Baked Cod Recipe (20 Minutes)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). You can bake the cod fillets from frozen or thaw them first in a bowl of cold water. (I prefer thawing if you have time, as it makes it easier to brush on the butter without solidifying.)

Use paper towels to pat the cod fillets dry. Arrange them in a single layer in a 9x13 baking dish.

In a small bowl in the microwave or saucepan on the stove, melt the butter. Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest.

Brush the lemon butter over the cod fillets. Season with garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Flip and repeat both lemon butter and seasoning on the other side.

Bake for 12-15 minutes (the time will vary by thickness), until the baked cod is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. For moist, tender flakes, aim for an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.