Pan Seared Cod

If you’re looking for an easy and quick fish dinner with BIG flavors, try our Pan Seared Cod. Made with tender and succulent cod fish seared in butter and laced in a lemony butter piccata sauce. This is one of those cod recipes you’ll be making for dinner so very often.

Seafood and Fish recipes are the answer to our busy weeknight dinners, and our fancy dinner cravings! There’s something about fish that feels like a delicacy–especially when you’re a fish lover like us. Maybe it’s our Mediterranean background 🙂 

The beauty about cod fish is that it has a wonderful meaty texture, and it’s so easy to cook. We’ve made a Baked Cod Recipe not too long ago, and it’s succulent! You can also use it in our most viral recipe on Pinterest, this Mediterranean Baked Fish. It’s my grandpa’s recipe and it’s perfection.

Chilean Sea Bass cooked to perfection and topped with our fool proof Basil Pesto is one of our personal favorite!

While you can also fry cod fish per this Fish Fry recipe, it will take a few minutes longer as it’s a thick fish. You can likewise use it in tacos like our Mahi Mahi Tacos because it has a semi firm texture. 

Today’s we’re highlighting cod recipes as the fish is so versatile. We’re making a lemon piccata like sauce, similar to our Sockeye Salmon With Lemon Butter Sauce but slightly lighter 🙂

Why You’ll LOVE Pan Seared Cod

• It’s quick and easy! Cooks in 20 minutes and requires no fussy equipment or techniques!
• Cod fish is semi firm, yet succulent so it holds on to the sauce perfectly.
• The flavors are AMAZING! Super tasty and delicious cod recipe.
• You can serve it with fries, rice, pasta, Garlic Bread, salad and so much more!
• It’s nutritious and rich yet feels super light.
• You can make it for a party easily as it holds well.
• This cod recipe is one pot meal.

Ingredients You’ll need

• Cod fish. Use fresh or thawed frozen fillets of cod. You can also use skin on or skinless as we have here.
• Flour. We love seasoning our flour with salt, pepper and fresh oregano. 
• Capers. For tang and texture in the pan sauce.
• Butter. To sear the fish and finally towards the end for thickening the sauce.
• Lemon. We use lemon slices, juice and zest of you prefer for ultimate flavor.
• Fresh Oregano. You can use thyme, parsley or a combo.
• Stock/Wine mixture. You can use either or, or a combo of both to make the sauce.
• Oil. To help sauté the fish.
• Salt and Pepper. Seasoning. You can however use paprika, garlic, Italian spices if you’d like.

How to Pan Sear Cod 

1. You’re going to start with seasoning the cod fish on both sides with just salt and pepper. Thsi type of fish is very mildly flavored so it’s idea for our lemony buttery piccata sauce. And for that we lightly season the fish itself as we rely on the sauce. 
   
2. In a shallow plate add the flour and season the flour with salt, pepper and fresh oregano. This seasoning step is completely optional, and you may use plain flour. We have found that seasoned flour adds 1 minute to our process, but elevates the flavor by the miles.
3. Dredge the cod fillets, one at a time into the flour plate. Make sure to shake off any excess flour. It’s supposed to be lightly coated only.
   
4. Preheat a heavy duty non stick skillet, we’ve used a ceramic dutch pan. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the oil. The oil allows the fish to cook without burning the outside. 
5. Avoid over crowding the skillet when sautéing the fish. If you’re making a large amount of this cod fish recipe, repeat this step in batches.
   
6. Sauté the fish until it’s golden on the outside. The flour coating will help it turn golden quicker and will protect the fish from breaking apart when flipping. The flour also mainly helps thicken our sauce in the next step.

Make the Piccata Sauce

1. Once both sides of the cod fillets have turned golden, you’re ready to start the sauce. The fish doesn’t have to be necessarily cooked through, as it will cook in the sauce.
2. You’ll add in the stock/wine combo or either or. Alongside you’ll add in lemon slices, fresh oregano and drained capers. Then you’ll bring the sauce to a boil and lower the heat so the sauce can simmer.
   
3. The liquid in the sauce has to reduce to about 50% and at that point you’re ready to add in the remaining butter.
4. Turn off the heat entirely and add in the cold butter, one tablespoon at a time.
   
5. Mix lightly the butter into the entire sauce and as it melts, the sauce will thicken even more. At that point the fish should be fully cooked and the sauce ready. 

Fish Recipes

Fish Fry
Crab Claws
Poke Bowl
Mediterranean Baked Fish
Shrimp Ceviche
Baked Haddock
Chilean Sea Bass
Honey Glazed Salmon
Grilled Mahi Mahi

5 from 5 votes

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Pan Seared Cod

If you're looking for an easy and quick fish dinner with BIG flavors, try our Pan Seared Cod. Made with tender and succulent cod fish seared in butter and laced in a lemony butter piccata sauce. This is one of those cod recipes you'll be making for dinner so very often.

Course fish, main, Main Course, Main Dish, Seafood

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword cod, cod fish, cod recipes, fish recipes, how to cook cod, mediterranean, pan seared cod, seafood recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 987 kcal

Author Mahy

Ingredients

Cod

• 4 Cod Loins defrosted and seasoned lightly with salt and pepper
• 1 cup Flour all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper or to taste
• 2 Tablespoons oregano fresh or 1 teaspoon dried.
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Tablespoon oil

Piccata Sauce

• 1 cup Stock you can add 2 Tablespoons white wine to it
• 4-5 lemon slices
• 3 sprigs of fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 tablespoon capers drained
• 4 Tablespoons butter cold
• 2 tablespoons parsley minced

Instructions

1. Place the flour in a shallow plate and season with salt, pepper and the oregano.

2. Make sure the cod is dry, or pat dry with paper towels. Season the fish lightly on both sides.

   
3. Dredge each piece of cod loin into the flour mixture and coat on both sides.
   
4. Make sure to remove the cod and shake off any excess flour before cooking.
5. Preheat a skillet over medium high heat with the oil and butter, and add in the cod loins.
   
6. Sear for 3-4 minutes per side until golden. The fish would not be cooked through, just seared with a golden crust.
   

7. Lower the heat to medium and add in the stock, capers and lemon slices.

   

8. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to medium low, add in the herbs.

9. The sauce will thicken as it simmers. Cook for 5 minutes until the sauce is ready.

10. Trun off the heat and slowly add in the cold butter one tablespoon at a time, mixing it in the sauce.

    

11. Finish off with parsley.

    

12. Serve the cod with extra sauce.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Pan Seared Cod Tips

1. Buy quality cod fish, whether fresh or frozen. If frozen, make sure to thaw the fish before cooking. You can do so overnight in the fridge or on the counter for about 2 hours.
2. You can use skin on or skinless cod fillets for this recipe. 
3. If your fish feels wet (especially if you're using frozen fish that's thawed), pat dry the fillets using paper towels before seasoning.
4. Seasoning the flour lightly with salt and pepper and oregano elevates the flavor tremendously. 
5. Avoid crowding the pan when cooking the fish. 
6. The flour helps the fish not crumble apart as you flip it, and it thickens the sauce as well. 
7. It's best to use a non stick skillet for this recipe.
8. Flip the cod when it's golden, but not necessarily cooked through. The fish will continue to cook in the sauce. 
9. Start with the sauce when both sides of the fish are golden.
10. You can use stock only, or white wine only or a combo of both as a liquid for the sauce. 
11. Simmer the sauce on low until it starts to evaporate and thicken slightly, and that's when it's ready for the butter.
12. In order for the butter to emulsify and thicken your sauce, you need to turn off the heat. And use cold butter.
13. Avoid overcooking any fish in general, including this recipe.
14. You can try this Baked Cod Recipe if you love cod fish as much as we do!

What to Serve with Pan Seared Cod?

Any side dish works great! Rice is perfect. Scoop the fish and sauce over Air Fryer Baked Potato. This Lemon Olive oil Pasta is just the perfect combo in my opinion. Salads are another great option or just bread.

Cod Recipe Variations

Try this delicious Baked Cod Recipe for a variation. Swap the herbs in this recipe, use rosemary or thyme instead of oregano. Add a kick of spice by adding in chilli flakes. 

How to Store Leftover Cooked Cod?

Leftovers can be placed in airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated. You can reheat the fish in a microwave, or in a non stick skillet, adding 2 tablespoons extra stock per fish and sauce until heated through.

How do you know when cod is fully cooked?

As with all fish recipes, when the fish is opaque it's cooked through. Also when the fish flakes easily with a fork, it has cooked through. If you have a meat thermometer, you can place it in the middle of the fillet and it should be no less than 145 degrees F.

Nutrition Facts

Pan Seared Cod

Amount Per Serving

Calories 987 Calories from Fat 243

% Daily Value*

Fat 27g42%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 4g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 432mg144%

Sodium 1788mg78%

Potassium 3958mg113%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 165g330%

Vitamin A 1260IU25%

Vitamin C 69mg84%

Calcium 238mg24%

Iron 7mg39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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