Cod With Brown Butter and Pine Nuts
Published March 4, 2025
Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
- Total Time
- 15 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
4 skinless cod fillets (each about 5 ounces and 1 inch thick)
Fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
⅓ cup pine nuts
1 ½ teaspoons sumac
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves and tender stems
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
3 grams carbs; 145 milligrams cholesterol; 456 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 30 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 660 milligrams sodium; 43 grams protein; 1 gram sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Step 2
While the oven is heating, pat the cod dry with paper towels, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart. Sprinkle them all over with ¾ teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Drizzle over the oil and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
- Step 3
Bake the fish for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the center is opaque and the fish flakes easily. (Increase or decrease the cooking times depending on the thickness of your fillets.)
- Step 4
After the fish has baked for 5 minutes, start the sauce: Add the butter to a small frying pan and melt over medium heat. Once melted, cook for 3 minutes, stirring the mixture all the while (it will start to foam). Add the pine nuts and a small pinch of salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring often, until the pine nuts are golden and the butter is browned and smells nutty. Stir in the sumac, parsley and remaining lemon juice (which might spatter!) and quickly remove from the heat.
- Step 5
Divide the cod among plates, spoon over the brown butter and pine nut mixture and serve right away.
Private Notes
Comments
What’s a good substitute for sumac?
Lemon zest. (Also, use half the butter.)
Tasty dish to put into limited rotation so I don't feel so badly about all the butter. Served with couscous which absorbed the sauce delightfully, and a light salad. Wouldn't change a thing about this!
I was out of sumac so I used Aleppo pepper. It was delicious!
Served with polenta mixed with grated Parmesan. Will never do this another way. The polenta topped with pine nuts and browned butter arguably outshines the fish.
Delicious. A more toasty pine nuts and brown butter makes the difference !