Spiced Butter Baked Cod with Green Beans

Spiced Butter Baked Cod with Green Beans is a fast, easy, healthy one-pan recipe that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Smoky, garlicky butter coats tender fish and veggies and gets topped with crunchy sliced almonds.

Ready in 30 minutes and cleanup is a breeze!

This can easily be made dairy-free using ghee or extra virgin olive oil.

Plus it’s also low carb, Paleo, keto and Whole30-friendly!

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What you need to make Spiced Butter Baked Cod

Since this is a one-pan recipe, you don’t need much!

• a 9×13″ baking dish or similar 3 qt. dish (do not use a baking sheet)
• a thin spatula to lift the cod out of the dish
• a serving platter, if desired
• measuring spoons
• a cutting board
• a chef’s knife
• a small skillet for toasting the sliced almonds
• an instant read thermometer (optional)

And as for ingredients for this healthy baked cod recipe:

• 4 (5-6 oz.) cod fillets, about 1.5 pounds
• 12-16 oz. green beans
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup)  grass-fed butter, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

How to make this Spiced Butter Baked Cod

Making baked cod with butter is so simple almost anyone can do it:

• toss the green beans with salt and pepper right in the pan
• pat dry the cod and lay on top of the green beans
• sprinkle the cod with salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder and butter
• bake!
• remove the cod and toss the beans with the spiced butter

And that’s it!

Variations and substitutions

• You can use frozen cod even if it’s still frozen! You’ll have to increase the cooking time to about 45-50 minutes. The green beans won’t burn, they’ll just get even more tender and even a little caramelized.
• You can use tilapia or haddock instead of cod. Both of those will probably cook faster than cod so start checking around 10-12 minutes. If they’re frozen it’ll take more like 30-40 minutes.
• To make it dairy-free and Whole30 friendly, use ghee or extra virgin olive oil.
• You can use broccoli florets instead of green beans.
• Use whatever spices you like. I particularly like this with yellow curry powder.
• Use whatever nuts you like for a little crunch.

What to serve with this cod in butter sauce

To round out the meal, you could serve this with steamed or roasted potatoes.

These almond flour biscuits smeared with more butter or ghee would also be great on the side.

You could serve it with rice or cauliflower rice to help soak up all the buttery juices. This link shows you how to make cauliflower rice.

But you could also use sweet potato rice, as seen with this beef stew recipe.

You could try parsnip rice, too.

What to make ahead

You really can’t make the dish ahead of time, but it takes just minutes to throw together.

You can toast the sliced almonds ahead of time and keep in a container for up 2 weeks.

Freezing

Freezing cooked fish like cod isn’t preferred. But if you really want to, place the baked cod on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place uncovered in the freezer. Once the cod is totally frozen, place in a freezer-safe baggie or container for up to 1 month.

Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a low oven for 10-15 minutes.

Freeze the green beans (separately from the cod) by placing them and the buttery juices in a freezer-safe baggie or container for up to 1 month.

Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a low oven or in a skillet.

Other seafood and one-pan dishes

You might also like:

Crispy Skin Salmon 2 Ways: Pan-Fried or Broiled

Sheet Pan Lemon Salmon with Pesto

One-Pan Creamy Mustard Pork Chops with Asparagus

Sheet Pan Apple Cinnamon Chicken

Print Recipe

4.56 from 9 votes

Spiced Butter Baked Cod with Green Beans

This easy, one-pan dish will become a regular part of your weeknight dinner repertoire.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bake cod, baked fish recipe, cod, healthy fish recipe

Servings: 4 people

Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

• 12-16 oz. trimmed green beans
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 (5-6 oz.) cod fillets (about 1.5 lbs.)
• 4 tablespoons grass-fed butter, ghee or extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 400°.
• Toss the green beans with 1/2 tsp. salt and the pepper in a 9x13" / 3 qt. baking dish.
• Pat dry the cod fillets and place on top of the green beans.
• Sprinkle the fillets with another 1/2 tsp. salt plus the garlic powder and smoked paprika. Divide the butter into half-tablespoons and place 2 on top of each fillet.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fillet reads 125°.
• While the cod bakes, add the sliced almonds to a small, dry skillet. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and toasty, about 7-10 minutes.
• Once the cod is done, gently remove to a serving platter. Toss the green beans with the spiced buttery juices, add to the serving platter and sprinkle over the sliced almonds. Squeeze the lemon wedges over the top and serve.

Notes

what to make ahead

You really can't make the dish ahead of time, but it takes just minutes to throw together.

You can toast the sliced almonds ahead of time and keep in a container for up 2 weeks.

freezing

Freezing cooked fish like cod isn't preferred. But if you really want to, place the baked cod on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place uncovered in the freezer. Once the cod is totally frozen, place in a freezer-safe baggie or container for up to 1 month.

Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a low oven for 10-15 minutes.

Freeze the green beans (separately from the cod) by placing them and the buttery juices in a freezer-safe baggie or container for up to 1 month.

Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a low oven or in a skillet.

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