Crispy Skin Baked Cod (Printable version)
Baked cod with crispy skin, lemon, and thyme for a light and flavorful dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 skin-on cod fillets, 5-6 oz each, pin-boned and patted dry
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
04 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Aromatics & Flavor
05 - 1 lemon, sliced
06 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
07 - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
→ Optional Garnish
08 - Fresh parsley, chopped
09 - Lemon wedges
# How to Prepare:
01 - Set the oven to 425°F and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or greasing lightly.
02 - Place cod fillets skin-side up on the baking sheet and thoroughly pat the skin dry using paper towels to ensure crispiness.
03 - Brush each fillet’s skin side lightly with olive oil; season both sides evenly with sea salt and black pepper.
04 - Arrange lemon slices, thyme sprigs, and garlic slices around the fillets—avoid placing them on the skin side.
05 - Bake in the center of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until the fish is opaque, flakes easily with a fork, and skin is golden and crisp.
06 - Carefully lift the fillets with a thin spatula to keep the skin intact; garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The skin gets impossibly crispy while the flesh stays tender and buttery inside, creating a textural contrast that feels luxurious on the plate.
- It's ready in just 25 minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner that doesn't taste like one.
- The gentle aromatics infuse the fish without overpowering its delicate flavor, letting the cod shine as the star.
02 -
- Patting the fish dry is absolutely critical. Wet skin will never crisp no matter how hot your oven is. I learned this by making the mistake once, and the lesson stuck with me forever.
- Don't be tempted to cover the pan with foil or a lid. The fish needs direct heat exposure to develop that golden, crackling skin you're after.
- Overcooking cod by even a couple of minutes transforms it from tender and moist to dry and flaky in the wrong way. Start checking at 12 minutes, not 15.
03 -
- Ask your fishmonger to pin-bone the fillets for you if you're not comfortable doing it yourself. Most will happily do this while you wait, and it saves you time and frustration.
- The moment you place the fish in the oven, set a timer for 12 minutes and start checking. This is far more reliable than trusting the recipe exactly, since ovens vary and fish thickness isn't always consistent.