Easy Baked Cod Recipe
Cod is a very versatile whitefish, and it's famous on both sides of the Atlantic. In England, it is most commonly used for that familiar British signature meal: fish and chips. In America, the popularity of cod is evidenced by, among other things, the fact that Cape Cod was named by a captain after catching a large load of said fish nearby. While there are many ways to prepare cod, baking it may be the easiest method — especially the way recipe creator Catherine Brookes makes it.
Brookes (of Blue Sky Eating) has come up with a way of cooking cod that takes 20 minutes from start to finish. "Cod is rich in B12 and omega 3 fatty acids," Brookes explains, "which are great for nerve, heart and brain health." As if we needed any convincing! Let's grab our fish and get started on preparing this easy and delicious meal.
Gather the ingredients for this easy baked cod
As one could imagine, the central ingredient to this recipe is the cod (here, Brookes calls for 4 fillets). Then you'll want to pick up 2 lemons, a garlic bulb, and some cherry tomatoes. Make sure you also have some olive oil, salt, and pepper. That's all there is to this extra simple and quick recipe.
Prep your cod
Start off by preheating the oven to 400 F. As it heats up, pat your cod fillets dry — paper towels work great. Then sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste. When ready, place the fillets on a baking dish.
Make the lemon and oil mixture
Squeeze a whole lemon into a bowl, then add the olive oil and some roughly chopped garlic. Mix it together to create a simple, fresh marinading liquid to cook alongside the cod and tomatoes.
Assemble your baking tray
Spoon this mixture of lemon juice, oil, and garlic onto your cod fillets. "I just tend to spoon it all over, making sure each piece of fish gets well coated," Brookes says. Then add the tomatoes and lemon slices to the baking dish alongside the cod. "The tomatoes add a sweetness that pairs really well with the zesty lemon," Brookes explains.
Bake and serve your cod
Now it's time to cook your cod. Place the tray in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Once the cod is cooked through, remove it from the oven and serve. "It should be flaky and opaque," Brookes says.
As for serving, several side dishes would make a nice complement to this. Brookes suggests "rice, baby potatoes, or crusty bread" to round out the dish.
- 4 cod fillets
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 lemons
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 16 cherry tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Pat the cod fillets dry and sprinkle them with some salt and pepper to taste. Place them in a baking dish.
- Juice 1 lemon into a bowl. Add the olive oil and garlic. Stir to combine.
- Spoon the lemon mixture over the cod.
- Cut the remaining lemon into slices. Add them and the tomatoes to the baking dish.
- Bake until the cod is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
| Calories per Serving | 304 |
| Total Fat | 11.9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.7 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 99.3 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 6.4 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.8 g |
| Total Sugars | 2.3 g |
| Sodium | 775.3 mg |
| Protein | 42.2 g |
