Lemon butter pan fried cod is a delicious and easy recipe that is full of flavor and quick to make! It's perfect for a warm summer night and will quickly be a new favorite!
I've really grown to love fish! We have it almost every week and everyone loves when I make this fried cod recipe!
Not only does it cook up fast, but is so flavorful without a very strong fishy flavor. So even people who don't normally like fish might just want to try this!
What you need for fried cod:
- Butter
- Lemon juice & zest
- Salt & Pepper
- Garlic
- Cod Filets- I highly recommend Good Rancher's Cod!
- Flour
- Vegetable Oil
- Garnish- Lemon Wedges, Chives, Chopped Parsley
This recipe is so simple and is consistently delicious.
If you love lemon like me, make sure to check out my other lemon recipes like homemade lemonade, easy lemon loaf, lemon crinkle cookies, old-fashioned lemon squares, lemon meringue pie, and these delicious lemon cupcakes!
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How to make lemon butter fried cod?
- In a small saucepan brown the butter.
- Add lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper to butter, stir and set aside.
- Pat cod dry with a paper towel. Season all sides with salt and pepper then coat with flour.
- In a medium non-stick pan, heat oil over high until it shimmers. Add cod and cook 1 ½ -2 minutes on each side until golden and slightly crispy. You may need to cook longer depending on the thickness of the filet.
- Once cooked remove from pan, then add chopped garlic to the hot pan. Sautee garlic until browned, about ~30 seconds.
- Drizzle cod with lemon butter and browned garlic then garnish with lemon wedges, parsley, and chives.
How to brown butter?
- Heat butter over medium-low, whisking continuously until it lightly browns and smells nutty, about 3 minutes.
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- Once browned remove from heat and pour into a separate dish.
- As the butter heats and browns, it will get bubbly then turn foamy and then brown. Watch for these stages so you don't burn your butter!
What temperature is cod done?
The internal temperature of cod is done between 135°F and 140°F.
I highly recommend using a good food thermometer to check! I use this one from thermoworks!
What to serve with pan fried cod?
A side of veggies like maple bacon brussel sprouts, cucumber avocado salad, green bean casserole with cream cheese, easy deviled eggs, mashed potatoes, fried rice, hot artichoke dip, or pepperoni pasta salad all make great sides to fried cod.
How to store leftovers?
Store leftover cod in the refrigerator in an air tight container.
How long will cooked cod last?
Cooked cod, when refrigerated, will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
If you like this recipe, make sure to check out some other tasty entrees like spatchcock chicken, chuck roast, or this delicious smoked tri tip!
Lemon Butter Pan Fried Cod
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- 2 Cod filets
- Sprinkle Salt
- Sprinkle Pepper
- 2-3 tbs flour
- 2 tbs vegetable oil
- 3 cloves Garlic chopped
- Garnish lemon wedges chives, chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a small saucepan brown the butter. Heat butter over medium-low, whisking continuously until it lightly browns and smells nutty, about 3 minutes. Once browned remove from heat and pour into a separate dish. As the butter heats and browns, it will get bubbly then turn foamy and then brown. Watch for these stages so you don't burn your butter!¼ cup unsalted butter
- Add lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper to butter and stir, set aside.1 tbs fresh lemon juice, Lemon zest, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- Pat cod dry with a paper towel. Season all sides with salt and pepper then coat with flour.2 Cod filets, Sprinkle Salt, Sprinkle Pepper, 2-3 tbs flour
- In a medium non-stick pan, heat oil over high until it shimmers. Add fish and cook 1 ½ -2 minutes on each side until golden and slightly crispy. You may need to cook longer depending on the thickness of the filet. The internal temperature of cod is done between 135°F and 140°F.2 tbs vegetable oil
- Once cooked remove from pan, then add chopped garlic to the hot pan. The garlic will take ~30 seconds to brown, stirring constantly. Once browned remove from heat.3 cloves Garlic
- Drizzle cod with lemon butter, browned garlic, and garnish with lemon wedges, parsley, and chives. Sever over rice and enjoy!Garnish lemon wedges
Notes
- Temperature of cod when fully cooked: The internal temperature of cod is done between 135°F and 140°F.
- Leftovers: Store leftover cod in the refrigerator in an air tight container.
- How long will it keep: Cooked cod, when refrigerated, will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Arielle says
Very good!
2 minutes and the cod was cooked perfectly. Very moist! I just added my own white fish seasoning but followed the rest of the recipe. Thank you
Lisa Killian says
Love to hear it! So glad you enjoyed it!
Lisa says
Such a quick and easy recipe!