Cod Piccata
Cod piccata is a delightful weeknight meal- Made with pan-fried fish fillets and a vibrant lemon caper sauce, it's ready in just 15 minutes.
This quick recipe for cod piccata is an easy way to cook this well-loved white fish for a tasty midweek supper, and it comes together in just 15 minutes!
It's basically made with fresh cod fillets (any other white fish fillet would work!) pan-fried in butter and drizzled with a tangy lemon-butter sauce. Seriously, what’s not to love!?
As a welcome bonus, this fish piccata pairs very well with many Italian side dishes, from quick roasted potatoes and burrata panzanella salad to sauteed broccolini or spaghetti alla Nerano.
I'll leave a few other side dish options below!
Cod fish piccata ingredients
This delicious cod piccata recipe is incredibly easy to make, and all you need is less than 10 ingredients:
- Fish: You can use both fresh or frozen (defrost before use) cod fillets. Alternative white fish that works well include halibut, haddock, plaice, branzino or dorade fillets.
- Flour: Use just regular all-purpose flour for dredging the fish fillets before pan-frying them.
- Onion: Finely chopped onion or shallot adds a nice sweet note to the lemon caper sauce, you can swap it with finely minced garlic if needed.
- Butter: You'll need for both frying the fish, and for making the lemon sauce for a buttery and velvety result.
- Olive oil: Use both butter and olive oil to fry the fish, to prevent the butter from burning.
- Lemon: You'll both the zest and juice, so I recommend opting for organic lemons.
- Capers: I like to use salt-preserved capers, as they have a depth of flavor that goes beyond sour and salt. Rinse them well before use, the same goes for brined capers.
- Stock: Use vegetable stock or fish stock.
- Fresh herbs: I like to finish off the dish with fresh chopped parsley for a nice aromatic note. Fresh lemon thyme would work well too here!
How to make cod piccata
This beautifully simple to make cod piccata is ready in four simple steps and less than 15 minutes:
It's one of those easy Italian recipes that are always a crowd-pleaser and don't require much effort!
Scroll down until the end of the post for the full printable recipe.
STEP 1. Season the cod fillets, and then give them a nice coating of flour.
STEP 2. Pan fry the cod fillets, until golden on both sides, then remove them from the pan.
STEP 3. To make the fish piccata sauce add to the pan: lemon juice, zest and slices, followed by vegetable stock, shallot and capers. Cook for a few minutes, then whisk in the remaining butter.
STEP 4. Return the fish to the pan, top with fresh parsley and serve.
What to serve with fish piccata
You easily serve cod fish piccata as a main course, but also as a side dish together with pasta.
Here are a few favorite dishes that make a great pairing:
- Sourdough bread: an easy yet satisfying way to serve piccata is with some crusty artisanal Italian bread!
- Green bean and potato salad: light and refreshing, perfect for a summer lunch!
- Peperonata: a simple way to incorporate extra veggies for a well-balanced meal.
- Purple potato mash: quick and super easy, fish + potatoes is always a great combo, any time of the year.
- Spaghetti Carrettiera: simple, super quick to make, and a great pairing for fish piccata.
Storage tips
Fish piccata is a dish that's best eaten straight away.
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge, and consume them within 12 hours.
You can simply reheat the fish and its sauce in a frying pan for a couple of minutes.
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Recipe
Cod Piccata
Ingredients
- 4 skinless cod fillets
- 4 tablespoon all purpose flour, for dredging
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 60 ml vegetable stock, approx ¼ cup
- 1 tablespoon capers, well washed
- 4 lemon slices
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- a handful of fresh parsley or thyme, chopped
- sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Season the cod fillets with sea salt and black pepper. Dredge them in flour and shake off the excess.
- In a large frying pan melt half of the butter with the extra-virgin olive oil, over medium-low heat.
- Add the cod fillets to the frying pan and cook for about 2 minutes per side until golden and slightly browned. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside in a warm place.
- Adjust the heat to low. Add lemon juice, vegetable stock, capers, lemon slices and zest and shallot, and scrape well up the brown bits from the pan. Cook until the shallot is softened and translucent.
- Add the remaining butter to the sauce and whisk for about a minute until it has a nice, silky texture.
- Return the fish fillets to the pan, and garnish with parsley. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and serve.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Boungiorno , Come Stai ,,,,no rating yet very interesting but Im going in with fresh water fish. live on a lake. willl post results thank you.
Wow, this recipe looks absolutely delicious! I can't wait to try it out this weekend. Thanks for sharing🤗!I've been using FoodHub for a few months now, and I'm hooked! The variety of cuisines and recipes available is incredible, and I love that I can easily filter by dietary preferences. It's made meal planning so much simpler and more enjoyable.
My family loved this cod piccata recipe! Simple and so tasty!