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Fish, Americas

Garlic butter cod with rice

Garlic butter cod with rice is a pan seared cod fillet topped with melted garlic butter and lime, served alongside rice. It serves 4, takes 30 minutes, and is a very easy recipe for about €3.50 per person. The key is cooking the garlic low and slow so it turns golden and sweet, never brown and bitter.

Tonight, a golden fillet of fish swimming in garlic butter, a true taste of the coast.

Garlic butter cod with rice
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€3.50
Calories per person
360 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

This dish comes from Mexican coastal cooking, where garlic takes center stage without ever overwhelming the plate. The cod stays tender under its light flour crust, while the melted garlic butter, brightened with lime, ties everything together without hiding the fish. It tastes fresh, fragrant, and never heavy.

It's the kind of recipe you pull out on a weeknight when you want something simple that still feels special, or for guests who don't expect anything fussy. Kids usually like the mild flavor of the fish and rice, especially if you go lighter on raw garlic in their portion. Mon Chou suggests it for nights when you want a good meal without spending the whole evening on it.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Cod fillets 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 10 cloves
  • Limes 2
  • Parsley 4 sprigs
  • Green salad 1

Dairy

  • Butter 60 g

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Fish, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the rice in salted water, then drain it. 11 min

    Cover with a lid as soon as it boils and lower the heat.

  2. Peel and finely slice the garlic, then let it turn golden gently in the butter with a bit of oil. 6 min

    Take the pan off the heat as soon as the garlic turns pale gold.

  3. Salt the fillets, dust them very lightly with flour, and brown them in an oiled pan. 8 min

    Lay them presentation side down first and leave them alone.

  4. Pour the garlic butter over the fish with the juice of one lime.

    Pour the garlic butter hot over the fish just before serving.

  5. Serve with the rice, green salad, chopped parsley, and the second lime cut into wedges.

    Dress the salad at the last moment with a squeeze of lime.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pat the cod fillets dry before flouring them, moisture keeps the crust from browning properly.
  • Slice the garlic thin and even so it cooks at the same rate, otherwise some pieces burn before others turn golden.
  • Serve the fish right after pouring on the garlic butter, it loses its crispness while it waits.

The variations

  • Swap the cod for hake or monkfish, two firm white fish that hold up well in a pan.
  • For a vegetarian version, use lightly floured zucchini or eggplant slices instead of fish, and keep the same garlic butter.
  • For kids, set aside part of the garlic butter before adding the lime, the flavor is milder and goes over better.

What to serve it with

  • Plain white rice
  • Lime dressed green salad
  • Lime wedges on the side

Storage

The fish keeps for 1 day in the refrigerator in a sealed container, though it loses some crispness. It doesn't freeze well once cooked. Reheat it gently in a pan over low heat, never in the microwave, which dries it out.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a different fish instead of cod?

Yes, any firm white fish works well, like hake, monkfish, or pollock. Choose fillets of similar thickness so they cook evenly.

How do you keep the garlic from turning bitter?

Cook the garlic over low heat in the butter and watch its color closely. As soon as it turns pale gold, take the pan off the heat, since it keeps cooking in the hot butter.

Can you make the garlic butter ahead of time?

Yes, make it a few hours ahead and leave it at room temperature. Warm it gently over very low heat right before pouring it over the fish.

Can the rice be cooked in advance?

Yes, cook it a few hours ahead and keep it covered. Reheat it with a splash of water in a pan or the microwave just before serving.

How long does it take to make a garlic butter cod with rice?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a garlic butter cod with rice?

About 360 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a garlic butter cod with rice cost?

About €3.50 per serving, or €14.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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