This baked cod recipe with tomato sauce and capers is definitely one of the best ever fish bake recipe for me by far. Always enjoyed by my family and friends especially served with jasmine rice, mashed or crushed potatoes and a nice side salad. Absolute perfection, no kidding!
Cod is definitely the fish to cook if you are afraid to cook seafood at home, it is one of these seafood ingredients that cannot really get messed up unless you really forget about it and will become too chewy or burnt ;-). Other than this cod it's an easy fish to cook unlike salmon or other fish that can easily become overcooked.
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What to look for when buying cod loin
Cod is larger fish and a fillet is generally too big for a portion. Buying the cod loin ( the cut from the middle section or fattest part of the fillet) is always the best idea since they are more succulent and are especially good for baking. The cod fillets are normally sold with or without skin, boneless and they are considered to be the prime cut.
It is often more difficult to say how fresh the fish is when buying fillets or loins as opposed to the whole fish. But, generally, you need to look at the flesh which should appear nice and white - a pearl white, it should be beautiful and firm, and smell like fresh fish and nothing else.
Eat as fresh as possible and if you are to freeze it don't keep it longer than 2 weeks as the taste will change and you will no longer enjoy it. Ideally is to buy the fillets or the loin on the day or a day before planning to cook it.
Ingredients you need to make baked cod
This baked cod recipe is easy to prepare and the cod is really juicy, tender and packed with delicious flavours. There are not many ingredients that are needed especially to flavour the fish.
- Cod loins - skin off;
- Salt and Pepper - to season the cod with;
- Lemon - to drizzle some over the fish.
The Tomato Sauce:
- Marinara Sauce -Â I like using Marinara sauce but any tomato sauce will work;
- Leek -Â gives some sweetness to the tomato sauce;
- Peppers -Â great flavour and sweetness;
- Garlic -Â gives that amazing flavour we all love;
- Capers - give an amazing flavour and go very well with any fish;
- Herbs - for delicious flavours - I have used thyme and parsley;
- Salt and Pepper - just to season well the sauce too
- Coconut Oil - to get the cooking going and add some extra good fats to the dish since cod is a pretty lean fish.
Substitutions
Other white fish that has a comparable texture and taste and can be used in recipes that call for cod is:
- pollock
- haddock
- coley
Recipe FAQs
It is very, very simple. No need for any expertise at all. All you need it's a timer to make sure you have not forgotten about it in the oven. The rest is a super simple task:
1. Season the fish prior to cooking with salt pepper and lemon
2. Add the cod loins to the tomato sauce that was previously cooked in a pan.
3. Throw into the preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes depending on the size and the thickness of the loins. You will know it is cooked when it flakes easily and it becomes opaque.
Cod can cook in a preheated oven in as little as 10-15 minutes, depending on the chunk size but it generally is fairly quick.
In general, these bake pretty fast in a preheated oven and it is a meaty fish so a sauce as a base will always be great.
Yes, this baked cod recipe can be frozen and reheated in the oven for approximately 25 minutes before serving.
Absolutely, you may cook this tomato sauce ahead and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. The fish cooks in just 15 minutes or so, just add the fish to the sauce, place in a pre-heated oven whenever you want this to be served. It is best practice to have the fish freshly cooked.
There are many ways you may have this dish served, we love it with nice homemade bread, with rice, with potatoes, chips, mashed or crushed. All delicious ways to have this dish and of course a side salad will be a fab addition indeed. Delicious!
Other fish recipes you may like
- Creamy fish chowder
- Exotic Baked Salmon (spicy)
- Rainbow Trout With Potatoes And Spring Garlic
- Easy Fish Pie Recipe
- Fish soup
- Open fish pie
- Sardines with polenta and garlic sauce ( definitely my favourite)
Let's just get some delicious supper ready!
Delicious Baked Cod Recipe
Equipment
- ovenproof dish
- spatula
- chopping board
- knife
Ingredients
- 4 fillets or loins cod approx 4 ounces (120g each)
- ¼ lemon juice to season the fish
- 400 ml tomato sauce I used Marinara sauce
- ½ medium leek finely chopped
- 3 large bell peppers (mixed colours) sliced
- 3 tbsp capers I used marinated ones
- 3 cloves garlic freshly grated or finely chopped
- 8 cherry tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or brown sugar (optional)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- â…” teaspoon salt Himalayan or kosher
- 1 tablespoon thyme freshly chopped or dried
- 3-4 tablespoons fresh parsley or any herb you may like
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 200°C.
- Season well the fish fillets with salt, pepper and a drizzle of lemon juice. Set aside.
- In a skillet, add some coconut or olive oil, place on medium fire. Add the chopped leek, the garlic with a pinch o salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 min.
- Add the shredded peppers and cook (covered) for 3-4 min until slightly softened.
- Add the tomato sauce and the fresh herbs (leave a little to sprinkle at the end) the capers.
- Nestle the cod fillets into the tomato sauce and transfer the dish to the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 mins uncovered.
- When ready, take the skillet out of the oven, sprinkle the remaining herbs on top and season with black pepper and some chilli flakes if you fancy ;-).
- Serve with rice, potatoes (wedges or mashed) or with salad leaves on the side. Enjoy!
Sarah says
This was delicious - the whole family enjoyed it. Great way to cook cod loins and very easy to make.
Amanda Scarlati says
We love having fish for dinner and this recipe looks so delicious!
Sabrina says
Cod is probably my favourite fish to cook. This is such a flavourful and simple recipe that does it perfectly. Thanks!
Jeannie says
This recipe is great for get-togethers with family and friends.
Anaiah says
This baked cod recipe was perfectly seasoned and definitely a new dinner favorite!
Oscar says
Loved adding the maple syrup in this cod recipe. Great idea.
Raquel says
Flavorful and easy - adding to our dinner rotation!
Ramona says
Thanks Raquel! A great dish to make, you will love it.
Anna says
Hi Ramona,
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, it was absolutely yummy. I will be making it again and it is such a bonus that it's gluten-free as well. Thank you again!
Ramona says
Thank you so much Anna, I am so glad you liked my delicious indeed baked cod recipe 😉
Deborah says
Your picture is enough to make me dive into the screen and grab some of this. Thanks for posting.
Kay says
We love seafood in our family, and this recipe with cod was fantastic, so much flavour with the tomatoes and garlic and a bit of sweetness from the syrup, superb:)
Will definitely be making this again very soon, thanks for sharing!!
Choclette says
My mother adores fish, but she tends to just do it the same old way. I think I ought to send her this recipe, because I know she'll love it. I just know all those gorgeous flavours are going to taste delicious.
Sharon says
This was a hit! Clean plates all round. 🙂 Thanks for giving me a tasty recipe to put in the dinner rotation.
Natalie says
What a lovely dinner option. Looks amazing. And it's so simple and easy to make. Oh, I must give this a try asap. I will put this on my weekly menu. Thanks for this lovely recipe!
Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey says
Fantastic recipe, with all these wonderful flavours. A great fan of tomato sauce and various warming spices.
Jo says
The flavors in this cod simply brilliant. I love how delicious it's turned out. I could eat this all days of the week.
Veronika Sykorova says
This sounds so good! I love how you added capers, they're my favorite! Can't wait to make this!
Anna says
Fantastic recipe! We made this last night and the whole family loved it! Easy and quick to prepare, and the flavours were just delicious!
Ramona says
Thank you so much dear Anna, I am so happy you made and liked this recipe.
Erin says
Oh, wow. I love that you can freeze the baked dish and reheat it later for busy nights! That's perfect for us. Totally have to try this!
Paige says
This is my kind of recipe...love cod and all fish and it looks moist and tasty!
Ramona says
Thank you Paige xx
Denise says
Such a flavorful and easy meal to make, my family loved it! This will probably go into regular rotation for dinner here for sure.
Sharon says
I'm always looking for new ways to serve fish for dinner and this dish has me becoming a big fan of cod!
Gloria says
I love easy dinner ideas. What a great switch up for #fishfridays. I know my family would love to give this recipe a try.
Jamie says
What a delicious and beautiful looking dish! I love your tip about how to pick out fresh code out at the store! It definitely makes a difference to the dish. I'll be serving this over rice tonight! Thank you!
Aline says
Made this recipe this weekend and we loved it!!! What a treat!!! Definitely recommend and will be making it again very soon!! Thank you!!
Ramona says
Thank you so much dear Aline, I am super happy you liked the recipe 😉
Gunjan says
I shared your recipe with my brother and he loved it. He made this twice and even his wife loved it.
Ramona says
That's really nice of you Gunjan, thanks for sharing!
Sara says
This looks perfect! Like a restaurant quality meal at home. I love the colorful ingredients and blend of spices you used in this cod dish.
Laura says
That tomato sauce looks absolutely delicious. Perfect way to serve the cod! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
This dish looks soooooo deliciously good. I wish I could eat that right now!
Amy Liu Dong says
The presentation of this dish is so mesmerizing, I loved the texture and color of this recipe. It will really make you crave for it. I would definitely make this one for my family.
Jenny says
Delicious and wonderful seafood dish. We love cod and have never tried it like this. Who knew I could use maple syrup! Love it! Thanks so much!
Marta says
I've always made cod from salted filets, so this was a nice change of pace. My entire family thoroughly enjoyed the tomato sauce.
veenaazmanov says
Superb flavors and spices. Love that it is Fish. Delicious and quick and easy and tasty platter.
Ramona says
Thank you Veena, - It is really good indeed for all fish lovers out there, this baked cod recipe is a great, easy dish to make.