Lactose Free Lemon Butter Cod
Flaky, golden-seared cod meets a bright, buttery pan sauce in a dish that feels restaurant-worthy without a lot of fuss. The key move here is patting the fillets completely dry before they hit the hot skillet — that's what gives you that gorgeous, caramelized crust instead of a sad, steamed piece of fish. Garlic-infused oil does the heavy lifting on flavor in the sear, so you get that savory depth without any dairy touching the pan until the sauce stage. The sauce itself is built from real butter, which is naturally very low in lactose — the milk solids are minimal, and browning it briefly in the pan reduces them further, making it far gentler than cream-based sauces for most people who are sensitive. Fresh lemon juice, zest, scallion tops, and parsley pull everything together into something tangy and herbaceous that coats every bite. Served straight from the pan with extra lemon wedges, this is the kind of weeknight dinner that looks like you actually tried.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 cod fillets (6 oz each), about 1 inch thick
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp garlic-infused oil
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp scallion green tops, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
For serving
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the cod fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels, then season both sides evenly with the salt and black pepper.
- 2
Heat the garlic-infused oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the cod fillets presentation-side down and cook, undisturbed, for 3–4 minutes, until the underside is golden and the fish releases easily from the pan.
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