Baked Cod with Herb Crust (Printable View)
Tender cod fillets baked with a crispy golden herb and panko crust for a satisfying dish.
# Ingredient List:
→ Fish
01 - 4 cod fillets, skinless and boneless, about 6 oz each
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Crust
04 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (60 g)
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped or 1 teaspoon dried dill
07 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
08 - 1 garlic clove, minced
09 - 1/4 cup olive oil (60 ml)
10 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
→ To Serve
11 - Lemon wedges
# How to Prepare:
01 - Set the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a shallow baking dish.
02 - Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange fillets on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine panko breadcrumbs, parsley, dill, lemon zest, minced garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese if using.
04 - Evenly distribute the panko mixture over the tops of the cod fillets, gently pressing to ensure adherence.
05 - Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the crust is golden and the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
06 - Remove from oven and serve immediately with lemon wedges alongside.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The golden crust stays crispy while the fish underneath stays impossibly tender and flaky—it's the textural contrast that makes you feel fancy.
- You can have dinner on the table in 35 minutes, making it perfect for when you actually want to eat at a reasonable hour.
- It tastes like you spent the afternoon in the kitchen, which is the highest compliment a weeknight dinner can receive.
02 -
- If you skip the drying step with paper towels, the crust will steam instead of crisp, and that's the one thing that transforms this from good to memorable—I learned this through trial and error that I'd rather you skip.
- Toasting the panko in a dry skillet for two minutes before mixing it with the oil makes the crust crunchier and more flavorful, and it's worth the extra thirty seconds of effort.
03 -
- Buy your cod from a fishmonger rather than the supermarket if you can—the quality difference is noticeable and they'll give you advice on how to tell when it's fresh.
- A squeeze of lemon juice mixed into the olive oil before you make the crust adds brightness that you can't quite name but makes people ask what you did differently.