Most tender, flakiest, and flavorful cod you will ever make! This tomato and herb butter compliments the mild tasting cod in the most delicious way ever. It will be the only baked cod with tomato recipe you will crave time after time.
Serve this baked cod over Cauliflower Mash with Ricotta and Roasted Garlic with a side of Roasted Garlic Green Beans for a complete meal.
Baked Cod
Okay friends. So this recipe has been a long time in the making. Three months is a long time for me and don’t ask why it took so long to share.
But I came across a tomato and herb butter recipe beginning of the summer in the Cooking Light magazine and let me tell you, it was everything, plus more!
You guys know that I try to limit butter and processed foods on this blog but believe me when I say a little goes a long way here.
I can’t get over how flavorful the herb butter is, especially when paired with a mild and lean fish like cod.
BEST COD RECIPE
So I changed the recipe up a bit and put my own little spin and it’s seriously the best cod recipe out there.
It’s basically garlic, shallots, tomatoes, spices and broth simmered until tomatoes burst and release their juices. Then you stir in the butter and fresh herbs and OMG!
The result is velvety, thick, slightly spicy and sweet butter that you will want to eat by a spoonful. It truly is.
This melted butter sauce over baked cod is one delicious baked cod with butter dinner. Plus all those juices on the bottom of the pan…(my heart) ♥
To bake the fresh cod. All you need to do is pre-heat the oven to 400 F degrees. Toss the cod fillets with little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place in a baking dish and bake for 15 minutes or so, depending on the thickness or until easily flakes with a fork.
You can serve it with rice, quinoa, or my favorite…crusty bread to soak in all the juices. I mean does it get better than that!?
I’m really hoping you give this baked cod with butter a try and even if you’re not a fish lover, I think it will change your mind.
MORE BAKED COD RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
- Cod in Creamy Roasted Pepper Sauce
- Baked Fish and Vegetables in Foil Packets
- Blackened Salmon Lettuce Wraps – you can easily sub cod for this recipe
- Bruschetta Baked Cod with Panko
If you try our Cod Recipe with Tomatoes and Herb Butter, don’t forget to leave feedback and a rating.
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Most tender, flakiest, and flavorful cod you will ever make! This tomato and herb butter compliments the mild tasting cod in the most delicious way ever. It will be the only baked cod with butter you will crave time after time.
Ingredients
Tomato and Herb Butter
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, sliced
- 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped herbs (basil, parsley, chives, cilantro), plus extra for garnish
Cod
- 2 – 2 1/4 pounds fresh cod fillets, cut into 6–8 oz. portions*
- 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
Tomato and Herb Butter
- In a small saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté shallot and garlic for 4-5 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally.
- Add tomatoes, chicken stock, sea salt, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-17 minutes or until tomatoes break down and release their juices and liquid has almost evaporated.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter and fresh herbs. The herb butter should be velvety and thick. Cover and keep warm while the cod is baking.
Cod
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Drizzle the bottom of a casserole dish lightly with olive oil. You want a dish big enough to fit the cod in a single layer with some room around or you will get too much juice during baking.
- Pat dry the cod really well and place in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper to taste but be generous. Drizzle the top lightly with olive oil and squeeze of fresh lemon. I used about 1/2 lemon. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 12-18 minutes or until easily flaked. Baking time will depend on the thickness of the cod.
- Remove from the oven and evenly spread the tomato butter over the cod. Cover back with aluminum foil and let stand at room temperature for 1-2 minutes before serving. You just want all the flavors to come together.
- Garnish with fresh chopped herbs, if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
*I used about 2 1/4 pounds of cod that I was able to cut into six (6-8 oz.) individual portions
**This cod serves really well with cooked rice, quinoa, or crusty bread to soak up all the juices.
Keywords: seafood, family friendly, summer, easy
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Amanda says
This is my go-to fish recipe!
I serve it with a side of Steamed Green Beans and Garlic Butter Couscous.
The butter sauce from the fish soaks perfectly into the Couscous😍
Katya says
It sounds delicious with couscous! Thank you for sharing and leaving feedback.
olga says
The butter sauce is so good over the side of rice. I love fish and this is a wonderful recipe for it. Thanks!
★★★★★
Anne says
I made this for a dinner party and it was amazing. I don’t usually experiment with guests but your recipe had so many nice reviews. I made it with orzo. I can’t wait to make it again. It really is a keeper. Thank you so much.
★★★★★
Katya says
That’s so great to hear! Thank you for feedback Anne.
Joan says
Wow! This was great. The sauce is superb. I used only about half the butter and it was still creamy velvety delicious. We can’t wait to have it again! Served it with brown rice and steamed green beans.
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Joan!
jessica says
Can I use tilapia instead of cod? Thanks
Katya says
You definitely can. Just adjust the cooking time for tilapia.
Stephanie Jackson says
This is one of our favorite Cod Recipes. Perfect every time and that tomato herb butter sauce is amazing!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you!
Ani says
I’ve made this recipe many times now. Once I even used it as pasta sauce and the combination was great! . It is delicious! For herbs, I only use fresh basil from my kitchen plants.
★★★★★
Winnie says
I thought I lost this recipe but I found it again! Hands down the tastiest, easiest, sauce to make. It is delicious. My husband couldn’t get enough of it, seriously, he barely left any for us. Haha
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Winnie! So appreciate your feedback and happy to hear that you loved this cod recipe.
Phyllis C says
Love this recipe! Scaled down the butter just a tad, subbed in wine for the broth, left out the sugar and forgot the lemon (which I really wanted), and the recipe still rocked! Best thing about this is how quick and healthy it is, yet elegant enough to serve to guests or on special occasions. Thanks, this one is going in my “favorites.”
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Phyllis! So happy the recipe was a success for you!
Mariann says
I would like to make this recipe just for 2 servings. How can I adjust the measurements of the rest ingredients to reflect 2 servings vs. 6?
Katya says
You can cut the cod recipe in half but make the entire recipe for the tomato herb butter and refrigerate the leftovers. It’ll last in the refrigerator up to a week and is good with pasta, chicken, and other mild tasting fish.
Sharon says
Awesomeness! So easy and so good. Made as is. My only thing was my tomatoes had not yet broken down and all my liquid was gone. So I added more broth and covered my pan for a few minutes and they softened up right away. I only used fresh basil.
★★★★★
Rj says
Tonight I am making this recipe for the second time. It feels light but luxurious. Our whole family loves the fresh flavors and it’s a beautiful dish. This is my current favorite fish dish- and I love all fish.
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you! So happy to hear you’re enjoying this cod recipe.
Mary Raven says
Hi this recipe looks good. Can I use haddock instead?
Katya says
Definitely! I would just adjust the baking time as needed.
Eric says
Incredible recipe…thanks for sharing! Was looking for a different recipe for cod and this simply hit the mark. Despite the robust ingredients including fresh herbs from our garden, you still enjoy the fish, but get a ton of flavor too. Next time might sub in some white wine, reducing the butter just to experiment.
★★★★★
Katya says
Thanks Eric! So happy to hear you all loved it.
Shilajit Resin says
this was really great to know. i will surely try this out.
LaShawn says
The best fish dish ever!!! I didn’t use cod but I got amazing comments on the fish!!! This will be a regular staple in our home thank you!!!
★★★★★
Diane says
Wow, this was fantastic! I got rave reviews and requests to make it again, which I will soon. I followed the recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. I had nice thick fresh cod and baked it about 18-20 minutes. I made it with jasmine rice. This dish looks fancy but really is easy….thanks so much for the recipe!
★★★★★
Katya says
I love that Diane! So glad to hear you loved this cod recipe. Thank you for feedback.
Megan says
Delicious and quick. I was looking for a recipe to use some cod and cherry tomatoes i had and this was fantastic. The fish was done perfectly and i used flat leaf parsley and tarragon from my garden for the herbs. Thank you for this recipe!
Katya says
Thank you!
Meredith says
This recipe sounds delicious. I like to use wine when cooking. Do u think I could sub white wine for the cooking stock?
Katya says
Totally! White wine will work too.
Anne says
It’s delicious hot, but I had some leftover cous cous, so the next day I combined the cod, tomato sauce (brought to room temp), and some asparagus. It was wonderful. Squeezed a little more lemon over the top
Stephanie says
Would this work with frozen portioned cod?
Katya says
Yes but you want to thaw out the cod ALL the way and pat dry really with few sheets of paper towel before baking.
LD says
Soooo delicious with any delicate white fish. I did not use sugar & made extra sauce.
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you!
Kristy says
Delicious! The fresh herbs, tomato and butter make a wonderful sauce. I like that the sauce is cooked separately. I think I will try it with shrimp!
★★★★★
Amy McCord says
One word…EXQUISITE!
★★★★★
Susan says
This recipe is wonderful, both my husband and I love it. I must admit that I made the full sauce recipe for a little more than a pound of fish. We used it to spoon over rice or fine pasta as a side dish. Only used one generous glove of garlic and fresh basil from the garden. Delish! Looking forward to sharing with family and friends.
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Susan! Extra sauce sounds perfect. I appreciate your feedback.
Brenda Luckett says
Amazing! I’ve had cod before and it was not that great. This recipe with fresh fish was the best baked fish I’ve ever had!! I will be making it often!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you ! So happy to hear you loved it.
Rachael says
Do you have any recommendations for using frozen cod for this? Should I just thaw it in the fridge and proceed with the recipe? This sounds absolutely delicious and I can’t wait to try it!
Katya says
I would definitely thaw it out first and pat dry with few paper towels. Frozen cod tends to store more moisture vs. fresh. And you should be okay.
Jennifer says
My husband and I loved it!!! It was absolutely delicious and I’ll definitely make it again. Highly recommend
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Jennifer! Appreciate your feedback.
Heather says
My husband found this recipe and asked me to make it. It was amazing! He “mmm’ed” with nearly every bite and told the kids “you don’t know how lucky you are!” I had fresh garden tomatoes so wedged them forthe sauce. They melded in perfectly. Thank you!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Heather! So glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Malh says
This was delicious, restaurant quality. I only used fresh basil and parsley for the herbs. Instead of pouring the sauce over, I transferred the fish into the sauce pan. I will make this again! Thank you for sharing
★★★★★