Baked Cod Cherry Tomato (Printable View)

Tender cod fillets baked and topped with a flavorful cherry tomato sauce with fresh herbs and garlic.

# Ingredient List:

→ Fish

01 - 4 cod fillets, skinless and boneless, approximately 5.3 to 6.3 oz each
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt to taste
04 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Cherry Tomato Sauce

05 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
08 - 1 small shallot, finely diced
09 - 1 tablespoon capers, drained (optional)
10 - 1/4 cup dry white wine or fish stock
11 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
12 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Place cod fillets in a lightly oiled baking dish and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
04 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the diced shallot until translucent, about 2 minutes.
05 - Add chopped garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to release aroma without burning.
06 - Add halved cherry tomatoes and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they soften and release their juices.
07 - Stir in optional capers, white wine or fish stock, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the liquid slightly reduces.
08 - Remove from heat and fold in chopped basil and parsley.
09 - Spoon the cherry tomato sauce evenly over the cod fillets in the baking dish.
10 - Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
11 - Serve hot, optionally garnished with additional fresh herbs.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The fish cooks gently while the sauce bubbles away, so your whole dinner finishes in one oven cycle.
  • Cherry tomatoes create their own juice as they soften, making a sauce that tastes restaurant-quality without any cream or heavy techniques.
  • It's gluten-free and naturally low-carb, but nobody eating it needs to know that because it tastes too good to be healthy.
02 -
  • Pat your fish completely dry before seasoning—moisture is the enemy of browning and proper texture, even though the fish finishes in the oven.
  • Don't skip the lemon zest step; it adds brightness that tomato sauce needs without making anything taste sour.
  • The sauce is ready to spoon over fish while still warm, so time it so your fish goes in right after the sauce comes off the heat.
03 -
  • Invest in a good instant-read thermometer—cod is done around 145°F (63°C) internal temperature, which takes the guesswork out of whether it's overdone.
  • Make your sauce a few minutes before the fish finishes baking so it's still warm when you pour it over; cold sauce on hot fish is never as satisfying.

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