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Easy Baked Cod, Inspired by a New England Favorite
When we lived in Rhode Island, one of our go-to fish markets was a great little place called the Smiling Sole. One of their specialties was baked stuffed scrod, an oven-ready dish of fresh white fish topped with buttery crumbs. In New England, “scrod” isn’t a type of fish but a term for high-quality, freshly caught, mild white fish, usually cod or haddock.
After moving to Florida, we started recreating that dish at home using Atlantic cod fillets, a few pantry staples, and fresh, homemade breadcrumbs. This easy version of crispy baked cod features a stuffing-like topping flavored with garlic and lemon. It’s a long-time favorite in our kitchen, and it’s even earned a spot on our Italian Christmas Eve menu (Feast of the Seven Fishes).
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
COD FILLETS: Wild Atlantic cod is our first choice for this dish. Its moist, flaky texture and mild flavor are perfect for pairing with the buttery breadcrumb topping. Look for fillets that are bright white and smell clean and ocean-like. Frozen cod is fine to use as long as it’s well-sealed and free from ice crystals. Haddock, a close relative, also works well.
BREADCRUMBS: We like to make fresh breadcrumbs from Italian bread for this recipe because their texture is light and they absorb the butter and olive oil well. Our recipe for fresh breadcrumbs has full instructions on how to make them. Panko can be used as a substitute, though the texture will be a little drier.
LEMON JUICE: Fresh lemon juice adds essential brightness to fish dishes. If you want to boost the lemon flavor in this dish, add a little lemon zest to the crumb mixture.
GARLIC: Three cloves give the crumbs a hearty garlic flavor that’s balanced and not overpowering. Feel free to adjust based on your preference.
CRUSHED RED PEPPER FLAKES: This optional addition brings just a touch of heat to offset the richness of the buttery topping. Omit it if it’s not to your taste.
Prep Overview
How to Make Baked Cod with Crumb Topping
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Arrange the cod fillets in a snug-fitting baking dish, drizzle them with olive oil and lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Slightly overlapping the thinner portions helps the fish bake evenly.
Sauté garlic and crushed red pepper in a mix of butter and olive oil until fragrant. Off the heat, stir in more lemon juice, fresh parsley, and homemade breadcrumbs. The mixture should be moist and spoonable, almost like a light stuffing.
Spread the crumbs evenly over the cod and bake until the topping is golden and the fish flakes easily.
MAKE-AHEAD NOTE: This is one of those dishes that’s great for entertaining because you can get it ready ahead of time and pop it in the oven when you’re ready to eat. Find the details in the printable recipe card.
Serving Suggestions
This crispy baked cod pairs well with Italian-inspired sides like our Garlic Butter Pasta Shells (a twist on aglio e olio) and Sautéed Peppers, Mushrooms, and Onions, which add color and bold flavor to the meal.
As long as you’ve got the oven going, you can also go with Roasted Potatoes, which are delicious with all types of baked fish, and for something green, add in some Lemon Roasted Asparagus.
More Easy Oven-Baked Fish Recipes
If you’re looking for more easy fish recipes from the oven, here are a few of our favorites.
Oven Fried Fish with Lemon Basil Butter is baked to crispy perfection and finished with a drizzle of lemon-basil butter, ready in under 30 minutes. For something with a little heat, Horseradish Crusted Salmon delivers a bold flavor twist with its topping of fresh breadcrumbs, horseradish, and honey. And if you’re craving Southern-style comfort, Baked Creole Catfish combines tomato, melted butter, and spicy Creole seasoning for a fast, flavorful dinner.
Baked Cod with Crispy Crumb Topping
Ingredients
- 1 to 1-1/4 lbs cod fillets (or haddock), about 1 inch thick
- 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, (more or less to taste)
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a baking dish with nonstick spray and arrange the cod fillets in a single layer. If your fillets taper at the ends, tuck or slightly overlap the thinner parts so they cook more evenly. Choose a dish that holds the fish snugly.
- Drizzle the fillets with 1 tablespoon each of lemon juice and olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- In a medium skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, just until fragrant and pale golden. Avoid browning.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, then add the breadcrumbs and parsley. Mix well to combine. If the breadcrumb mixture seems dry, you can stir in a touch more olive oil or lemon juice.
- Spoon the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the fish. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was very tasty. Both my husband and I loved it. Made it exactly as written, with the exception of cutting it in half.
Hi Dorri,
We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the baked cod. Thanks for taking the time to come back and let us know.
I’ve made this several times and one of the times I used haddock. It turned out just as good as the cod.
Hi Ellie,
We’ve used haddock too and had good luck. Thanks for commenting!
This is so delicious and so easy! I am looking forward to trying your other recipes.
Thanks Kristine! Please reach out if you ever have questions.
Can this be prepared ahead and baked later in the day?
Hi Liz,
You can definitely make this ahead of time. Just assemble everything in a casserole, cover, and refrigerate until you are ready to bake it.
I’ve been making this for years, but here in Newfoundland we use summer savoury in place of parsley in the breadcrumb topping, and butter instead of oil. It’s our traditional “dressing” or stuffing if you will. It is absolutely delicious.
Thank you for sharing that recipe variation. I’m sure the summer savory adds nice flavor.
Made this for Christmas Eve. What a hit! I used seasoned croutons as the breading for the breadcrumbs. I put them in a food processor to grind them. It was so good I made it again a week later. It’s also an easy recipe to follow. I say give it a try!
I live in New England, and I eat a lot of seafood, including codfish. This is by far the best cod fish recipe I have ever found online. I must confess, however, I couldn’t help but add bay scallops and chopped shrimp to the bread crumb topping. UNBELIEVABLE flavor!
Thank you for sharing!
This is a great recipe – it’s easy and fast yet it looks very inviting on your table!
Hi Bette,
So glad to hear you liked the cod done this way. It’s a virtually foolproof way to cook fish and a nice dish to serve for company.