Pan-Seared Swedish Cod with Dill & Creamy Potatoes
This Swedish-inspired lunch celebrates simple, clean flavors: flaky cod seared until golden, finished with a tangy dill-and-caper butter, and paired with creamy crushed potatoes that are comfortingly smooth but still rustic. It’s the kind of midday meal that feels both nourishing and a little special.
I love this recipe for its friendliness to busy schedules—most of the work is hands-off—and for how fresh ingredients like lemon, dill, and capers lift the dish. Serve with a few slices of lightly pickled cucumber or rye crispbread for a true Scandinavian touch.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Place potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, add 1/2 tsp salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
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2
Add 2 tbsp butter and 1/4 cup heavy cream to the hot potatoes. Gently crush with a potato masher or fork until mostly smooth but slightly rustic. Keep warm and season with 1/2 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper.
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3
Pat the cod dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
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4
Add cod fillets and sear without moving for 3–4 minutes until the edges turn opaque and the underside is golden. Carefully flip and cook 2–3 minutes more until just opaque and flaky (internal temp about 135–140°F). Remove and rest on a plate.
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5
In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and add remaining 1 tbsp butter. Stir in Dijon mustard, lemon juice, chopped dill, and capers. Warm gently for 1 minute to combine, then spoon the dill-caper butter over the cooked cod.
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6
Taste the crushed potatoes and adjust seasoning. Divide potatoes among plates, top with a cod fillet, and drizzle extra dill-caper butter over each portion.
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7
Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with pickled cucumber slices or rye crispbread for a classic Swedish contrast.
Ingredients
- Cod fillets, skin removed:1.5 lb
- Yukon Gold potatoes, halved:1.5 lb
- Unsalted butter:3 tbsp
- Heavy cream:1/4 cup
- Fresh dill, chopped:1/4 cup
- Capers, drained:2 tbsp
- Fresh lemon juice:2 tbsp
- Extra-virgin olive oil:2 tbsp
- Dijon mustard:1 tbsp
- Sea salt:1 tsp
- Black pepper:1/2 tsp
- Pickled cucumber (optional), thinly sliced:4 pieces
- Lemon wedges, for serving:4 pieces
Tips & Notes
- Don’t overcook the cod — it should flake easily but remain moist. Remove from heat a little early; it will finish resting.
- If you like a silkier potato, pass cooked potatoes through a ricer before adding butter and cream; for more texture, keep them lightly crushed.
