Baked Lemon Herb Cod (Print)

Flaky cod baked with lemon and herbs, paired with roasted asparagus and cherry tomatoes.

# Components:

→ Fish

01 - 4 cod fillets (5.3 oz each), skinless and boneless
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 0.5 teaspoon dried
07 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
08 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Vegetables

09 - 1 bunch asparagus (14 oz), trimmed
10 - 8.8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
13 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

14 - Lemon wedges
15 - Extra fresh herbs

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with oil.
02 - In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest and juice, minced garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir until well blended.
03 - Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels. Arrange on one side of the prepared baking sheet. Brush lemon herb mixture evenly over each fillet.
04 - Place asparagus and cherry tomatoes on the other side of the baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly.
05 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until cod flakes easily with a fork and asparagus is tender.
06 - Divide cod and vegetables among four plates. Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks on one pan, which means less cleanup and more time to actually enjoy your meal.
  • The cod stays impossibly tender while the vegetables caramelize just enough to taste almost candy-like.
  • It's ready in under 30 minutes but tastes like you've been fussing over it all afternoon.
02 -
  • Wet fish steams rather than cooks, so patting those fillets dry is the difference between flaky and mushy.
  • Arranging the vegetables on a separate side of the pan prevents them from steaming the fish—they get their own space to caramelize properly.
03 -
  • Buy your fish the day you plan to cook it, and don't be shy about asking the fishmonger for fillets of similar thickness—they notice when someone cares about details like that.
  • If you accidentally cook it two minutes too long, a squeeze of fresh lemon at the table covers any slight dryness and lifts the whole dish.
Back