Lemon Pepper Grilled Cod Recipe

When summer rolls around, I love throwing fresh fish on the grill, and this grilled cod recipe is one of my favorites. I season thick cod fillets with bright lemon pepper and grill them until flaky, juicy, and lightly smoky. It’s an easy, nutritious dinner that feels light but is still completely satisfying.

I don’t think there is a more perfect dish for a light summer dinner, than grilled fish. It’s simple to prepare and cook in just minutes, and a thick fillet of fish is a terrifically nutritious, hearty, lean protein, which is why I’ve added it to my weekly menu rotation, especially during warmer months. I especially love that it’s quick enough to make for a last-minute busy weeknight meal, but elegant enough to serve as an entree when friends are over for a celebratory dinner party. If you love simple fail-proof fish recipes, like my old fashioned salmon patties recipe, then you should definitely try this lemon pepper marinated cod dish. It’s a light, buttery, flaky piece of juicy cod that just melts in your mouth. From start to finish, this recipe only takes about 15 minutes and uses just a handful of basic ingredients. I’m pretty sure that this will definitely become your new go-to, no-fuss meal for grilling tender fish every single time!

Shar – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This lemon pepper grilled cod deserves to be recognized! My fam super loves it! It was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Such a keeper!

Sommer’s Recipe Highlights

Perfect for Grilling Season – When spring and summer come around, I’m the first to heat up the grill! This grilled cod dish is the perfect way to kick off BBQ season, and it’s such an easy and quick recipe to make. My family loves it!

Simple Ingredients – Made with just 6 ingredients, this grilled fish recipe takes about 15 minutes to make. It’s also a great dish for anyone who is just getting his/her feet wet with fish recipes, which can be a total hit or miss. But not this one; only win-wins here.

Light and Nutritious – This light, flaky grilled fish recipe is packed with tangy, bold flavors. The best part is that it’s a dish you can feel good about because it’s loaded with nutrients, tons of protein, and it’s low in fat content.

Key Ingredients and Tips

Cod fillets – For these recipes, I usually use thick fillets of cod because while they’re high in protein, they have the perfect amount of fat that adds a ton of flavor and juiciness. You’ll just want to slightly adjust cook times depending on the thickness of the fish filets you use. If cod is not your favorite, you can also use grouper or halibut.

There’s really nothing worse than a dry piece of fish.

Lemon – I use fresh lemon because it helps to enhance the tangy, bright flavors of the lemon pepper seasoning!

Spices – To marinate the fish, I use a combo of spices that include a store-bought lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder, and smoked paprika for a gorgeous pop of red tint.

How to Make

Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, cooking tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.

Prep the oven – I start off by preheating the grill to 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit, so that it’s nice and toasty when I add the fish onto it.

Ready the foil – Then, I top four square-cut pieces of aluminum foil with some chunks of butter. I add some fresh lemon slices on top of that, and make sure that the butter and lemon are centered on the foil.

Add the fish – It’s critical to pat the fish dry, and I do so by using a paper towel and gently dabbing the fillets to remove any excess moisture. The seasoning always sticks better to a dry piece of fish! Then, I add the dried fish fillets on top of the lemon and butter.

Make the seasoning – In a bowl, I combine all the spices — lemon pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. I mix that up well, and then I coat the fish with this delicious seasoning.

Make the foil packets – Now, I basically fold the foil together so that the fish is sealed into an airtight pouch. I usually fold the top and ends two times to create a firm seal.

Grill – I move the foil packets onto the hot grill and cook them for about 8-10 minutes. Make sure the grill is covered!

Open and serve – Once they’re ready, I remove them from the grill and pop open the foil for a delicious surprise that’s ready to be served!

Expert Tips

This simple grilled fish method uses foil to protect the fish from overcooking, so the juicy texture is perfect every single time. You can also use parchment paper to wrap the fish, and it will offer the same results. However, I have found (long story) that it’s best to place the parchment-wrapped fish on a baking pan, then set the pan on the grill grates. Paper directly on hot, potentially flaring grates is not a good idea!

Recipe Variations

Spicy – Add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper into the seasoning mix for some added heat.

Garlic – For a boost of savoriness, add some freshly minced garlic to the fish.

Honey – For a sweet and caramelized surprise, drizzle some honey on top with a splash of lemon before grilling.