Baked Cod Lemon Herb (Printable)

Tender cod fillets topped with golden lemon herb panko crust baked to golden perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless, boneless cod fillets (5 oz each)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Panko Crumb Topping

04 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (60 g)
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ To Serve

15 - Lemon wedges
16 - Fresh herbs (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease lightly.
02 - Pat firm, skinless cod fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and pepper. Arrange on prepared baking sheet.
03 - In a medium bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, parsley, dill, chives, lemon zest, Parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add olive oil and melted butter, tossing until evenly coated.
04 - Spoon panko mixture generously over each fillet, pressing lightly to adhere.
05 - Bake cod for 15 to 18 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork and topping is golden brown.
06 - Serve immediately with lemon wedges and optional fresh herbs.

# Tips from dashanddishes:

01 -
  • The panko crumb gets impossibly golden and crispy while the fish underneath stays tender and flaky every single time.
  • Fresh herbs and lemon zest transform something simple into a restaurant-quality dish you can make on a weeknight.
  • It's ready in under 35 minutes from cold oven to plate, which means dinner when life gets hectic.
02 -
  • Drying the fish is non-negotiable—I learned this the hard way when I skipped it once and ended up with soggy crumbs instead of crispy ones.
  • The fish continues cooking for a few seconds after you remove it from the oven, so don't wait for it to look completely opaque or you'll overdry it.
  • Room temperature fish cooks more evenly than cold straight from the fridge, so take it out about 10 minutes before baking.
03 -
  • If your panko starts to look too dark before the fish is done, loosely cover the sheet with foil for the last few minutes.
  • A microplane grater makes lemon zest so much finer and more fragrant than a box grater that it's worth seeking one out if you cook with lemon often.

Return