Mediterranean Baked Cod Tomatoes (Print Version)

Flaky cod baked with juicy tomatoes, olives, herbs, and lemon for a healthy Mediterranean main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 cod fillets (about 5.3 oz each), skinless and boneless
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

04 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Olives & Flavorings

07 - 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
08 - 2 tablespoons capers, drained
09 - Zest of 1 lemon
10 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Herbs

11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, plus extra for garnish
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano

→ To Serve

14 - Lemon wedges

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Pat the cod fillets dry and season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Lightly oil a large baking dish and arrange the cod fillets in a single layer.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, red onion, garlic, olives, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, basil, oregano, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss gently until well mixed.
05 - Spoon the tomato-olive mixture evenly over and around the cod fillets in the baking dish.
06 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cod is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
07 - Garnish with additional fresh basil and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The fish stays impossibly tender because the tomatoes and olives create their own little steam bath while baking.
  • It's elegant enough to impress people at dinner but honest enough that you won't stress if something isn't perfect.
  • Everything comes together in one dish, which means less cleanup and more time actually enjoying your meal.
02 -
  • The moment you pull the fish from the oven, it keeps cooking from residual heat, so don't wait for it to look completely opaque or it'll be overdone by the time you taste it—aim for just cooked through.
  • Don't skip patting the fish dry; it's the difference between fillets that gently bake and ones that steam themselves into rubber.
03 -
  • Taste the tomato-olive mixture before you spoon it onto the fish—if it needs more lemon juice or salt, fix it then instead of trying to adjust after baking.
  • Buy whole Kalamata olives and pit them yourself if you can; the pre-pitted ones sometimes have a texture issue that affects the final dish.
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