Meatless Friday: Super Simple Baked Cod

Barb Szyszkiewicz shares an easy recipe for baked cod that's perfect for busy days: it takes just 15 minutes, start to finish.

If you can turn on the oven, you can make this fish. You can serve it with any side dish you like: vegetables, pasta, potatoes, or rice. This is the time of year to look for fresh cod fillets at good prices, as Lent approaches.

20220204 BSzyszkiewicz baked cod 1

Super Simple Baked Cod

Makes 4 servings

1 lb. cod fillet
1 tbsp olive oil (for the pan)
1 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces.
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
1 tbsp parsley flakes

Preheat oven to 400 F. Prepare baking sheet or pan with parchment liner and brush parchment with olive oil.

Place cod on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with cayenne, black pepper, salt, and lemon zest. Dot with butter.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes (thicker pieces of fish will take longer; use an instant-read thermometer to check that it's 140-145 degrees, or test by inserting a fork on an angle at the thickest point and twisting gently to see if the fish will flake easily).

Remove from oven; sprinkle lemon juice and parsley flakes over top of fish.