Garlic herb buttered cod is ready on the stovetop in 15 minutes! Topped with a flavorful butter sauce this meatless recipe is also gluten free.
I absolutely love the simplicity of this recipe. I mean, we all have a million things going on and I'm guessing tonight will be no different. Simple is best, my friends.
One of my goals this year is to eat healthier food. While I love my regular recipe rotation, this simple cod recipe is a fantastic way to change things up!
I'm also trying to eat a lower carb diet and this simple recipe fits the bill too.
Cod is one of my new favorites because it's a mild fish. Halibut and haddock are a close second, like this ??????
And really, what's not to love about a mild fish, herbs and butter?? Yum!
Now, if you're like me, you may not know a lot about how to cook cod.
Let's talk about that - we'll tackle this together!
How to Make Garlic Herb Buttered Cod
I'll be honest, I live smack dab in the middle of the United States. What this means to me, is there isn't an abundance of fresh Atlantic cod swimming nearby.
Bluegill, yes. Cod, not so much.
But actually that's one of the things I find appealing about this weeknight recipe. I use frozen cod from the grocery store that I thaw beforehand.
Just put it in the fridge overnight to thaw.
The recipe calls for fresh parsley which adds a really nice color. If you happen to grab some at the grocery store, go for it! It makes a pretty garnish, too.
By all means, don't let the parsley stop you from making this buttered cod. Dried parsley can work in a pinch, too!
Make the Garlic Herb Butter
Before you get started (or even a day or two before), make the butter and keep it in the fridge to firm up.
All you'll need is unsalted butter, garlic, parsley, thyme, basil and salt.
Give it a good mix to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Plop (yes, plop) the whole mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap. Roll it into a nice roll, twist the ends and chill in the fridge.
Easy right? The hardest part here is to let is re-harden in the fridge.
Next up, pat your cod filets with a little salt & pepper.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the cod to the hot skillet and cook for a few minutes. You'll see the edges start to turn white when it's time to flip.
And....flip!
Reduce the heat and add a pat of your garlic butter to eat piece of fish. Spoon the herb butter back onto the fish as it melts. Baste, baby, baste!
I bet you're feeling all fancy chef right now. Or maybe that was just me 🙂
When the cod is done (and it doesn't take long) remove it from the pan and transfer to serving plates. Use the melted butter in the pan to give a little extra love to the plated cod.
Did you buy fresh parsley? If you did, give it a little sprinkle.
Sides to Serve with Garlic Buttered Cod
I like to serve this buttered cod with some oven roasted parmesan asparagus. You can even add some of the garlic butter to that, too! Other sides that are awesome are cauliflower rice or Instant Pot Rice Pilaf with mushrooms.
So what do you think? Are you ready to dive in?
Garlic Herb Buttered Cod
Ingredients
Garlic Herb Butter Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- 1.5 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Remaining Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 6 4 oz. Atlantic cod fillets
- salt and black pepper
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the garlic-herb butter by combining all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Stir until the garlic, herbs, and salt are evenly distributed throughout the softened butter.
- Transfer the butter mixture to the center of a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a log. Wrap tightly and place inside the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to firm.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat cod filets dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Add filets to hot skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they become light golden brown. Reduce heat to medium and carefully flip each fillet. Top each filet with an equal amount of herb butter and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes. While cooking, spoon the herb butter back over the filets as it melts.
- Remove from heat and transfer fillets to individual serving plates. Drizzle with melted herb butter and garnish with some fresh chopped parsley, if desired.
- Serve immediately with some oven-roasted asparagus tossed with remaining herb butter from skillet or your choice of sides.
Nutrition
This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
best cod
Fellow Illinoisian here!! Since we can't travel right now, I've been looking for recipes that give me a taste of somewhere different-- coastal, even! This was super simple and super delicious. Thanks!
Deanne Frieders
Hello fellow Illinoian! So glad you loved it. I have more fish and seafood coming down the pipeline!