Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth lingcod meets a rich, creamy white wine sauce in this irresistible lingcod recipe—simple enough for a weeknight, yet elegant enough to impress. One bite, and you’ll be hooked!
What is Lingcod?
Lingcod (or ling cod), a prized white fish found in the cold water of Southeast Alaska and along the west coast of North America, boasts a mild flavor and white flaky flesh. Renowned for its large flakes and succulent texture, lingcod thrives in rocky reefs, making it a favorite catch for anglers in regions from British Columbia to Baja California.
These fierce predators stand out with their oversized mouths, razor-sharp teeth, and striking appearance. I watched a large lingcod take a bite out of a black rockfish I was reeling in while fishing in Alaska! Lingcod are not related to true cods. If you're looking for ways to use Pacific cod, try this easy Asian cod recipe. With its abundance of fatty acids and reputation as a good fish for culinary endeavors, lingcod continues to hold its place as a prized delicacy among anglers.
Recipe Highlights
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Texture: When expertly pan-seared, lingcod achieves a tender and succulent texture that is simply irresistible. For another melt-in-your-mouth fish recipe, try sous vide halibut!
Exquisite Flavor: Lingcod's mild sweetness pairs beautifully with the delicate notes of the white wine sauce, creating a harmonious and elegant taste profile.
Simple Elegance: Whether it's a romantic dinner for two or a celebratory meal, lingcod with white wine sauce adds a touch of elegance to any special occasion.
Ingredients
- Lingcod: Lingcod is a unique fish, but other fish can be used for this recipe. You can use other flaky white fish like halibut, black cod, Pacific cod, etc.
- Butter: Butter is great for searing fish because it adds richness and makes a perfectly golden brown crust. You can also use an oil with a higher smoke point like olive oil or vegetable oil. If you love fish cooked in butter, give these halibut cheeks a try!
- White Wine Sauce: The white wine sauce has a delicate wine and lemon flavor that perfectly complements the fish. You can pair your favorite sauce with the fish or skip the sauce altogether if you'd like.
See recipe card for quantities.
Equipment
Cast Iron Skillet: I prefer to sear fish in a cast iron pan because they're great at holding their heat and creating a perfect golden brown crust. But, you can use another large skillet as well.
Fish Spatula: A fish spatula isn't essential for cooking fish but it sure helps! The thinness of the spatula makes it the perfect tool for flipping delicate fish.
Sheet Pan with Baking Rack: A baking rack is essential for this recipe to keep the fish elevated from the pan while it cooks in the oven. This helps prevent the fish from becoming soggy in its own juices.
How To Cook Lingcod
Searing lingcod is a fairly simple process. Read below for a few tips and tricks!
- Step 1: Pat fish filets dry with a paper towel. Season all over with sea salt and black pepper. This can be done up to 8 hours before cooking, preferably at least 30 minutes before cooking. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Step 2: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and set aside. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and garlic cloves to the skillet and let the garlic flavor the butter for 1 minute.
- Step 3: Place fish filets in the hot butter, skin side up. Cook fish for 3 minutes, or until the tops of the filets are golden brown.
- Step 4: Flip the fish. Add in 1 more tablespoon of butter.
- Step 5: Spoon the hot butter over the fish filets for 3 minutes.
- Step 6: Transfer the fish filets to the baking rack on the sheet pan and place in the hot oven while you prepare the sauce. Discard the garlic cloves. Depending on the thickness of the filets, they should reach an internal temperature of 135°F in about the same amount of time it takes to make the sauce.
Pro Tip
Starting with the presentation side down ensures you can get a perfectly golden brown crust without overcooking the fish. If you start with the bottom side first, you may end up overcooking the fish waiting for the top to get golden brown.
How to Make White Wine Sauce
This white wine sauce is made of simple ingredients and comes together in about 10 minutes. While the fish cooks in the oven, prepare the sauce.
- Step 1: The cast iron skillet should have enough butter left to cook the shallots. If not, add ½ tablespoon of butter to the pan and let it melt. Add diced shallots to the pan. Season with salt and black pepper and cook for 1 minute, or until the shallots are softened.
- Step 2: Add white wine and lemon juice to the pan. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 7-8 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half.
- Step 3: Turn the heat down to medium and add heavy cream. Stir to combine. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Step 4: Turn the heat down to low and add ½ tablespoon of butter. Stir until the butter is incorporated into the sauce. Taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed.
- Step 5: Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer.
- Step 6: Transfer the fish filets to serving plates. Drizzle with sauce. Top with fresh lemon zest and fresh dill. Enjoy!
Pro Tip
This sauce can be prepared in a different pan while the fish cooks. However, the flavor left in the pan from the fish really adds to the flavor of the sauce!
What to Serve with Lingcod
Top your perfectly pan-seared filets with white wine sauce, lemon zest, fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lemon and lemon slices, if desired. You can serve the fish with simple sides like fennel orange salad or a simple green salad with homemade honey mustard dressing. No matter how you choose to serve it, you'll love this simple, elegant dish!
Recipe FAQs
Lingcod is an excellent tasting fish. It has a very mild flavor and tender texture that flakes beautifully.
Lingcod belong to a different family of fish than cod species. Both lingcod and cod species are predatory fish that live in similar habitats.
Lingcod and cod both have a mild, somewhat sweet flavor. The difference typically lies in the texture. Lingcod is usually much more tender than cod.
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Thank you!
Annie
Lingcod with Creamy White Wine Sauce
Ingredients
Fish:
- 2 thick lingcod filets (6-8 oz each)
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoon butter, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
Sauce:
- ¼ cup shallots, diced
- ¾ cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ tablespoon butter
Other Ingredients:
- fresh lemon zest, for serving
- fresh dill, for serving
Instructions
Fish:
- Pat fish filets dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper. This can be done up to 8 hours before cooking, preferably at least 30 minutes before cooking. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and set aside.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and garlic cloves to the skillet and let the garlic flavor the butter for 1 minute.
- Place the fish filets in the hot butter, skin side up. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the tops of the filets are golden brown.
- Flip the fish. Add in 1 more tablespoon of butter. Spoon the hot butter over the fish filets for 3 minutes. Transfer the fish filets to the baking rack on the sheet pan and place in the hot oven while you prepare the sauce. Discard the garlic cloves.
- Depending on the thickness of the filets, they should reach an internal temperature of 135°F in about the same amount of time it takes to make the sauce. If the fish is done before the sauce, turn off the oven and open the door to cool the oven slightly while still keeping the fish warm for serving.
Sauce:
- The cast iron skillet should have enough butter left to cook the shallots. If not, add ½ tablespoon of butter to the pan and let it melt.
- Add diced shallots to the pan. Season with salt and black pepper and cook for 1 minute, or until the shallots are softened.
- Add white wine and lemon juice to the pan. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 7-8 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add heavy cream. Stir to combine. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to low and add ½ tablespoon of butter. Stir until the butter is incorporated into the sauce. Taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed.
- Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer.
Serving:
- Transfer the fish filets to serving plates. Drizzle with sauce. Top with fresh lemon zest and fresh dill. Enjoy!
Notes
- Lingcod is a unique fish, but other fish can be used for this recipe. You can use other flaky white fish fillets like halibut, black cod, Pacific cod, etc.
- Butter is great for searing fish because it adds richness and makes a perfectly golden brown crust. You can also use an oil with a higher smoke point like olive oil or vegetable oil.
- The white wine sauce has a delicate wine and lemon flavor that perfectly complements the fish. You can pair your favorite sauce with the fish or skip the sauce altogether if you'd like.
- I prefer to sear fish in a cast iron pan because they're great at holding their heat and creating a perfect golden brown crust. But, you can use another large skillet as well.
- A fish spatula isn't essential for cooking fish but it sure helps! The thinness of the spatula makes it the perfect tool for flipping delicate fish.
- A baking rack is essential for this recipe to keep the fish elevated from the pan while it cooks in the oven. This helps prevent the fish from becoming soggy in its own juices.
- Searing the fish presentation side down first ensures you can get a perfectly golden brown crust without overcooking the fish. If you start with the bottom side first, you may end up overcooking the fish waiting for the top to get golden brown.
- This sauce can be prepared in a different pan while the fish cooks. However, the flavor left in the pan from the fish really adds to the flavor of the sauce!
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