Baked Cod Buttery Cracker Crumbs (Printable Version)

Tender cod topped with buttery cracker crumbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless, boneless cod fillets (6 ounces each)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Crumb Topping

05 - 1 cup buttery crackers (e.g., Ritz), crushed
06 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
08 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Optional Garnish

10 - Lemon wedges
11 - Chopped fresh parsley

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a baking dish.
02 - Pat cod fillets dry. Place on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with lemon juice and season evenly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a bowl, combine crushed buttery crackers, melted butter, chopped parsley, garlic powder, and lemon zest. Mix until uniformly moistened.
04 - Evenly spoon crumb mixture over the cod fillets, pressing lightly to adhere.
05 - Bake fillets for 15 to 20 minutes until fish flakes easily and topping is golden brown.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges and extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The fish cooks gently while the topping gets crispy, so you get two textures in one bite.
  • It looks impressive enough to serve guests but honest enough to make on a random Tuesday.
  • Cleanup is minimal, and you can have dinner on the table in thirty minutes flat.
02 -
  • Wet fish never gets a crispy topping—those paper towels are not optional, no matter how much of a hurry you're in.
  • Don't let the crackers sit in the melted butter for more than a minute or two before spooning them onto the fish, or they'll start dissolving into a paste instead of staying crunchy.
  • Opening the oven door to peek counts as curiosity, not as ruining your dinner—the fish is forgiving enough to handle it.
03 -
  • If your fillets are thicker than usual, cover the pan loosely with foil for the first 10 minutes so the topping doesn't brown too fast before the fish cooks through.
  • Make the crumb topping up to an hour ahead and store it in a bowl; spoon it onto the fish right before baking so it stays as crispy as possible.

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