Lemon-Herb Cod with Roasted Vegetables

Name: Lemon-Herb Cod with Roasted Vegetables
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 lb cod fillet; 2.5 lb baby potatoes; 3 each zucchini; 2 cups cherry tomatoes; 4 tbsp butter; 3 tbsp lemon juice; 3 cloves garlic; 0.25 cup fresh parsley; 1 tsp dried thyme; 3 tbsp olive oil

Flaky baked cod with roasted zucchini, tomatoes, and potatoes in a lemon-herb butter

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 30 min
Serves 8
Difficulty: easy

Cod fillets bake under a lemon-herb butter alongside zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and baby potatoes. It is a genuinely lighter dinner option with lean protein and roasted vegetables, built to be simple rather than fussy.

Why crews like it: It gives crews a real lighter-calorie option on nights when the hall wants to ease off heavier meals, without turning dinner into a salad — everything still comes out of the oven hot and finished.

574Cal

41gProtein

28gCarbs

32gFat

Ingredients

3 lb cod fillet
2.5 lb baby potatoes
3 each zucchini
2 cups cherry tomatoes
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
0.25 cup fresh parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Par-cook the potatoes: Heat the oven to 400°F. Toss halved baby potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan and roast 15 minutes to give them a head start over the faster-cooking vegetables. Target oven/smoker temperature: 400°F.
Mix the lemon-herb butter: Whisk melted butter with lemon juice, garlic, parsley, and thyme in a small bowl until combined.
Add zucchini and tomatoes: Add zucchini and cherry tomatoes to the pan with the potatoes, tossing lightly with a bit more oil, salt, and pepper.
Add the cod and butter sauce: Pat cod dry and season with salt and pepper. Nestle cod portions among the vegetables and spoon the lemon-herb butter evenly over the fish.
Bake until cod flakes easily: Bake 12–15 minutes until cod is opaque and flakes easily with a fork and vegetables are tender. Cod is done by texture, not just a clock — check the thickest fillet. Target oven/smoker temperature: 400°F.
Hold and serve: If service is delayed, hold covered loosely at 200°F for no more than 15 minutes — cod continues to firm up and can dry out if held too long. Target oven/smoker temperature: 200°F.

Tonight's spread

Main: Lemon-herb cod with roasted vegetables
Sides: Crusty bread, simple green salad
Condiments: Extra lemon wedges, melted butter
Set hot components closest to the crew; cold crunch and toppings at the far end of the line.
Keep a backup tray at 200°F for firefighters returning from a run.

Hall tips

Prep tip: Pat cod completely dry before seasoning so the butter sauce actually clings instead of sliding off.
Rookie tip: Check cod a few minutes early — it goes from tender to dry quickly once it passes done.
Use haddock or tilapia if cod isn't available; cook times are similar.
Squeeze fresh lemon over the finished dish right before serving for extra brightness.

Substitutions

Use haddock, tilapia, or halibut instead of cod.
Use olive oil instead of butter for a dairy-free version.
Add asparagus in place of zucchini when in season.

Meal prep

Make-ahead: potatoes can be par-cooked a day ahead. Storage: keep cod and vegetables together up to 3 days. Reheating: reheat covered at 300°F just until warm — cod dries out fast at high heat.

Leftovers

Cool cod and vegetables in a shallow pan within two hours; reheat gently at 300°F, not high heat.
Store cod and vegetables together — they hold reasonably well for up to 3 days.
Flake leftover cod over greens for a fast, no-cook next-day lunch.

Sheet pan
Mixing bowls
Fish spatula