Easy Baked Cod in Creamy Mustard Dill Sauce

This baked cod in creamy mustard dill sauce is super easy to make and the results are flaky and buttery! It's oven-baked and served in the pan, making for an easy cleanup. This quick, 30-minute fish dinner is a definite must-try German recipe!

A Favorite One-Pan Fish Recipe

Oma Sieghilde would make fish for my Opa Elmar every Friday for lunch. I despised fish back then, so those were my sister and I's play-outside-all-day days. Luckily I love it now, and this fish recipe is one of my very favorite ways to eat fish!

And the kids love it, too (I am sure I could convince Oma Sieghilde to try it if she was still around). This flaky, baked cod in a creamy mustard and dill sauce (in German 'Kabeljau in Senfsoße') is helping me feel right at home.

This meal is as refreshing as it is warming and comforting, but next is what's best. It’s super quick and a one-pan-wonder going from cooktop to oven to table in my oven-safe skillet!

Since you finish the fish in the oven, it gives you time to tidy the kitchen before dinner is on the table. This for me is always a huge win-win. If you’re hungry for more German fish recipes, please try my Nordsee-style Fischbrötchen (fish sandwiches from the North Sea) and beer-battered Backfisch.

Ingredient Notes

• Cod. You could get one long fillet and bend it in the pan or two smaller fillets. I buy mine at Whole Foods.
• lemon juice. Use fresh juice from real lemons. It makes a difference.
• Butter. The real stuff is best. I love the New Zealand Grass-Fed Butter from Costco and use it for baking as well.
• Flour. Just a Tablespoon to thicken the sauce. Use cornstarch to make this recipe gluten-free.
• Milk. I have not experimented with substitutes here, but please let me know if one works for you!

• Sour cream. The real stuff. It's Daisy for me.
• White wine. I love using a dry Riesling in the sauce and you won't need much. If you're avoiding wine, use veggie broth and a dash of white wine vinegar instead.
• Mustard. Use mild mustard here, like the organic German mustard that Whole Foods sells. Whole grain mustard could be another great option.
• Nutmeg. Freshly grated makes a huge difference! You'll find nutmeg in all sorts of German recipes and I love it in my scrambled eggs. This nutmeg mill is so pretty to have sitting on my countertop!
• Paprika Powder. Use the sweet kind, not smoked or spicy.
• Fresh dill. If you can't find fresh, you could use dried dill weed instead (and about half as much).
• Worcestershire Sauce. This sauce gives the fish some deep spice notes without being overpowering. I love it in this recipe!

Tools Notes

• Cast-Iron Pan. You'll need an oven-safe pan for this cod recipe. I adore this extra-large cast iron pan, which goes perfectly from stovetop to oven to table. This also means less clean-up and so many ways to use it (for Kaiserschmarrn for example).
• Instant-Read Thermometer. I LOVE this high-quality thermometer that reads the temperature instantly! You want to make sure your food is safe to eat, so always check in a few different spots before serving.

• Citrus Press. It makes life so much easier, especially when squeezing more fresh lemon over that fish tableside!
• Nutmeg Mill. This one's a definite nice-to-have! It's a gorgeous mill that sits next to my salt and pepper mills on my counter (and I love staring at it AND using it).
• And a pretty wine glass for that Riesling!

What to Serve With Baked Cod

For my baked cod sides, I keep things simple. I boil fingerling potatoes while making the sauce, then toss them in oil, fresh garlic, and salt to roast with the cod.

Mashed potatoes would be great, too. As another side, I also make a super quick and refreshing German cucumber salad dressed with a bit of sour cream, some Greek yogurt and more dill.