Baked Cod with Lemon and Dill

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Cod sticks aggressively to bare metal — parchment is essential for clean release and easy cleanup.

2. Arrange the cod fillets on the prepared sheet pan with space between each one. Drizzle with olive oil, then scatter minced garlic over the tops. Squeeze lemon juice over each fillet and season with salt, pepper, and half the fresh dill.

3. Bake for 15–18 minutes until the fish is opaque throughout and flakes easily when pressed with a fork. Cod is denser than tilapia, so it needs a few extra minutes. The internal temperature should reach 145°F. The surface should be lightly golden where the oil and garlic have caramelized.

4. Garnish with the remaining fresh dill and serve with lemon wedges. The second addition of dill — raw, on top of the hot fish — gives you both cooked dill flavor (mellow, integrated) and fresh dill flavor (bright, aromatic) in the same dish. A final squeeze of lemon at the table restores the acidity that fades during baking.

Equipment

• Rimmed sheet pan Recommended: Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Half Sheet Pan
• Parchment paper Recommended: Reynolds Kitchens Parchment Paper Roll

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: Cod is thicker than tilapia, so it takes 15–18 minutes at 400°F. Check at 15 minutes — the fish should flake easily with a fork and be opaque throughout. The thickest part of the fillet is the last to cook, so test there.
• Fresh dill makes a significant difference over dried here. Dried dill is dusty and flat; fresh dill is bright, anise-like, and aromatic. It's one of the few herbs where the fresh version is dramatically better.
• Don't flip the cod. Like tilapia, it's delicate and will break apart. The oven's ambient heat cooks it evenly from all sides.
• Cod has a mild, clean flavor that pairs with almost anything. This lemon-dill preparation is Scandinavian-inspired and lets the fish speak for itself.
• Pat the fillets dry — surface moisture steams and prevents any browning on the top surface.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
White fish (cod, tilapia, halibut)	Any firm white fish	Avoid delicate fish like sole — it falls apart.
Olive oil	Avocado oil or grapeseed oil	Avocado oil has higher smoke point. Grapeseed is neutral.
Lemon juice	Lime juice or white wine vinegar	Lime is slightly sweeter. Vinegar for pure acidity.
Fresh garlic	Garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove)	Fresh is always better but powder works in a pinch.
Cilantro	Flat-leaf parsley + squeeze of lime	Parsley lacks the citrus note — lime helps bridge the gap.

What You're Practicing

Baking white fish is the most forgiving method for learning fish cookery. The oven's gentle, even heat eliminates the risk of burning that comes with pan-searing, and the parchment paper eliminates the sticking problem. Once you're comfortable baking cod, you can apply the same technique to halibut, haddock, snapper, and any firm white fish. Visit Techniques for more on fish preparation.

Using fresh herbs in two stages — cooked and raw — is a technique that maximizes flavor from a single ingredient. Cooked herbs meld into the dish and provide background flavor; raw herbs added at the end provide brightness and aroma. This dual-application approach works with basil, cilantro, parsley, and any herb that's good both cooked and raw.