Mediterranean Baked Cod Fish with Tomato Sauce

Name: Mediterranean Baked Cod Fish with Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 5 medium tomatoes (freshly tomatoes grated or 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes. *see note below); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/3 cup chopped (onion or 1 small onion); 3 cloves garlic (peeled and sliced thinly); 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (dried (or 2 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh basil & oregano)); 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes (dried (optional) - adjust to your desired heat level. ); 2/3 cup olives (We used a mix of Kalamata and Castelvetrano. Use your favorites.); 1 tablespoon capers; 1 cup white beans ((optional) Italian Cannellini beans - canned and already cooked. ); 16 ounces cod fish (We used loins but can use your favorite mild white fish fillets. *see notes below); salt and pepper (to taste ( or Mrs. Dash)); 1 whole lemon (zest and juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 sliced thinly to top fish.)

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Our go-to recipe for a nutritious and easy one pan dinner is Mediterranean Baked Cod Fish with Tomato Sauce. When we're low on time but want to eat healthy, this dish shines. The succulent white fish is poached in a bath of fresh tomato sauce, olives, capers, cannellini beans, Italian spices and garnished with lemons. Ready in under 30 minutes, this easy Mediterranean diet recipe is always a crowd pleaser.

Using freshly grated tomatoes, like we did in our spicy tomato glass noodle soup, is the secret to the fresh and aromatic flavor. There are no chunky tomato peels or tinned canned tomato flavor to deal with – just fresh healthy ingredients all in one easy dish.

Mediterranean baked cod fish with a fresh tomato, olive, caper and white bean sauce in a skillet.

Healthy Mediterranean Baked Fish must be one of the best fish dishes I have ever prepared! You are going to love the bright savory flavors. Just like our baked cod parcels in black bean sauce, it makes you feel like you are eating something extra special without a lot of fuss.

Ingredients

Cod fish or mild flaky whitefish – We used cod loins for this Mediterranean seafood recipe. However, grouper, halibut, tilapia, snapper, sole, haddock or a sustainable mild flaky white fish fillets from your region will all work well.

Fresh tomatoes – We used sweet Roma tomatoes because they are meatier and have less seeds. However, any type of tomatoes will be delicious in the recipe. You can also use tinned crushed tomatoes, but you will have to cook them longer on the stovetop to remove the tinny flavor. More on that below.

Aromatics – Chopped onions and sliced garlic. The easiest Mediterranean seasoning for fish is dried Italian seasoning and a dash of dried red pepper flakes. It takes this easy Italian recipe to the next level. If you have fresh basil and oregano growing in your garden, use that.

Olives – We chose a briny kalamata and buttery Castelvetrano olives. Both add a depth of flavor to the tomato sauce. Choose your favorites.

Capers – briny and flavorful!

Fresh Lemon – Is not an ingredient that can be skipped. That touch of acid and brightness, really makes this cod fish with tomato sauce pop. We used the lemon zest, juice, and slices over the Mediterranean fish.

Italian Cannellini beans (White beans) – Optional but are a delicious high protein addition. We cut our cod fillets in half and added beans to stretch the dish in a budget friendly way.

What Happens when you Poach Fish in the Oven?

Do you like soaking in a nice hot bath to melt all your stress away? Just the thing your body needs after a hard day, don't you think? You feel relaxed, thawed from the cold and your skin feels soft.

Well, the same kind of feel good happens to your fish while it is poaching in a bath of fresh tomato basil sauce or even coconut milk. I don't recommend you poach your body is a bathtub of tomato sauce but it sure does wonders for your fish. The healthy cod fish is so delicate and fall apart tender. We promise you will want to go back for seconds of this delicious and healthy Mediterranean Baked Fish.

How to Poach Cod in Red Sauce?

Grating tomatoes and seasoning cod fish loins.

Grate fresh tomatoes. See the video below to see how this is done.
Season the cod with salt and pepper on both sides.

Sautéing aromatics and then adding the freshly grated tomatoes, olives, capers and white beans to the pan.

In a deep large frying pan, add olive oil, chopped onions and garlic. Sauté until translucent.
Add to the pan freshly grated tomatoes, Italian seasoning, dried red chili flakes, capers, olives and cannellini beans and sauté.

Nestling the cod fish in the tomato sauce and topping with lemon slices.

Nestle the cod fish fillets into the tomato sauce.
Top cod fish with lemon zest, juice, and slices.
Poach the Mediterranean Baked Cod Fish with Tomato Sauce in the 425° F (218° C) oven for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

What to Serve with Mediterranean Baked Fish?

Our favorite way to serve up this baked fish with Mediterranean tomato sauce is with a crusty bread or flat bread to lop up all those delicious briny juices. All you need is a simple tossed salad with a lemon white balsamic vinaigrette, and you are good to go. For the hearty eaters, try our easy roasted potato and tomatoes or Parmesan Risotto with Saffron side dishes.

Some of our favorite appetizers to go with poached cod fish are…

Recipe Tips and Exchanges

Choose fish fillets or loins around the same size so they cook evenly.
Pat the cod fillets dry with a paper towel and make sure they are completely thawed, if they were previously frozen, before adding them to the dish. This prevents a watery broth.
If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, you can exchange with a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes. However, you will need to simmer the tomato sauce at least 15 - 20 minutes longer on the stove top. This added time is needed to remove the tinny flavor of the canned tomatoes before adding the fish.
Season the fish well on both sides before adding them to the prepared fresh tomato sauce.
If you want to reduce the sodium in this Mediterranean recipe, you may want to consider using a No salt such as Mrs. Dash to season the fillets. In addition, reduce or remove the capers and olives.
Start checking on your fish at the 7- or 8-minute mark. Add more time as needed to fully cook. Don’t overcook the Cod!

Dipping the flat breads into the briny olive and caper tomato sauce.

Low Carb Options

To keep this Mediterranean fish recipe low carb and keto friendly, skip the white beans in the tomato sauce and pair with a side of air fryer zucchini and squash or sauteed string beans. You may even consider adding more fresh vegetables like fresh spinach or bell peppers to cook right in the tomato sauce.

The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is a healthy one that has many benefits especially for cardiac diets, according to a scientific article by Wismer, et al in the American Journal of Medicine. Eating plenty of fish, legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, olive oil instead of butter, whole grain breads and using herbs and spices instead of salt makes this diet a good choice. If you are on a strict sodium restricted diet, you will need to pass on the olives and capers in this dish and add some extra lemons, basil, and Mrs. Dash to this dish instead.

Storage and Reheating

Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months. Reheat on the stove top over medium-low heat on the stovetop until toasty warm. You may need to add a tablespoon of water to get the tomato sauce moving again. Microwave reheating is our least favorite method. It is difficult to control the heat level and prevent overcooking - at least with our microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

When is the Baked Cod Done Cooking?

Length of time needed to bake cod in the 425°F (218°C) oven, depends on the thickness of the fillet or loin. Fish generally takes approximately 10 minutes for a 1-inch-thick fillet. A thick whitefish can take as long as 15 minutes. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), fish is cooked when the temperature reaches 145° F (62°C), is white opaque and/or flakes easily with a fork in the thickest part of the fillet.

Why is my cod fish rubbery?

The most common reason why your cod fish is rubbery is that you overcooked it. To prevent a rubbery or tough cod, start checking on the fillets or loins at the 7 or 8-minute mark. Add more baking time as needed until the fish flakes easily with a fork and is no longer translucent.

Can you use frozen fish in a poached tomato broth?

We do not recommend you use frozen fish in a poached tomato broth because it will thin out the rich sauce and make it watery as it thaws. If your fish is still frozen, place the fish fillets or loins in room temperature water for a few minutes to thaw out. Then, dry the fish well before adding it to the tomato sauce to poach. Alternatively, try our recipe for Air Fryer Frozen Tilapia for those super busy days when you need to get dinner on the table in a flash.

More Healthy Seafood Recipes

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