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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish Recipes

    Fish With Cream Sauce

    Published: September 25, 2020 Updated: September 25, 2020 / By: Dawn | Girl Heart Food 26 Comments

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    Close-up of a cod fillet covered in a creamy dill sauce next to a lemon wedge.

    Dinner in about 20 minutes? It’s totally possible! This fish with cream sauce combines perfectly cooked pan-fried cod and a lush, garlicky cream sauce with lots of fresh dill and a touch of lemon. Sure to be a favourite for easy weekday dinners or entertaining with friends and family.

    Close-up of cod fillets with a creamy dill sauce and lemon wedges on a dark blue plate.

    While fresh cod is still plentiful around here, I had to share one of our all-time favourite ways to enjoy it.

    Oh cod, how I love thee! From cod in tomato sauce to cod au gratin to curried cod and fish burgers, it’s just simply delicious and so versatile.

    This recipe for fish with creamy sauce takes simple pan-fried cod up a notch with the addition of a lush creamy dill sauce.

    I basically prepare the cod in much the same way as I would for a pan-fried version (but left out the flour dredge).

    Then, after the cod fillets are cooked, use the same pan to make the most delicious creamy sauce with garlic, plenty of fresh dill and lemon. Sounds good, right?

    I’m pretty confident that I could just drink the sauce straight out of the pan it’s that good. I won’t, but I could.

    Why We Love This Fish With Creamy Dill Sauce Recipe

    • It’s made in one pan for easy cleanup (hello minimal dishes).
    • It’s made in about 20 minutes (great for an easy weekday supper or a fuss-free meal for entertaining).
    • Of course, it tastes delicious!

    How To Make It

    Full details on how to make this fish with cream sauce are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

    1. Pat your fish fillets dry of excess moisture with paper towels and season both sides with a little salt and pepper.
    2. Heat olive oil and butter in a pan. Then place the fish fillets in the pan and cook on both sides. Once done, transfer the fish to a plate.
    3. Add some minced garlic to the pan and give that a little cook.
    4. Pour in the cream, broth, salt and pepper. Simmer until the sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
    5. Once the sauce has reached the consistency that you like, stir in dill, lemon juice and lemon zest.
    6. Pour the delicious creamy dill sauce over the fish and dig in! There ya have it, fish with cream sauce. Easy and delicious!
    Collage of steps to make pan-fried fish with cream sauce.

    What Type of Fish Should I Use?

    I love cod for this recipe, but other delicious options are haddock, halibut or a similar white fish.

    Just keep in mind that cook time may vary, depending on the variety of fish you use.

    Four cod fillets with creamy dill sauce and lemon wedges on a dark blue plate.

    Can I Bake the Fillets Instead?

    Absolutely!

    Pan-frying cod keeps this a one-pan recipe. However, if you’d rather oven bake the cod, you certainly can (like I did in this oven-baked cod recipe).

    Keep in mind that when you pan fry the fish fillets, you’ll get some little delicious brown bits in the pan (which add to the sauce). So, if you do oven bake, you won’t get this, but no biggie.

    If you bake the fish, just add a little less butter and olive oil to your pan to cook your minced garlic and finish your cream sauce.

    Close-up of a cod fillet covered in a creamy dill sauce next to a lemon wedge.

    Tips and Variations

    • Ensure your fillets are roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
    • If your fillets are super fresh (especially fresh cod fillets) be careful when flipping. They’re super delicate. Best to use a large fish spatula here.
    • This recipe calls for lemon zest and juice. Always zest your lemon before juicing as it’s difficult to do so after the lemon is cut.
    • Taste the sauce for seasoning after it has reduced. If you want to add a little more to your taste, go for it!
    • I made this creamy sauce for fish but, honestly, it would work great with cooked chicken too!
    • Mix up the herb! Try fresh tarragon instead of dill for a twist!
    Close-up of a fork cutting out a bite-sized piece of cod from a fillet.

    Sides To Serve With Fish

    Enjoy this fish with cream sauce with any of these delicious sides:

    • Celeriac puree
    • Mashed potatoes
    • Green beans

    Hope you love this recipe for fish with cream sauce as much as we do. It’s a favourite around here!

    If you make this easy cod recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!

    Three cod fillets with creamy dill sauce and lemon wedges on a dark blue plate.

    Fish With Cream Sauce

    Dawn | Girl Heart Food
    Dinner in about 20 minutes? It's totally possible! This fish with cream sauce combines perfectly cooked pan fried cod and a lush, garlicky cream sauce with lots of fresh dill and a touch of lemon. Sure to be a favourite for easy weekday dinners or entertaining with friends and family.
    4.88 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Main Course
    Servings 4 servings
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 ¼ pounds boneless and skinless cod fillets, 4 fillets (each about 5 ounces)
    • ½ teaspoon salt, divided
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 1 large garlic clove, minced
    • ½ cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
    • ⅓ cup low sodium vegetable broth, or chicken broth or seafood broth
    • 1.5 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, or 1 to 1.5 teaspoons dried dill or dill weed
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
    • Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

    Instructions

    • Pat cod fillets dry of excess moisture with paper towels and season with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper.
    • Heat olive oil and butter in a 12-inch non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
    • Place cod fillets in the pan. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes on one side.
    • Carefully flip the cod fillets to the other side and continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes or until cod is cooked through, is opaque and flakes easily with a fork (insert the tines of a fork into the thickest part of the fish at an angle and twist gently; it should flake easily). Time may vary, depending on the thickness of your fillets.
      Note: Be gentle flipping, especially if using super fresh fish, as the fillets are quite delicate.
    • Once fillets are done, carefully remove with a spatula, transfer to a plate and set aside.
    • Add garlic to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute.
    • Pour in heavy cream, broth and remaining ¼ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper.
    • Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes or until the sauce has reduced/thickened and coats the back of a spoon when you draw your finger through it. Taste for seasoning and add more, if necessary, to taste.
    • Once sauce has thickened to your liking, stir in dill, lemon juice and lemon zest.
    • Pour sauce over fish and serve with lemon wedges (if desired). Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Ensure your fillets are roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
    • If your fillets are super fresh (especially fresh cod fillets) be careful when flipping. They’re super delicate. Best to use a large fish spatula here.
    • This recipe calls for lemon zest and juice. Always zest your lemon before juicing as it’s difficult to do so after the lemon is cut.
    • Taste the sauce for seasoning after it has reduced. If you want to add a little more to your taste, go for it!

    A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

    Keyword creamy sauce for fish, fish with creamy dill sauce, pan fried cod

    Tried this recipe?

    If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!

    More Main Dish Recipes

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    • Cheese Lovers Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
    • Sausage Stir-Fry

    © Girl Heart Food Inc. All photographs and content are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Perry Guloien

      December 23, 2022 at 9:52 pm

      4 stars
      Although I did not have the luxury of fresh ling cod I definitely liked this recipe with its lemony tang and notes of dill. I served this dinner with rice and sweet baby peas…nothing too fancy but wholesome. My wife loved it and my 20 year old son, who cooks for a seafood restuarant and seldom offers a comment, reluctantly agreed it was pretty good. The one change that I made was I used one Tbsp of corn starch to thicken the sauce as I did not want to wait until the sauce was reduced fearing that the filets in the serving dish would chill before the sauce thickened as promised. It also extended the sauce by increasing the vegetable broth to dissolve the corn starch. (I like my fish juuusssttt cooked.)
      Nice job.

      Reply
      • Dawn | Girl Heart Food

        December 24, 2022 at 10:47 am

        Thank you so much, Perry!! Sounds like a delicious meal!!

        Reply
    2. Mel

      December 14, 2022 at 1:34 am

      I can’t have dairy. Do you think I can use flour or arrowroot with the broth alone?

      Reply
      • Mel

        December 14, 2022 at 1:35 am

        Almond flour that is ****

        Reply
      • Dawn | Girl Heart Food

        December 15, 2022 at 8:42 pm

        Hi Mel! For this particular recipe, I haven’t experimented with nondairy alternatives to the cream, so unfortunately I can’t recommend any. As you mentioned, you can certainly try using your favourite variety of flour and broth to create a sauce for the fish, but just keep in mind that it won’t turn out the same as the cream sauce. Alternatively (though I haven’t tried so I can’t say for certain), perhaps you can try using your favourite nondairy milk/cream along with a cornstarch slurry to thicken. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    3. Freeman C Presson

      November 26, 2022 at 11:12 pm

      5 stars
      I found this looking for a way to improve my dill cream sauce, and it did! Mine is made with shallots instead of garlic, but I adopted your veggie broth and lemon juice (instead of white wine vinegar). Came out great. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Dawn | Girl Heart Food

        November 27, 2022 at 2:46 pm

        Happy to hear it!! Thanks so much!!

        Reply
    4. Chef Mimi

      April 10, 2022 at 3:02 pm

      Love this! I’d have to remove some of that dill on top, however. Just not the biggest fan!

      Reply
    5. Dana

      January 25, 2022 at 1:32 am

      Made this with NZ Hoki; thanks. I do like the delicate flavour of taragon. I wondered where you got the fresh cod, NL. I remember Atlantic cod even though I am now down under.

      Reply
      • Dawn | Girl Heart Food

        January 28, 2022 at 2:12 pm

        Happy you enjoyed, Dana! Thanks so very much!!

        Reply
    6. Andrea

      May 31, 2021 at 8:10 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for the first time tonight and just finished devouring it. It’s amazing!! Definitely a new fish go to dinner for me. Thanks for the fab recipe!!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        May 31, 2021 at 8:40 pm

        Yay! Thank you very much, Andrea!! So happy you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Linda

      April 27, 2021 at 10:31 pm

      I loved the flavors and the ease of the dish, however it wouldn’t thicken. It was still good!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        April 28, 2021 at 9:29 am

        Hi Linda! Thanks for the feedback. You want to simmer the sauce until it has thickened slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Typically, this takes 4 to 5 minutes, but could take a tad longer depending on the level of simmer going on. Happy you enjoyed the recipe all the same! 🙂

        Reply
      • Sydney

        March 08, 2022 at 8:59 pm

        I just tried this tonight and couldn’t get mine to thicken either! I simmered and stirred for 10 minutes and then gave up. Is there something I’m missing?

        Reply
        • Dawn | Girl Heart Food

          March 09, 2022 at 8:10 am

          Hi Sydney, just trying to figure things out – did you use heavy cream (35% milk fat)? That’s what I used in this recipe and it thickens up for me. If you do want a thicker sauce, though, after cooking the garlic, you could melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan, then stir in 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Cook that for about 1 minute, stirring. Then add the cream and broth in 1/4 cup increments, whisking after each addition and allowing the mixture to thicken a bit before adding more. Continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until you reach the consistency you like best. If it’s too thick, you could always add another tiny splash of cream or some milk. Hope that helps!

          Reply
    8. David @ Spiced

      September 28, 2020 at 9:48 am

      5 stars
      Oh man, that dill cream sauce looks amazing, Dawn! It’s still early in the morning here, and I’m craving fish with dill sauce – that’s how good these photos look! Hope your week is off to a great start, my friend!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        October 04, 2020 at 3:57 pm

        Aww, thanks so much, David! Have a wonderful week ahead!

        Reply
    9. Marissa

      September 27, 2020 at 3:07 pm

      5 stars
      You make the best fish dishes, Dawn! So excited to try this!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        October 04, 2020 at 3:56 pm

        You’re so kind! Thanks Marissa!

        Reply
    10. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen

      September 27, 2020 at 9:46 am

      5 stars
      We LOVE fish and enjoy it at least once a week at our house Dawn. And this creamy dill sauce looks like something we’d really enjoy!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        October 04, 2020 at 3:56 pm

        Same here! Thank you Mary Ann!

        Reply
    11. [email protected]

      September 25, 2020 at 1:33 pm

      5 stars
      YUM! I’m with Kathy! Loving that sauce with dill and lemon! This will be a perfect week night meal! Happy weekend, my friend! XO

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        October 04, 2020 at 3:56 pm

        For sure! Thanks Annie! XO

        Reply
    12. Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop

      September 25, 2020 at 9:48 am

      5 stars
      Dawn – I love that cream sauce. All that fresh dill and lemon! This looks amazing and is perfect for topping on pan fried fish. I love how quickly this dish comes together!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        October 04, 2020 at 3:56 pm

        Thank you Kathy!! It’s such a delicious, easy dinner for busy nights!

        Reply

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