capers, and fresh herbs for a light flavorful dish.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 cod fillets (6 ounces each), skinless and boneless
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Lemon Butter Sauce

04 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approximately 1 lemon)
07 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
08 - 2 tablespoons capers, drained
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Garnish

11 - Lemon slices, for serving
12 - Additional chopped parsley (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the cod fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then arrange in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a bowl, whisk melted butter, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, capers, chopped parsley, and minced garlic until combined.
04 - Evenly pour the lemon butter sauce over the cod fillets, ensuring each piece is well coated.
05 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
06 - Garnish with lemon slices and additional parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in under 30 minutes, but tastes like you've been cooking all day.
  • The lemon butter sauce is tangy enough to make you forget you're eating something this healthy.
  • Works for fancy dinners or quiet weeknight meals without changing a thing.
02 -
  • The difference between good and great is drying the fish first—moisture is the enemy of a proper bake.
  • Don't add the capers to the sauce more than a few minutes before baking or they'll lose their distinctive brine to the liquid around them.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer if you're nervous—cod is done at 145°F at its thickest point, which removes all the guessing.
  • If you can't find fresh parsley, dried will work, but use half the amount since it concentrates when dried.

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