Nutrition: 230 Calories | 0g Net Carbs | 39.1g Protein | 7.4g Total Fat
Enjoy buttery, melt-in-your-mouth fish with this simple pan seared cod recipe. With only 3 ingredients, it’s a quick and easy weeknight meal.
I love a good piece of fish. There’s nothing like a perfectly flaky piece of fish that almost melts in your mouth. These ling cod fillets are from our big deep-sea fishing trip we took last year. We came home with over forty pounds of fish fillets. We caught mostly rockfish, but we were also allowed two ling cod per person. After enjoying fresh fish and chips the night of our trip, we froze the rest of our catch. Having so much fish in the freezer allows for a lot of fun experimentation. But sometimes just keeping it simple is best. And this recipe is so simple and so delicious.
Make Sure the Fish is Dry, Then Season
The first part of this recipe in preparing the fish fillets. To get a good sear, the fish needs to be dry. So, take paper towel or two and pat the fillets dry on both sides. Then, it’s time to season. Simply sprinkle a little season salt on both sides of your fillets.
Melt Butter and Then Sear the Cod
Next, heat a non-stick pan over medium-low to medium heat. When the pan is hot, add two tablespoons of butter. When cooking with butter, use lower heat so the butter doesn’t burn. Brown butter is delicious; burnt butter is not. Once the butter is melted, swirl it around to coat the bottom of the pan. Then, add the seasoned cod fillets to the pan. After you’ve placed the fish in the pan, don’t move it. Give it time to sear and caramelize on the outside.
Flip the Fillets
As the fish cooks, you’ll see it start to become white (opaque). As soon as the fillets are white hallway up the sides, it’s time to flip them over. It’ll take about 4-7 minutes. You’ll also see the caramelization on the underside. Watch the fillets, and flip them when they’re ready. If you have different sized fillets like I did, they will cook at different rates. Sear the cod on the second side and cook an additional 2-5 minutes. The second side will cook faster. When the second side has a golden color, remove the fish from the heat. Fully cooked fish fillets with flake easily. Serve and enjoy. Make an easy meal by having layered salad on the side.
Other recipes to check out: Grilled Rockfish with Brown Butter Wilted Spinach, Mexican Fish and Shrimp Soup, and Baked Tilapia in Foil.
Simple Pan Seared Cod Recipe – Easy Buttery Skillet Recipe
Enjoy buttery, melt-in-your-mouth fish with this simple pan seared cod recipe. With only 3 ingredients, it’s a quick and easy weeknight meal.
Total Time: 20 min
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Pounds Cod Fillets
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- Season Salt to taste
Directions
- Heat a non-stick pan on the stove over medium-low to medium heat. Dry the cod with paper towels, and season the fillets with season salt on both sides.
- When the pan is hot, add the butter to the pan.
- Once the butter melts, swirl it to coat the pan. Then, add the seasoned fish. Depending on the thickness of the fillet, cook for 4-7 minutes on the first side. Turn the fish over when it’s cooked halfway through. You’ll see the fillet turning white on the sides. Larger fillets will take longer to cook than the smaller ones.
- Sear the cod on the second side and cook an additional 2-5 minutes. Then, remove the fish from the heat and let it rest for a couple minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition:
Yield: 4 servings, Serving Size: 6 ounces
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 230, Total Fat: 7.4g, Saturated Fat: 3.7g, Cholesterol: 95.5mg, Sodium: 235.8mg, Carbohydrates: 0g, Fiber 0g, Sugars: 0g, Protein 39.1g
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