Cod in Tomato Lemon Butter Sauce with Blistered Tomatoes
By Mason Brooks
Quickly searing the cod firms its surface before it meets the sauce, while a short finish in the skillet lets it pick up flavor without prolonged cooking. This is pan-seared cod with blistered cherry tomatoes in a lemon, butter, garlic, and fresh-herb sauce.
Olive oil and butter form the initial pan base, then the same skillet holds halved cherry tomatoes until their skins blister. Garlic, red pepper flakes, and green-onion whites go in after the heat is reduced, which helps keep the garlic fragrant. Chicken broth, white wine, or dashi supplies the simmering liquid, while lemon juice, butter, parsley, basil, and green-onion greens finish the sauce.
The tomatoes should look split, juicy, and lightly caramelized before the liquid is added, and the sauce should be simmering before the lemon juice and final butter go in. The main risk is leaving the cod in the pan while the tomatoes cook, which gives the fish more exposure to heat than the method calls for. Returning it only at the end keeps the final assembly brief.
Serve the cod with the blistered tomatoes and spoon the lemon butter pan sauce over each portion. The herbs and green-onion greens are added at the end, so their fresh look and flavor remain most apparent when the dish is served directly after the final step.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Pan-searing the cod before saucing creates a lightly golden exterior, while setting it aside prevents the fish from sitting over heat during tomato cooking.
- Blistering halved cherry tomatoes over medium-high heat concentrates their juices and produces tender, caramelized pieces that become the backbone of the pan sauce.
- Lowering the heat before garlic and scallion whites are added keeps their flavor fragrant rather than browned, giving the sauce a cleaner finish.
- A three-minute broth simmer builds a unified sauce base, so lemon juice and final butter can round it out without lengthy reduction.
- Fresh parsley, basil, and scallion greens go in with the cod, preserving their brighter character instead of dulling them in the simmer.
- The recipe uses one large skillet from sear through finish, allowing browned butter and tomato bits to remain in the sauce rather than being discarded.
Ingredients
- •1 tbsp olive oil
- •2 tbsp butter
- •1 lb cod
- •salt and pepper (to taste)
- •1 lb cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
- •3 cloves garlic (chopped)
- •1 pinch red pepper flakes
- •3 green onions (sliced and divided into whites and greens)
- •0.5 cup chicken broth (or white wine, or dashi)
- •2 tbsp lemon juice
- •1 tbsp butter
- •1 tbsp parsley (chopped)
- •1 tbsp basil (chopped)
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil and melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- 2
Season the cod with salt and pepper to taste, add it to the skillet, and cook until lightly golden brown and cooked through, about 2–3 minutes per side.
- 3
Set the cod aside.
- 4
Add the cherry tomatoes to the butter and oil in the pan and cook until blistered, about 3–5 minutes.
- 5
Reduce the heat to medium.
- 6
Add the garlic, green-onion whites, and red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 7
Add the chicken broth, white wine, or dashi, bring to a simmer, and cook for 3 minutes.
- 8
Add the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon butter, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 9
Add the cod, green-onion greens, parsley, and basil.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
239
Protein
22g
Fat
13g
Carbs
7g
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