The steakhouse trick behind this garlic butter cod
You know how some recipes come with a laundry-list of ingredients, and you taste the final thing and think, well, no duh this is incredible?
This Garlic Butter Cod is the exact opposite of that.
5 ingredients. About 15 minutes of cook time, and it tastes like that fancy fish dish you’d get at an overpriced restaurant.
And much like anything with a lot of garlic and butter- we can blame this one on Justin. I tried his butter-bathing technique that he uses with steaks and ya’ll- I don’t know if I can cook cod any other way now.
Tilting the pan and basting the fish in that rosemary-infused garlic butter is what takes it from a nice piece of fish to something that tastes like date night out.
It really comes down to three things: a really hot skillet, fish that’s patted completely dry, and good butter you don’t rush.
One skillet, one sprig of rosemary, and a piece of cod that tastes like a restaurant made it. Not bad for a Tuesday night.
If you already love anything cooked in browned, garlicky butter, these Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes are just that in fluffy potato form!
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
Cod loin: Reach for cod loin over thin fillets, since it’s thicker and holds up to a hard sear without falling apart. Fresh or frozen both work, just thaw frozen cod completely and pat it really dry first.
Avocado oil: You want a neutral oil that can take high heat for that first sear. Any high-smoke-point oil works here, like grapeseed or light olive oil.
Salted butter: This is where the sauce gets its flavor, so it’s worth using a good European-style butter like Kerrygold that has a higher butterfat. I used salted, so if you go unsalted, just bump up the salt on the fish a little.
Fresh garlic: Use fresh cloves, finely minced, since the garlic is front and center in that butter. I love using my garlic press here!
Fresh rosemary: Just one sprig steeped in the butter is what makes this taste restaurant-y. Not a rosemary person? Fresh thyme or even a little oregano gives you a different but just-as-good herby note.
Fresh lemon: Totally optional, but a squeeze right at the end cuts through all that rich butter and brightens the whole plate. I keep mine simple and skip a garnish, but a little lemon is a great call.
Dry and season the cod.
Pat the fillets completely dry with a paper towel, then season both sides with salt and pepper. That dry surface is what gives you a golden crust instead of a stuck-on mess.
Get the pan really hot.
Heat the avocado oil in a large cast-iron or stainless skillet over medium-high until it’s shimmering. Don’t rush this part, since the pan needs to be fully heated so the fish doesn’t stick.
The Cast-Iron Skillet I L❤️VE!
A good cast-iron skillet is the reason this dish gets that perfect sear. I use my my Staub 12-inch for this recipe (and honestly almost every dinner at this point). It holds heat like nothing else and gives you that restaurant-quality crust a regular pan just can’t match.
Sear it and don’t touch it.
Add the fillets and let them cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, until a golden, crusty sear forms. The fish releases from the pan on its own when it’s ready, so if it resists your spatula, give it another 30 to 60 seconds.
Let the fish tell you when it’s ready. If it sticks when you try to flip, it just needs another minute to finish searing, because a good crust lets go of the pan on its own.
Flip and build the butter.
Flip the fillets, add the butter, and drop the heat to medium-low. Nestle in the rosemary sprig, add the garlic, and stir almost constantly for about 30 seconds, until it smells SO good.
Watch the garlic like a hawk here. Cast iron holds a ton of heat, and butter plus garlic can go from golden to burnt fast, so if it’s browning too quick, slide the whole skillet off the heat for a few seconds to bring it back down.
A must-have for fish fans!
If you cook fish even occasionally, a fish spatula is a non-negotiable. I waited way too long to get one!
The thin, flexible blade slides right under delicate fillets without tearing them apart. Total game-changer.
Baste and finish.
Tilt the skillet and spoon that garlic-rosemary butter over the fillets for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the cod is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Pull it out with a slotted spatula, spoon the sauce over the top, and add a squeeze of lemon if you like.
Cod is done at 145°F, or when it turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Pull it right at that point, since cod goes from perfect to dry in about a minute.
Oops! What did I do wrong?
Why did my cod stick to the pan? Almost always, the pan wasn’t hot enough or the fish wasn’t dry enough. Give the skillet a solid 2 to 3 minutes to preheat, pat the cod really dry before it goes in, and then leave it alone until it releases on its own.
Why did my garlic burn? The heat was too high, or the garlic went in too early. Add it after you flip the fish and drop to medium-low, keep it moving, and pull the pan off the burner for a few seconds if it’s browning too fast.
My cod fell apart when I flipped it. It probably wasn’t ready to flip yet. Wait for that crust to form so the fish releases easily, and use a thin slotted fish spatula to get all the way under it in one motion.
Can I use frozen cod? Yes, and a lot of us do. Just thaw it completely first and pat it very dry, since any extra water will steam the fish instead of searing it.
How do I keep cod from drying out? Don’t overcook it. Pull it right at 145°F or as soon as it flakes, and spoon that butter over the top the whole time to keep it moist.
Storage and reheating
Storing: Pop leftovers in an airtight container and they’ll keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Reheating: Warm it gently in a skillet over low heat or in a 275°F oven. Skip the microwave, which turns the fish rubbery.
Freezing: Not recommended for this one. Cooked cod turns watery and loses that crisp sear once it thaws, so this is best made fresh.
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Garlic Butter Cod Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 pound cod loin cut into 4 fillets
- 1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons salted butter cut into cubes
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- fresh lemon for serving, optional
Instructions
- Pat the cod fillets completely dry with a paper towel, then sprinkle both sides with the salt and pepper. Heat the avocado oil in a large cast-iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high until the oil is shimmering. Don’t rush this. The pan needs to be fully heated so the fish doesn’t stick.1 pound cod loin, 1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add the fillets and cook, undisturbed, for 2-3 minutes, or until a golden, crusty sear develops. The fish will release from the pan on its own when it’s ready. If it resists the spatula, give it another 30-60 seconds. Flip the fillets, immediately add the butter, and reduce the heat to medium-low.1 pound cod loin, 3 tablespoons salted butter
- Nestle the rosemary sprig around the fish and add the garlic to the melted butter. Stir the garlic almost constantly for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Watch closely here, because cast iron holds a lot of heat and the butter and garlic can go from golden to burnt fast. If things brown too quickly, slide the skillet off the heat for a few seconds to bring the temperature back down.1 sprig fresh rosemary, 3 cloves garlic
- Tilt the skillet slightly and spoon the garlic-rosemary butter over the fillets. Continue basting and cooking for another 1-2 minutes, or until the cod is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove the fish with a slotted spatula and serve with the garlic butter sauce and a squeeze of fresh lemon, if desired.fresh lemon
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Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with garlic butter cod
Since the cod itself is done in about 15 minutes, I like to build the plate around a side that can mostly take care of itself while the fish gets its final baste. Anything in the potato family is a natural here.
My Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes lean right into that nutty-butter thing the cod already has going. If you want a little crunch instead, Lemon Parmesan Roasted Potatoes or a sheet pan of Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans can roast in the oven while you sear.
For something green and quick, Lemon Garlic Roasted Asparagus is my go-to, since that bright lemon-garlic flavor tastes so good against a buttery piece of fish. Honey Roasted Broccoli with Garlic is the move when I want a little sweet-and-savory contrast on the plate.
And if you want to make it feel like more of a full dinner, a scoop of Mediterranean Yellow Rice soaks up every bit of that garlic-rosemary butter. On a warm night, I’ll skip the oven entirely and serve it with a cold Cucumber Tomato Salad for something fresh and no-cook alongside.
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