Cod With Harissa Butter and Lemon

By Nargisse Benkabbou

Published October 2, 2025

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(541)
Comments
Read comments

This quick and kicky weeknight meal comes together in just 15 minutes and requires minimal ingredients. Cod fillets are cooked with a rich harissa butter, which adds a nice glossiness, while harissa’s heat infuses the fish with bold, aromatic flavors. Light yet satisfying, this one-pan dish is easy to pair with a variety of sides, though bread is ideal for soaking up the glossy sauce. Select a harissa paste and butter that you know you like; they will make all the difference in this simple recipe.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons harissa paste

  • Zest of ½ lemon (optional), plus 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon honey 

  • 1 garlic clove, minced or crushed through a press

  • Salt and black pepper 

  • 4 cod fillets (5 to 7 ounces each), with or without skin

  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil 

  • Chopped fresh parsley (optional), for garnish

  • Steamed vegetables, rice, couscous or bread, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

5 grams carbs; 104 milligrams cholesterol; 308 calories; 7 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 18 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 521 milligrams sodium; 31 grams protein; 2 grams 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

  1. Step 1

    In a small bowl, mix the softened butter, 1 tablespoon harissa, the lemon zest (if using), 1 teaspoon lemon juice and the honey and garlic until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper, then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more harissa or lemon juice as desired. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels. Season all sides with salt and pepper.

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cod (skin-side down if the fillets are skin-on) and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on one side, until the fish fillets release easily from the pan.

  4. Step 4

    Gently flip the fillets, then place about ½ tablespoon of the harissa butter on each one and add the remaining harissa butter to the pan. Continue to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the cod is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork and the harissa butter has turned into a glossy sauce.

  5. Step 5

    Garnish with parsley if desired and serve immediately with your choice of side.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
541 user ratings
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Comments

cg

SO GOOD..used the full 2 Tablespoons of Harissa (Belazu Rose Harissa) and the lemon zest. Served the fish on a nest of tagliatelle; side of simply steamed broccoli, both of which benefitted from the pan sauce; lemon wedges to serve. Excellent flavor.Very easy recipe; highly recommend!But I would do things differently next time; the thicker portions of the cod held together well, but the thinner tail sections just fell apart; a firmer fish like sea bass, halibut or snapper might work better here

Lara

This sauce is delicious. Made it as written with cod the first time, and then with wild sockeye salmon a couple of days later. I think this sauce would also be great with shrimp or even chicken thighs.

Birgitte Hanesand

Used snapper since I couldn't find any cod at the store. Delicious! Soaked up the sauce with fresh ciabatta. Had rainbow carrots from the farmer's market roasted in the oven as a side dish.

Sarah

Tasty and easy! I tripled the garlic and added extra lemon and harissa.

KLT

Fantastic prep for Lingcod. Used the 2 full tablespoons of harissa, the lemon zest, and a generous sprinkle of za'atar.No garlic in the pantry so instead added a sprinkle of homemade garlic powder on the fish when salting and peppering the fish before frying.

Carissa

Followed the instructions and was pretty disappointed in this, which clearly makes me an outlier. The harissa butter would be WONDERFUL on shrimp or maybe a firmer-fleshed fish, but it kind of overpowered the cod. Won't make it again as written.

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