The Best Baked Cod Recipe
Nothing is better than a dish that’s bursting with flavor. And here it is: the best baked cod recipe. Packed with nutritional benefits such as being rich in lean protein, low in carbs, and essential B-12 vitamins, this baked cod with lemon, garlic, and olives is dressed to impress. The buttery, flakey, mild but hearty fish is the perfect canvas. Say goodbye to boring and plain fish recipes and hello to your new, simple oven baked cod recipe.
What is Olive Tapenade Made of?
Olive Tapenade is a briny, salty spread or dip made from olives. It usually contains an acid such as lemon juice, garlic, fresh herbs, and sometimes, anchovies. Across the Mediterranean you might find it on a mezze platter as a pre-dinner appetizer. In our baked cod with parsley olive tapenade recipe, we use:
Lots of fresh parsley
Castelvetrano olives
Anchovies
Garlic
Lemon zest and lemon juice for brightness
Spiced with red pepper, and the usual S+P
A few glugs of good olive oil
How long does cod take to cook in the oven?
If you’re looking for flakey, tender, melt-in-your-mouth cod baked in the oven, we’re here to help! Some of our most popular requests include how long do you leave cod in the oven or how long do you cook cod for and what temperature should cod be cooked at! Although other baked cod recipes might vary on time and temperature, we like to use our surefire method of 450°F for 10 minutes, or until the cod becomes opaque in color and starts to flake when touched with a fork (about 145 °F). We find the center rack provides the most even cooking for something as delicate as cod.
What Goes Well With Easy Baked Cod?
Although mild in flavor, cod is hearty! It’s flakey and tender and our favorite vessel for bright pops of flavor – exactly why we are serving it with our parsley olive tapenade! If you want to make it your own, toast some breadcrumbs for the top for the perfect quick and simple weeknight dinner that’s also luxurious enough for a proper get-together. Serve it alongside our Best Baked Potato Recipe, Mediterranean Wedge Salad, or Green Beans Almondine. We also think it would effortlessly swap in for salmon in an Easy Niçoise Salad or complement a Simple Italian Salad. For a quick and easy pairing, choose any of our popular veggie recipes like Roasted Asparagus, Roasted Zucchini with Parmesan, or succulent Glazed Carrots.
How to Make Baked Cod with Parsley Olive Tapenade
In about 30 minutes, you’ll have a herbaceous, upscale baked cod recipe to share with even the most hard-to-impress guests. Here’s how to do it:
Bake the Baked Cod! For this recipe, you can use fresh or frozen cod, whichever is more accessible to you! Be sure to ask your local seafood counter about the sustainability of the fish! When seasoning, we keep it simple with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder to season the cod. Pro Tip: this oven baked cod relies on high temperature and short time for the perfect buttery interior. Make sure you use the center rack!
Make tapenade with parsley! This right here is the flavor-packed secret sauce! We suggest you double it and save half for later. It’s just that good.
Dress 'em’ up! Lemony, garlicky, anchovy goodness tops the perfectly cooked cod.
Tools You’ll Need
Our Favorite Pescetarian-Friendly Recipes
All hail fish! Mediterranean cooking has it right – fish and veggies are delicious healthy additions to every diet! When we want something fresh, easy, and filling but without chicken or beef, we turn to fish:
Thank Cod!
We love this Baked Cod with Parsley Olive Tapenade recipe because it’s equally delicious as it is impressive and best of all, it’s budget friendly and pretty healthy too! How did yours turn out? Tag us in your photos and video on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!
