12 Pan Seared Cod Fish Recipes That’ll Make You Forget Takeout Even Exists

Cod. That slightly underrated, endlessly versatile, white-fleshed genius of the sea. If you’ve been sleeping on pan seared cod fish recipes, I genuinely don’t know what you’ve been doing with your weeknight dinners — but we’re fixing that right now.

Pan searing is the move. You get that golden, slightly crispy crust on the outside, that tender, flaky inside, and the whole thing happens in one pan in under 20 minutes. No complicated techniques, no 47-step marinades, no tears (unless you’re chopping onions, which, fair).

Whether you’re after something light and zesty, rich and saucy, Mediterranean-inspired, or spiced up with some serious heat — these 12 pan seared cod recipes cover every mood, every occasion, and every level of cooking confidence. Let’s get into it.

1. Classic Lemon Butter Pan Seared Cod

The OG. The one that started it all. If pan seared cod were a band, this would be their debut album — and it went platinum.

Ingredients

• 2 cod fillets, skin-on or skinless
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Pat the cod fillets completely dry — moisture is the enemy of a golden crust. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Lay the cod in gently, presentation side down.
3. Sear without moving for 3–4 minutes until a golden crust forms. Flip once.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and garlic. Spoon the melted butter over the fish as it cooks for 2 more minutes.
5. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, scatter parsley, and serve immediately.

Why You’ll Love It

This is the pan seared cod recipe you’ll make on autopilot after the second time. The lemon butter sauce is ridiculously simple but tastes like you spent an hour on it. I served this at a dinner party once and someone asked if I trained in France. Reader, I did not.

2. Garlic Herb Crusted Pan Seared Cod

A crispy herb crust that shatters just slightly when you cut into it. Honestly kind of thrilling.

Ingredients

• 2 cod fillets
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme and rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Salt and black pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

6. Mix garlic, herbs, lemon zest, and olive oil into a paste. Press it firmly onto one side of each fillet.
7. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the cod herb-side down and sear for 3–4 minutes until the crust is golden and fragrant.
8. Flip carefully and cook the other side for 2–3 minutes.
9. Rest for 1 minute before serving — yes, fish needs a rest too.

Why You’ll Love It

The herb crust adds texture and aromatics that turn a simple piece of cod into something genuinely special. Fresh herbs matter here — dried work in a pinch, but the fresh version is worth it.

3. Spicy Cajun Pan Seared Cod

Turn up the heat. Literally. This one’s for the people who think black pepper is mild seasoning. 🙂

Ingredients

• 2 cod fillets
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning (store-bought is absolutely fine — no judgment)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• Olive oil, salt, and a squeeze of lime to finish

Step-by-Step Instructions

10. Combine Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Rub the spice mix all over both fillets.
11. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat — you want it seriously hot.
12. Sear the cod for 3–4 minutes per side without touching it. The spices will form a dark, deeply flavored crust. Resist the urge to move it.
13. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime.

Why You’ll Love It

IMO, cast iron is non-negotiable for this one. It holds heat like a champ and gives you that almost-charred crust that makes Cajun cooking so addictive. Fair warning: the smoke is part of the experience. Open a window.

4. Mediterranean Pan Seared Cod with Tomatoes and Olives

Sunshine in a pan. This is the recipe that makes you feel like you’re eating al fresco somewhere on the Amalfi Coast, even if you’re actually eating standing over your kitchen counter.

Ingredients

• 2 cod fillets
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Fresh basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

14. Season and sear the cod in olive oil, 3–4 minutes each side. Remove and set aside.
15. In the same pan, sauté garlic for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and olives and cook until the tomatoes blister and burst, about 3 minutes.
16. Deglaze with white wine and let it reduce by half.
17. Nestle the cod back into the pan. Spoon the sauce over it and warm through for 2 minutes.
18. Tear fresh basil over the top and serve with crusty bread.

Why You’ll Love It

The olives add a salty, briny punch that plays brilliantly against the sweetness of the burst tomatoes. Some people skip the wine — those people are wrong. That deglaze picks up all the good bits from the pan and turns them into the sauce.

5. Pan Seared Cod with Brown Butter and Capers

Brown butter is regular butter’s cooler, nuttier, more sophisticated sibling. Add capers and you’ve got yourself a restaurant plate at home prices.

Ingredients

• 2 cod fillets
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp capers, drained
• Juice of half a lemon
• Fresh dill or parsley, salt and pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

19. Sear the cod in a light drizzle of olive oil, 3–4 minutes each side. Plate and keep warm.
20. In the same pan over medium heat, add butter. Swirl constantly until it turns golden brown and smells nutty — about 2 minutes. Watch it carefully. The line between brown butter and burnt butter is unforgiving.
21. Add capers and let them sizzle for 30 seconds. Hit it with the lemon juice.
22. Pour the brown butter caper sauce directly over the plated cod. Scatter dill on top.

Why You’ll Love It

I once made this for someone who claimed they “didn’t really like fish.” They ate two fillets. Brown butter is just genuinely magical, and the capers add a pop of acidity that balances the richness perfectly.

6. Asian-Glazed Pan Seared Cod

Sweet, savory, sticky, with just a whisper of heat. This glaze is so good you’ll want to put it on everything.

Ingredients

• 2 cod fillets
• 3 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Sesame seeds and sliced scallions for garnish

Step-by-Step Instructions

23. Whisk together soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl.
24. Sear the cod in neutral oil over high heat, 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan.
25. Pour the glaze into the hot pan. Let it bubble and reduce for 60–90 seconds until it thickens slightly.
26. Return the cod, spoon the glaze over it, and cook for 1 more minute.
27. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve over steamed rice.

Why You’ll Love It

FYI — this glaze reduces fast, so don’t walk away from the pan. The sticky, lacquered finish on the cod is visually stunning and tastes even better than it looks. Total crowd-pleaser.

7. Pan Seared Cod with Mango Salsa

Tropical, fresh, and a little bit playful. This one doesn’t take itself too seriously — and that’s exactly why it works.

Ingredients

• 2 cod fillets
• 1 ripe mango, diced small
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeds removed, minced
• Juice of 2 limes
• Fresh cilantro, salt, and olive oil

Step-by-Step Instructions

28. Make the salsa first: toss mango, red onion, jalapeño, lime juice, and cilantro together. Season with salt and let it sit for 10 minutes to meld.
29. Season the cod and sear in a hot pan with olive oil, 3–4 minutes per side until golden.
30. Plate the cod and spoon the mango salsa generously over the top.

Why You’ll Love It

The sweet heat of the mango salsa against the savory, golden fish is a combination that somehow feels both unexpected and completely obvious. Make extra salsa. You’ll eat it with chips the next day. I’m not even sorry.

8. Pan Seared Cod with Creamy Spinach Sauce

Rich, velvety, deeply comforting. This is the pan seared cod recipe for when it’s cold outside and you need something that feels like a hug.

Ingredients

• 2 cod fillets
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• Butter, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg

Step-by-Step Instructions

31. Sear the cod in butter, 3–4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
32. Sauté garlic in the same pan for 30 seconds. Add spinach and wilt completely.
33. Pour in heavy cream. Add Parmesan and nutmeg. Stir and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 2–3 minutes.
34. Return the cod to the pan. Spoon the creamy spinach sauce over it and serve immediately.

Why You’ll Love It

The nutmeg is the quiet hero of this sauce — don’t skip it. It adds a warmth and depth that you can’t quite identify but you’d definitely miss. Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread to catch every drop of that sauce.

9. Pan Seared Cod Tacos with Chipotle Crema

Taco Tuesday just got a serious upgrade. These pan seared cod fish tacos are messy, bold, and completely worth it.

Ingredients

• 2 cod fillets
• 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Small corn or flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup sour cream + 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, blended (this is your crema)
• Shredded cabbage, lime wedges, fresh cilantro

Step-by-Step Instructions

35. Season cod with cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Sear in olive oil, 3–4 minutes per side. Break into large flakes.
36. Make the chipotle crema by blending sour cream with one chipotle pepper. Taste and adjust heat.
37. Warm tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry pan.
38. Layer cabbage, cod flakes, and a generous drizzle of chipotle crema. Finish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Why You’ll Love It

Flaky pan seared cod in tacos is genuinely one of the best things you can do with this fish. The chipotle crema cuts through the richness with just enough smokiness and heat. One taco is never enough — plan accordingly.

10. Pan Seared Cod with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Bold, smoky, gorgeous colour. This sauce does all the heavy lifting and the cod just shows up and looks beautiful.

Ingredients

• 2 cod fillets
• 2 roasted red peppers (jarred is 100% fine — save your energy)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and fresh basil to finish

Step-by-Step Instructions

39. Blend roasted peppers, garlic, broth, olive oil, and smoked paprika until smooth. Warm the sauce in a small pan and season to taste.
40. Sear the cod in olive oil, 3–4 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through.
41. Spoon the roasted pepper sauce onto each plate. Place the cod on top. Garnish with fresh basil.

Why You’ll Love It

The roasted red pepper sauce looks like something from a high-end restaurant and takes about 4 minutes to make. Let the record show that jarred roasted peppers are not a compromise — they’re a completely legitimate shortcut.

11. Pan Seared Cod with White Wine and Shallot Sauce

Classic French bistro energy, zero French culinary training required. Just a pan, some white wine, and confidence.

Ingredients

• 2 cod fillets
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 tbsp cold butter, cut into cubes
• Fresh tarragon or chives, salt, pepper, olive oil

Step-by-Step Instructions

42. Sear the cod in olive oil, 3–4 minutes each side. Remove and rest.
43. In the same pan, sauté shallots until soft and golden, about 3 minutes.
44. Add white wine and reduce by half, scraping up any brown bits from the pan.
45. Remove from heat. Whisk in cold butter cubes one at a time — this emulsifies the sauce. It’ll look silky and glossy when done right.
46. Season, pour over the cod, and scatter fresh herbs on top.

Why You’ll Love It

The butter emulsion technique sounds fancy but it just means you whisk cold butter into a hot pan off the heat. Do it wrong and the sauce splits. Do it right and you feel like an absolute culinary genius. The stakes are low. The reward is high.

12. Pan Seared Cod with Chimichurri

Fresh, herby, zippy, and intensely green. Chimichurri is the sauce that makes everything it touches taste more alive.

Ingredients

• 2 cod fillets
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, packed
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
• 1/3 cup good olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

47. Blitz parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar, chilli flakes, and olive oil in a food processor or chop by hand. Season generously. Set aside to rest for at least 10 minutes.
48. Season the cod, sear in a hot pan with olive oil, 3–4 minutes per side until golden.
49. Plate the cod and spoon chimichurri over it generously. Serve immediately.

Why You’ll Love It

Chimichurri on pan seared cod is a pairing that feels almost too good to be this easy. The acid from the vinegar cuts through the richness of the seared fish perfectly. Make a big batch — leftover chimichurri on eggs the next morning is one of life’s quiet pleasures.

The Bottom Line

Twelve pan seared cod fish recipes. One skill to master — that dry fillet, hot pan, don’t move it technique. And more weeknight dinner options than you’ll know what to do with.

Pan seared cod is quick (most of these are on the table in 25 minutes or less), endlessly versatile, genuinely healthy, and — when you nail that golden crust — deeply satisfying to cook. It’s the kind of recipe that makes you feel like you actually have your life together, even on a Tuesday.

Start with the classic lemon butter version to get the technique right. Then work your way through the list. By the time you hit that chimichurri cod, you’ll be confidently tweaking recipes, swapping ingredients, and explaining pan searing to your friends like you invented it.Go make some cod. You’ve got everything you need.