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Pan Seared Cod with a Caper, Parsley and Lemon Sauce

March 6, 2018 By justalittlebitofbacon 67 Comments

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My simple recipe for pan seared cod with lemon sauce is a fast weeknight dinner which is full of flavor! Tender fish, golden brown crust, and a lemon, caper, and parsley sauce perfect for spooning over rice or pasta or sopping up with some crusty bread.

A blue casserole dish of thick cut cod with lemon sauce which has been cooked to a deep golden brown and covered with parsley, capers, and garlic.

I love thick-cut cod for dinner. It’s meaty, versatile, and low in fat. All of which makes cod a regular in my dinner rotation. However it always seems so simple, so I haven’t posted very many cod recipes here!

A few, like my parents’ all time favorite of my recipes: Oven Fried Cod with Cara Cara Salsa; and a great Baked Mediterranean Cod (one dish meal!) have made the cut. But I really need to share some of my other cod recipes.

Luckily, for all fish recipe fans out there, I have been looking at my diet and have decided to bring my cooking more in line with the Mediterranean Diet. I’ve always taken inspiration from that diet, but it’s time to work more Mediterranean diet recipes into my life and into my cooking blog.

What does it mean to follow the Mediterranean diet?

  • More fish
  • More vegetarian/vegetable recipes
  • More grains
  • More simple, fruit forward desserts

So, I have been working on fish and seafood recipes, grain bowls, salads, vegetable soups, and fruit desserts. All foods I’ve been making right along, but I’m putting them more in the forefront of our daily meals, and making fewer meat-based meals and sugary treats.

Don’t worry though! I’m not going to entirely give up baking (I love it too much) or Italian-American comfort food (I did just post a totally awesome short rib ragu). However, we could all do with more whole grains, more fish, more vegetables, and less sugar/cream in our lives.

Yes? Good! Let’s start with some cod with lemon sauce. 🙂

Baked vs Fried

The concept for this recipe started with the idea of a pan seared then baked cod, rather similar to my pan roasted chicken thigh recipes. And this can work if you are doing a proper breading on the cod which will act like the skin of the chicken. But, with dredged cod, no matter what I did the flour was gummy and the cod was soggy rather than crispy. This just would not do!

Other than that, the flavor was good. We liked the seasoned flour and the lemon sauce with the cod. Which meant that a simple shift was in order. Instead of searing then baking, just searing gave me crispy, golden-brown cod with fully cooked flour.

For cod dredged in flour? The answer is clear. Frying wins over baking.

How to pan sear cod without sticking?

Cast iron!

Seriously, a well seasoned cast iron pan is amazing. You can cook fish with little or no sticking (sometimes a bit of coating sticks, but that just makes the sauce better), use high heat, and pop it in the oven if you want. Cast iron is the best and everyone should have a pan or two.

How do you wash cast iron?

Worried about cleaning your cast iron?

Don’t! Cast iron does need a little maintenance, but you can use soap and you can use a scrubby sponge to get it clean. I scrub my cast iron every time I use it and it’s well seasoned and cooks like a dream.

The secret is to wipe it down with vegetable oil, wipe most of that off (you want the thinnest coat possible), and heat it on the cook top for a few minutes to get all the water evaporated after you scrub it. That will keep your cast iron happy! (And – if you need an extra deep cleaning – you can pour in some kosher salt and some oil and then scrub it with a paper towel. That gets it especially shiny. 🙂 It’s also a great plan if you want to go from…say cooking fish to making dessert in your cast iron.)

This meal takes me about 30 minutes to make, including steaming up some veggies and making the orzo. And it’s a family pleasing favorite around here. Win/win in my book!


If you try my recipe for Pan Seared Cod with Caper, Parsley, and Lemon Sauce, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.

You can connect with me by subscribing to my emails or liking my Facebook or Pinterest (see the form and icons in the sidebar or below the recipe card)

– Happy Eating, Annemarie

Print Recipe
4.94 from 29 votes

Pan Seared Cod with a Caper, Parsley and Lemon Sauce

Thick cut cod is pan seared in a mixture of olive oil and butter to produce a golden brown crust and then served with a lemon, parsley, and caper sauce to make a simple and healthy weeknight meal.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 275kcal
Author: Just a Little Bit of Bacon

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lb thick cut cod fillet, cut into 4-5 pieces
  • 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided, one tbsp for the fish and 3 tbsp for the sauce
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 5 medium cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • 1/2 cup dry vermouth, or dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Seasoned Flour

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 dash cayenne powder
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Sprinkle one tablespoon of lemon juice over the cod fillets and set them aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Allow the lemon juice to sit on the cod at least 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes.
  • In a shallow bowl, mix together all the seasoned flour ingredients. Pat the fish dry and dredge in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until the pan is hot and the oil is shimmering. Add the cod and cook for 5-6 minutes on the first side. The fish will take a couple of minutes to release from the pan. Once it does, keep an eye on it and check for browning. When it's a deep, golden brown, turn the fish.
  • Continue cooking the fish on the other side until it is browned and the fish is cooked through, about another 5-6 minutes. Add another tablespoon of olive oil if needed.
  • Remove the fish to a serving dish and let it rest while you make the sauce.
  • Add the garlic and capers to the pan and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add the vermouth to deglaze. Bring it to a boil and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil for 1 minute. Then add the lemon juice and parsley. Stir to combine and bring to a boil again. Immediately pour the sauce over the fish and serve.

Notes

  • Thick cut cod is often called captain's cut cod. If you can't find thick cut cod, you can use thinner pieces, just reduce the cooking time. Either way, try to find pieces which are all the same thickness so they all cook together.
  • I like to serve this recipe with some simple cooked orzo tossed with olive oil and a steamed vegetable.
Thick cut cod is pan seared in a mixture of olive oil and butter to produce a golden brown crust and then served with a lemon, parsley, and caper sauce to make a simple and healthy weeknight meal. | justalittlebitofbacon.com #italianrecipes #dinnerrecipes #fishrecipes #mediterraneandiet #codrecipes #italianfood
Thick cut cod is pan seared in a mixture of olive oil and butter to produce a golden brown crust and then served with a lemon, parsley, and caper sauce to make a simple and healthy weeknight meal. | justalittlebitofbacon.com #italianrecipes #dinnerrecipes #fishrecipes #mediterraneandiet #codrecipes #italianfood

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Filed Under: 30 minute meals, fish & seafood, italian recipes, main courses, popular, quick dinners, recipe Tagged With: capers, cod, lemon, parsley

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Comments

  1. Sean Turner says

    December 15, 2024 at 7:26 am

    I’d like to make this for the festival of seven fishes. After pan searing, will it get weird in a chafing pan and kept warm? Also I will need to scale up for 15 people. Any change in the ingredients?

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      December 16, 2024 at 3:14 pm

      Hmmm. This is not recipe I make for a crowd (I do make my slow roasted cod for christmas eve frequently – skipping the broccoli or cooking it separately), so I can’t tell you if the flavors will be off with a quadruple of the dish. I will say that fish is not something I like to hold since it dries out so easily. Sorry I can’t be of more help.

      Reply
      • Sean says

        December 16, 2024 at 3:20 pm

        Well thank you anyway for getting back to me. I guess I’ll test my cooking prowess and see what happens. I’ll be sure to share the results.

        Reply
  2. Jackie M says

    August 8, 2023 at 6:17 pm

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! My husband is the cook in the family and I was able to impress him. The instructions are easy to follow and outcome is delicious. I used frozen cod and dry parsley because that’s what I had on hand. I used a little more lemon juice and capers because I love both. Overall, I’m happy with the outcome and will definitely make it again! Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Brian says

    December 31, 2022 at 4:47 pm

    For a gluten free option plus a crispy crust that can be seared then put in over, try a 50/50 mix of corn starch and casava flour.

    Reply
  4. Deena says

    April 5, 2022 at 1:42 pm

    Hi! What would happen if i pan seared the cods without the flour? And followed everything else?

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      April 6, 2022 at 7:46 am

      You may find the fish to be a little less tender and a little drier if you fry it up uncoated. It won’t be terrible, but it will be better with the coating. If it’s a gluten issue, you can switch to cornstarch. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  5. Reba says

    October 12, 2021 at 6:42 pm

    5 stars
    Simple and delicious. I happened to have scape butter in the freezer so added that to sauce
    Also used fresh lemon thyme with parsley to finish the sauce (have both growing in the herb garden). I omitted dried thyme from flour because I was adding fresh. Served mine with a mushroom risotto and sauteed red peppers.

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      October 13, 2021 at 5:06 pm

      Oooh scape butter! I’m glad you enjoyed it and love the use fresh herbs.

      Reply
  6. Stephanie Wilson says

    February 28, 2021 at 9:59 pm

    5 stars
    I just made this and oh, my goodness it was wonderful!! The only way I’ve had cod before was fried, which I love, but this blows that out of the water…. literally!! Looking forward to making it again!

    Reply
  7. Victoria says

    February 17, 2021 at 7:53 pm

    5 stars
    Have had this pinned for a bit, finally made it tonight…delicious….

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      February 18, 2021 at 10:55 am

      Wonderful! I’m glad you enjoyed.

      Reply
  8. Chrissy says

    January 20, 2021 at 2:59 pm

    is there anything that I can substitute for the vermouth or white wine? I have neither in the house right now….

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      January 20, 2021 at 5:23 pm

      I would switch to chicken stock with a dash of wine vinegar (not much, just enough to mimic the acid of wine).

      Reply
    • neo says

      September 16, 2021 at 7:24 pm

      sake, apple cider vinegar, wine vinegar came up in my search

      Reply
  9. Paula Nicholson says

    January 15, 2021 at 4:07 pm

    5 stars
    This lemon cod is delicious ! I doubled the sauce, plated it with a light amount then served on the side so diners could add more if they wished.Have made this 4x now.Last time I used a bit of cornstarch to thicken the sauce which was nice. .Great served with string beans or snap peas.Love it!

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      January 15, 2021 at 10:17 pm

      Wonderful! I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipe.

      Reply
  10. Terri Tullly says

    October 29, 2020 at 7:16 am

    5 stars
    Definitely a 5 star recipe! Excellent!!

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      October 30, 2020 at 11:26 am

      Thank you for the feedback!

      Reply
  11. Marcella says

    May 21, 2020 at 3:05 pm

    5 stars
    This was my first time making pan seared cod and it came out GREAT! I will definitely make this again with more sauce. Thanks for sharing this recipe!!

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      May 21, 2020 at 9:51 pm

      Great! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe and thank you for your feedback.

      Reply
  12. Deborah Corral says

    April 1, 2020 at 2:10 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe! I made this last night and it is delicious. My husband really enjoyed it! I wanted to prepare Cod in a different way and this was successful. The only change made was to half the recipe except for the vermouth and lemon juice since I only made 2 pieces of fish. but wanted enough sauce. I am trying to make some tasty but healthy dishes while we are staying in and social distancing, this fits the bill perfectly. My husband said “make it exactly the same way next time” so definitely a keeper. Thanks again!.

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      April 2, 2020 at 2:02 pm

      Great! I’m glad you both enjoyed it. And you can’t go wrong by having extra sauce. 🙂

      Reply
  13. Grace says

    February 22, 2020 at 9:55 pm

    This recipe was so delicious! Will be making again!

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      February 23, 2020 at 11:59 am

      Thank you! And I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Monika says

    January 6, 2020 at 12:02 pm

    I made your baked Mediterranean cod last night that you referenced earlier in this post and it was Amazing! I am having trouble saving the recipe to Pinterest. The image saves, but nothing else. . Could you help somehow?
    http://www.justalittlebitofbacon.com/mediterranean-cod-mixed-vegetables/

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      January 6, 2020 at 12:36 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed the Mediterranean cod! As for the pinterest issue, I’ve been working through all my recipes fixing it (it’s a weird coding thing that showed up recently) and missed that one.I have now fixed the cod recipe and it will pin properly. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. (BTW if you could give me a review on the recipe itself, I’d really appreciate it. 🙂 )

      Reply
  15. Kim says

    December 30, 2019 at 4:00 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is simple yet delicious! It looked so pretty on the plate I almost didn’t want to eat it…. almost
    I added an extra 12 tablespoon of lemon juice because I like a little more citrus with cod and it came out perfect. We’ll definitely be making this again and again and again.

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      December 31, 2019 at 9:46 am

      I’m thinking half tablespoon, because if it’s 12 for real you are a BIG fan of citrus. 😉

      Thanks for the review! I usually keep some lemon at the table for people to add more if they wish.

      Reply
  16. Ashley Helm says

    November 7, 2019 at 9:21 pm

    4 stars
    I was pleasantly surprised by this dish! I found the breading to be a bit salty but paired with the sauce, it was actually very good! I had a little trouble getting my thick cut cod to cook all the way through before burning but I managed. This was really yummy and I will try it again, probably with a bit less salt next time. I also used about a tablespoon less lemon and that was the perfect amount for me.

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      November 8, 2019 at 9:51 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  17. Justin says

    September 29, 2019 at 3:56 pm

    Terrible..

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      September 30, 2019 at 8:03 pm

      I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it! 🙁

      Reply
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Hello, I’m Annemarie

Welcome to my kitchen! I’m a Italian-American girl who loves fresh foods, local ingredients, and all sorts of comfort foods. Here you will find Mediterranean flavors and recipes from a New England perspective.

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Thick cut cod is pan seared in a mixture of olive oil and butter to produce a golden brown crust and then served with a lemon, parsley, and caper sauce to make a simple and healthy weeknight meal.

Pan Seared Cod with a Caper, Parsley and Lemon Sauce

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