Quick and Easy Keto Cod Recipe: Atlantic Cod with Garlic Herb Butter
Don’t you love how simple it is to prepare fish? Snapper, cod and salmon fillets are my favorite weeknight meal to whip up when I don’t feel like slaving away in the kitchen but still want a nutritious, fatty ketogenic meal. This is one of my favorite keto cod recipes simply because of how quick it can be done yet how tasty it is!
This Atlantic Cod with Garlic Herb Butter will become a favorite for you too if you’re looking to add more fish recipes to your rotation and want to switch it u from salmon every now and then. Salmon is expensive where I am from so this works out perfectly for me.
If you’re a salmon lover, this garlic herb butter sauce works just as well! In fact, any white fish fillet will do well in this dish so use what you have.
If you’re lost and not sure how to get started with the keto diet, this meal plan is for you. It’s a fool-proof guide to winning at the high-fat, low-carb lifestyle.
Why You Should Include More Fish in Your Keto Diet
This recipe specifies Atlantic Cod because it’s the type I get here in Jamaica. Upon doing my research, I realized that there are many different types of fish that can be labeled as cod so sometimes you have no idea what type of fish you’re getting.
The general rule of thumb for cod is that it’s a white fish that’s very flaky and mild in taste. This mild taste means that your cooking style and seasoning will greatly affect the flavor you end up with. I generally don’t like to do anything to seafood like salmon, shrimp, and lobster except slap them with garlic butter because they have their own distinct taste and I want that to shine through.
Cod, on the other hand, can take a bunch of different applications. I’ve curried cod, done it up in a honey BBQ sauce, teriyaki, fried it up escoveitch style which is a Jamaican/Caribbean favorite and even slapped jerk sauce on it and popped it in the oven for a quick and nutritious meal.
Cod is very low in fat so feel free to slather it in lots of butter to amp up the flavor and the fat content or have it with a fatty side dish such as my Garlicky Cauliflower Mash.
Cod is, of course, high in protein but it’s very low in mercury! It’s also high in Vitamin B and several minerals that are essential to brain and heart health, though it’s not as high in Omega 3s like salmon, mackerel and sardines.
How to Prepare this Keto Cod Recipe
Because Atlantic Cod is a leaner fish, you’ll want to prepare it in lots of high-quality fat. If you bake this, which you totally can, wrap it in foil with the garlic butter inside. Baking makes this recipe even quicker with much less fuss. Bake it at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes or until flaky.
In this recipe, however, I’m using my cast iron skillet to quickly sear the fish and serve it up hot. Using my 12-inch skillet, it seriously takes me 5-10 minutes to get this done. That’s with me using 6 fillets to make 3 servings for my family. I prefer it this way as the searing gives me a nice flavor and color on the fish. Just be careful when you’re flipping the fish as it breaks apart easily. These meat-turner spatula tongs come in really handy for flipping delicate meats or pancaked etc so there’s no breaking and oil is not splashed everywhere when flipping.
If you love this butter, you can make it ahead of time, keep in your fridge and use it on your savory dishes, or make garlic bread or garlic chaffles!
I use it to fry up my sausage and eggs all the time or toast a slice of my Coconut Flour Bread.
If you’re just starting the keto diet, a food journal specifically for keto like this one can help you to stay on track. Track your meals, macros, mood, fasting times and movement daily to spot helpful and harmful patterns that help you achieve your weight loss and health goals.
Quick and Easy Keto Cod Recipe
Atlantic Cod with Garlic Herb Butter, a quick and easy keto fish recipe.
Garlic Herb Butter
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
- 1½ tsp garlic (finely minced)
- 1 tsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tsp fresh basil (finely chopped)
- ¼ tsp sea salt
For Fish
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (extra virgin)
- 6 4oz Atlantic Cod Filets
- Sea salt and black pepper (to taste)
- freshly chopped parsley (to garnish)
Prepare the garlic-herb butter by combining all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Stir until the garlic, herbs, and salt are evenly distributed throughout the softened butter.
Transfer the butter mixture to the center of a sheet of plastic wrap and form it into a log. Wrap tightly and place inside the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to become firm.
Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat cod filets dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt and black pepper, to taste.
Add filets to hot skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they become golden brown. Reduce heat to medium and carefully flip each fillet. Top each filet with an equal amount of herb butter and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes. While cooking, spoon the herb butter back over the filets as it melts.
Remove from heat and transfer fillets to individual serving plates. Drizzle with melted herb butter and garnish with some fresh chopped parsley, if desired.
Serve immediately with some oven-roasted asparagus tossed with remaining herb butter from skillet or your choice of sides. Enjoy!
Nutrition facts are for 2 4oz pieces per person.
Related: Try my Foil Packet White Fish with Roasted Tomatoes next!
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This was delicious! I used cod although I would recommend a different type of fish. The herbal butter was perfect; otherwise the fish would’ve been mediocre. I actually saved the remaining butter sauce to try on vegetables.
We did this one tonight with Cod and it worked out well. Pretty tasty. Will definitely do this one again.
Sorry, left out the stars.