Name: Baked Cod with Crispy Garlic Herb Panko
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons salted butter (divided); 4 6 ounce cod fillets; 1 lemon (cut in wedges); Kosher salt; Pepper; 3 garlic cloves (minced); ½ cup plain panko; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Baked Cod with Crispy Garlic Herb Panko is one of my go to dinners on busy evenings. Top mild tasting cod with a buttery and crunchy panko topping for a quick and delicious dinner. The whole family will love this seafood recipe!

"I loved it! Good combination of butter, garlic, herbs, and lemon.
Nice crunchy top. I made it with cod and will keep this recipe in rotation. A nice change from salmon." ~ Carol

Recipe Review

A fork with a piece baked cod with panko.

Recipe at a Glance

Recipe Name: Baked Cod with Panko
Ready In: 5 minutes prep, 15 minutes cook time
Serves: 4
Calories: 269 per serving
Main Ingredients: Cod, butter, lemon, panko, garlic, parsley
Difficulty: Easy

Panko Crusted Cod Recipe

When I need a quick dinner on a busy night, seafood is my go-to ingredient. It can be prepared in a variety of ways including baking, poaching, grilling and sautéing.

It lends itself well to many ethnic flavors such as Korean Barbecue Shrimp, Oven Baked Cod Oreganata, Italian Mussels Marinara, French Lemon Cod Francese, and Mediterranean Baked Feta and Tomato Shrimp.

My personal chef clients loved this baked cod recipe. I would prep the dish, and they would bake it at dinner time.

Cod baked and topped with garlic herb panko.

And best of all, most seafood cooks in about 10 to 15 minutes no matter which method of cooking you use. This is a family favorite recipe, especially of my husband. He requests it for his birthday along with a chocolate cherry cake.

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Baked Cod with Panko Ingredients

Cod, panko, lemon, butter, garlic and parsley.

Most well stocked pantries will have all the ingredients needed for this delicious seafood entrée. Garlic infused butter and fresh parsley flavor the delicate and crisp panko crumb topping. A squeeze of lemon adds a touch of brightness to dish.

Salted butter
Cod fillets
Lemon
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
Garlic cloves
Plain panko
Fresh parsley

How to Pick Fresh Fish at the Market

A good rule of thumb when buying fish is to make sure it is the freshest available.

Get to know your fishmonger. A knowledgeable fish merchant will be invaluable in helping pick the freshest fish.
The seafood should not have a fishy or ammonia smell.
The fish should be firm to the touch, and the color should be vibrant.
If it still has its skin, the scales should be shiny.
If there is any liquid surrounding the fish, it should be clear and not milky.

How to Make Baked Cod with Panko (Step by Step)

This quick and easy seafood recipe is for both novice and seasoned cooks. With fresh fish and a few common pantry and refrigerator ingredients, it will take only a few minutes to assemble and bake. Scroll to the recipe card for full instructions.

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Step 2: Grease a baking pan with butter. Add the cod fillets. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

4 cod filets in a buttered baking dish and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Step 3: Melt butter in a sauté pan. Turn off the heat and add chopped garlic. Let the garlic infuse the butter for a minute.

Step 4: Add the panko to the garlic butter. Toss to coat. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Adding panko and chopped fresh parsley to garlic butter.

Step 5: Divide the panko on top of the cod.

2 unbaked cod filets topped with garlic butter and herb panko.

Step 6: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Step 7: Remove the fish from the oven. Serve with lemon wedges.

Cooking Tips for Making Baked Panko Cod

In about the time it takes to go to the drive through of your local take out restaurant, you could be enjoying Baked Cod with Crispy Garlic Herb Panko for dinner instead. These simple tips from my years as a personal chef help you get crispy panko and perfectly cooked fish every time, even if you're new to cooking seafood.

Use any firm fish in this versatile recipe. Options are halibut, haddock, salmon, swordfish, and mahi mahi. If you're family loves salmon, try my Roasted Salmon Caesar too.
As soon as the butter melts, turn off the heat. You just want to infuse the butter with the garlic as opposed to sautéing it.
A digital thermometer is indispensable when cooking fish. Overcooked fish will be dry. Perfectly cooked fish will be moist and opaque and have an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.