Description
Baked Cod in Spicy Tomato Sauce is a vibrant, healthy main-course that features tender cod fillets gently baked in a robust, garlicky tomato sauce with just the right touch of spice. This Mediterranean-inspired dish is easy to prepare on a busy weeknight yet elegant enough for entertaining, and pairs beautifully with bread, rice or fresh vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (plus more for garnish)
For the Cod
- 4 cod fillets (about 5–6 oz each)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C), ensuring it has enough time to heat up while you prepare the sauce.
- Prepare the spicy tomato sauce: In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika and cumin, cooking for another minute until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 8-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Stir in chopped parsley and remove from heat.
- Season the cod fillets: Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels. Brush them with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Assemble the dish: Nestle the seasoned cod fillets into the tomato sauce in the skillet, spooning some sauce over the top of each fillet.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cod is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from oven, sprinkle with additional fresh parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Use another firm white fish (like haddock or halibut) if cod is unavailable.
- If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, prepare the sauce in a pan, transfer to a baking dish, and then add the cod fillets before baking.
- Adjust the spiciness to your preference by modifying red pepper flakes.
- Serve with crusty bread, rice, couscous, or a green salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cod fillet with sauce
- Calories: 265
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 540mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 31g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
