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A plate of white rice and cod with a garlic lemon butter sauce garnished with lemon slices, served on a gray plate with gold cutlery, surrounded by lemon, garlic, and peppercorns.
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Pan seared Cod in Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce

The fish recipe for people who think they can't cook fish. Cod is cheap and forgiving, the easy pan seared technique transfers to any white fillet, and that lemon garlic butter works on everything.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 879kcal
Author: Kita Roberts

Ingredients

For the Pan Fried Fish

  • 4 cod fillets skin-on (about 5–6 oz / 150–170 g each)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

For the Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce

  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

For Serving

  • Lemon wedges
  • Steamed vegetables or rice

Instructions

Sear the Fish:

  • Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and black pepper.
  • Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Allow the pan to preheat until the oil is just smoking
  • Place cod fillets skin-side down and cook for 4–5 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp.
  • Flip and cook for another 2–3 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with the tines of a fork. Transfer to a plate.
    A skillet with two seared cod fillets surrounded by small bowls containing lemon wedges, rice, chopped herbs, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a yellow sauce.

Make the Sauce:

  • In the same pan, melt the butter.
  • Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Stir in lemon juice, simmering briefly.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon zest and parsley.
    Four pieces of cooked fish on a paper towel, a bowl of white rice, lemon wedges, and a skillet with garlic lemon butter sauce on a beige surface.

Serve:

  • Immediately spoon the lemon garlic butter sauce over the cod fillets and serve with lemon wedges and your choice of sides.

Notes

  • Dry skin = crispy skin. Pat the cod until it feels tacky, not damp. Moisture steams the skin instead of crisping it.
  • Press for 10 seconds. Right after the fish hits the pan, press gently to keep the skin flat so it browns evenly.
  • Don’t flip early. Cod releases when the crust is set. If it sticks, it’s not ready.
  • Cod is done when it’s opaque and flakes with gentle pressure. Overcooked cod dries out quickly because it’s lean.
  • Garlic timing matters. Keep the heat moderate for the sauce. Burnt garlic will overpower everything.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 879kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 161g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 410mg | Sodium: 489mg | Potassium: 3740mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.05g | Vitamin A: 791IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 4mg