This Pan Seared Cod takes just minutes to prep and cook, and can be paired endlessly with your favorite vegetable side dishes, salads, and potatoes. Here, we’re serving it with our homemade romesco sauce (a Spanish sauce made from roasted red peppers and almonds).
Pan searing fish is a fantastic way to get dinner on the table quickly. You can use this method for just about any fish, but we love the tender, flaky texture of fresh cod and think it’s one of the most versatile seafoods available. It has a clean, mild taste and a delicate texture. We’re sharing a few tips below on how to select fresh cod as well as some of our favorite sauces to serve with it.
Be sure to try our Mediterranean Baked Cod, Baked Cod With Panko, or this simple Butter Poached Cod next. Or check out all our easy seafood recipes for dinner inspiration!
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh cod fillets: You can use frozen, if preferred, just be sure to thaw completely before cooking and pat dry with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: To season the cod filets.
- Light neutral oil: Use something with a high smoke point, such as grapeseed oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil. Extra virgin olive oil has a much lower smoke point and will burn over hight heat.
- Unsalted butter: Added to the pan after flipping the fish, the butter begins to brown and adds a nutty sweetness to the cod.
- Fresh parsley: For serving.
- If you want to add additional flavor to the fish, consider seasoning with paprika, a pinch of cayenne pepper, or any other spices you like. Adding a couple of smashed garlic cloves to the pan after flipping is a great flavor booster as well!
If there’s one piece of advice I can pass along, it’s to invest in a fish spatula. These cost less than $10, but are hugely helpful in ensuring you can easily flip cod (and just about everything else!). It’s thin edge is better at sliding underneath foods than a standard spatula and is a game changer for cooking fish recipes.
How To Make Pan Seared Cod
- Make sure the cod is well dried. You can drain it on paper towels before seasoning. This is the time to make sure the fish is up to room temperature, as well.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add neutral oil — allow this to heat up as well.
- Season the fillets on both sides with Kosher salt and black pepper, then carefully add to the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes undisturbed, then flip and add a few tablespoons of butter.
- Begin spooning the butter on top of the fish as soon as it begins to melt. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the cod turns opaque and flakes easily. Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges and chopped parsley, if using.
This method of cooking is great for any white fish, such as haddock, halibut, sea bass, mahi mahi, or tilapia.
If you love seafood as much as we do, try this same method with sea scallops or salmon next!
FAQs
The filet should turn opaque and flaky easily with a fork. If using an instant-read thermometer, look for an internal temperature of 145F (or slightly lower — the fish will continue to cook a bit after being removed from the heat).
You can definitely use frozen cod, but be sure to thaw it completely before cooking. Otherwise, you’ll overcook the outside of the fish, while the center remains uncooked.
Store any leftover pan-seared cod in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, gently warm it in a skillet over low heat, adding a drizzle of olive oil or butter to prevent drying out.
Look for cod fillets that are firm and have a bright white color. Avoid any fish that is brown or discolored. The flesh should be springy and elastic when you press on it, and it should smell fresh and mild. Individual portions should be about 6-ounces each.
Expert Tips
- Remove all water! Make sure to pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels before cooking.
- Make sure the pan is hot! Once hot, add oil, then be sure to let that heat up before adding the fish. Allow the cod to cook undisturbed for a few minutes before flipping.
- Use neutral oil, not extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil has a much lower smoke point and will burn over high heat.
- Finish with butter! This adds flavor and some much needed fat to an otherwise very lean fish. This is a great time to add garlic and fresh herbs to the pan.
- Serve with lemon wedges! Cod is a delicate, mild, flaky white fish that benefits from fresh lemon juice. Fresh herbs are great too!
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- Make-ahead, leftovers, and storage: You can season the fillets a day in advance, but they’re best enjoyed fresh. Use within 1 day of buying the cod, and then be sure to enjoy the leftovers within 3 days of cooking. Seafood has a shorter shelf life compared to other proteins. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in a fridge, then reheat gently in a microwave or on a stove top before enjoying.
- To freeze: Allow the pan seared cod to cool completely, then wrap each fillet tightly in a layer of plastic wrap (and aluminum foil, if wanted). Place in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in a refrigerator overnight before reheating.
If you have a lot of leftovers, consider using them to make our Classic Fish Cake recipe!
How To Serve
- With your vegetable side dishes, rice, potatoes, and more! Here are a few of our favorites: Blistered Haricots Verts, Duck Fat Potatoes, or Red Skin Mashed Potatoes. Or try it with our Smooth and Creamy Parsnip Purée instead of potatoes!
- Use in tacos or wraps! Flake the cooked cod and use it as a filling for fish tacos or wraps, along with your favorite toppings and sauces. It’s so delicious with our creamy dill sauce!
- Add to salads! Flaky the cod over a bed of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and a light vinaigrette. Both our shallot vinaigrette and basil vinaigrette are versatile summer staples!
- Our favorite sauces: Romesco Sauce, Lemon Beurre Blanc, Citrus Beurre Blanc, and Cilantro Chimichurri. Check out all of our easy sauce recipes here!
We hope this technique gives you the confidence to try pan searing at home. If you make this Pan Seared Cod recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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Easy Pan Seared Cod with Romesco Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 (6 oz) cod fillets about 1-inch thick
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp light neutral oil such as grapeseed oil, canola oil, or avocado oil
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- Fresh parsley chopped, for serving
- 1 cup romesco sauce
Instructions
- If you haven't already, make our romesco sauce.
- Prepare the cod. Pat cod fillets dry with a paper towel, then season on both sides with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
- Pan sear the cod. Heat 2 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet until just barely smoking. When hot, add seasoned cod fillets, leaving a little space between each. Cook until light golden brown and the fish releases easily from the pan, about 3-4 minutes. Use a fish spatula to carefully flip each piece of cod over. Add 3 Tbsp unsalted butter to the pan, and as soon as it begins to melt, use a spoon to base some of the butter over the cod. Cook for a total of 3 minutes on the second side.
- Garnish, then serve. Transfer cod fillets to one large serving tray or individual plates, then spoon some of the romesco sauce on top. Garnish with freshly parsley, then serve immediately!
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include romesco sauce.
- Make-ahead, leftovers, and storage: You can season the fillets a day in advance, but they’re best enjoyed fresh. Use within 1 day of buying the cod, and then be sure to enjoy the leftovers within 3 days of cooking. Seafood has a shorter shelf life compared to other proteins. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in a fridge, then reheat gently in a microwave or on a stove top before enjoying.
- To freeze: Allow the pan seared cod to cool completely, then wrap each fillet tightly in a layer of plastic wrap (and aluminum foil, if wanted). Place in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in a refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- If you have a lot of leftovers, consider using them to make our Classic Fish Cake recipe!
Nutrition
Photography by Alana of Your Home Made Healthy.
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