Baked Cod Tomato Basil (Printable)
Tender cod fillets baked in tomato basil sauce, perfect for easy weeknight dinners.
# What You Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 skinless, boneless cod fillets (5 oz each)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt, to taste
04 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Tomato Basil Sauce
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
09 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
10 - 1 teaspoon sugar
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
13 - Salt, to taste
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
15 - 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
→ Garnish
16 - Fresh basil leaves, for serving
17 - Lemon wedges (optional)
# How To Make:
01 - Set the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a baking dish that fits the cod fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat the cod dry, season both sides with salt and pepper, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
03 - In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
04 - Add minced garlic to the saucepan and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
06 - Remove the sauce from heat and fold in the chopped fresh basil.
07 - Spread half of the tomato basil sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange cod fillets over the sauce and spoon the remaining sauce on top.
08 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
09 - Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve with lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The fish stays impossibly tender while the sauce does all the heavy lifting flavor-wise.
- It feels restaurant-quality but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
- One pan means cleanup doesn't steal your evening.
02 -
- Don't skip patting the cod dry or you'll end up with watery results and missed browning.
- Add basil after cooking the sauce—I learned this the hard way when I added it too early and it turned dark and lost its brightness.
- The fish continues cooking slightly after you remove it, so pull it from the oven when it's just becoming opaque, not when it flakes easily.
03 -
- Make the sauce up to a day ahead and reheat it gently; the flavors actually deepen overnight.
- Buy cod fillets that are all roughly the same thickness so they finish cooking at the same moment.
- Keep extra fresh basil on hand because you'll want to garnish generously and maybe sneak a leaf or two while cooking.