This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Table of contents
This foolproof recipe for oven-baked cod is quick enough for a weeknight dinner yet impressive enough to serve for company. Its topping of fresh breadcrumbs, butter, garlic, parsley, and lemon takes just a few minutes to make and guarantees that the fish bakes up moist, flaky, and filled with flavor.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
Years ago, when living in Rhode Island, we were fortunate enough to have a local fish market called the Smiling Sole (I love that name). They sold a delicious, ready-for-the-oven dish called baked stuffed scrod. If you’ve never heard of scrod, it’s actually not a variety of fish; it’s a term that’s commonly used in New England, referring to freshly caught white-fleshed fish (usually cod or haddock) that’s moist, mildly flavored, and of high quality.
After moving to Florida, we recreated that dish in our own kitchen, and at this point, we’ve been making it for years. We love it so much we make it a part of our Italian Christmas Eve Dinner (Feast of the Seven Fishes) every year. We know you’ll enjoy it.
Key Ingredients
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 top choice for making this dish. It’s a moist, flaky fish with a mild, sweet flavor that goes perfectly with the buttery crumb topping. Look for fillets with bright, shiny white flesh and a mild ocean-like smell. If you can’t find fresh Atlantic, frozen is a good alternative. Just be sure it is packed well and free from ice crystals and signs of freezer burn. If you can’t find cod, haddock (a related North Atlantic species) is probably the best alternative.
- LEMON JUICE: When it comes to preparing fish and seafood, nothing beats the flavor of freshly squeezed lemon juice. You could even grate a little zest into the crumb topping for added zing if you like.
- BUTTER: Use real, unsalted butter if you don’t have special dietary needs. The nutty flavor it develops in the toasty crumb topping perfectly complements the fish.
- GARLIC: We like the crumbs to have a garlicky flavor that’s pronounced but not overwhelming. We call for 3 cloves in the recipe but feel free to adjust this quantity to suit your own personal taste.
- CRUSHED RED PEPPER FLAKES: Just a hint of heat adds a contrasting note to the richness of the butter. If it’s not to your taste, leave it out or adjust the quantity up or down as desired.
- FRESH BREADCRUMBS: We use Italian bread to make fresh breadcrumbs for this recipe because it has a relatively light, but not too airy texture that absorbs the butter and olive oil well. Visit our recipe for fresh breadcrumbs for full instructions.
- PARSLEY: Fresh parsley adds both color and flavor to this dish. If you’d like some additional seasoning, you could add a pinch of dried oregano. Just know that too much will change the flavor profile of the dish.
How to Make Oven Baked Cod with Garlic Breadcrumbs
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.
PREPARE THE COD FOR BAKING: Preheat the oven to 400°F, thoroughly coat a baking dish with nonstick spray, and add the cod fillets. Choose a baking dish that will accommodate your fish in a single layer with little or no room left over. If your fillets have thin portions (as most do), it’s a good idea to overlap them a bit to keep the thickness somewhat uniform. Drizzle the fish with 1 tablespoon each of the lemon juice and olive oil, then season lightly with salt and pepper.
MAKE THE BREADCRUMB TOPPING: Heat the remaining olive oil together with the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté until the garlic turns a pale golden color, 1 to 2 minutes (do not brown). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining lemon juice, along with the breadcrumbs and parsley.
BAKE THE COD: Spread the crumb mixture evenly over the fish and bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the topping is golden and toasted and the fish flakes easily.
Side Dishes To Go With Oven Baked Cod
In addition to simple fare like steamed green beans and a salad with red wine vinaigrette, here are a few side dishes that pair well with oven-baked cod:
- Garlic Butter Pasta Shells (an elevated version of Aglio e Olio)
- Sautéed Peppers, Mushrooms, and Onions (flavorful, colorful, and versatile)
- Roasted Potatoes (deliciously golden brown and easy to make)
- Asparagus with Balsamic Brown Butter (a simple side with a gourmet touch)
Oven Baked Cod with Garlic Breadcrumbs
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, thoroughly coat a baking dish with nonstick spray, and add the cod fillets.
- Try to choose a dish that will accommodate your fish in a single layer with little or no room left over. If your fillets have thin portions (as most do), it’s a good idea to overlap them a bit to keep the thickness somewhat uniform.
- Drizzle the fish with 1 tablespoon each of the lemon juice and olive oil, then season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat the remaining olive oil together with the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté until the garlic turns a pale golden color, 1 to 2 minutes (do not brown).
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining lemon juice, along with the breadcrumbs and parsley.
- Spread the crumb mixture evenly over the fish and bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the topping is golden and toasted and the fish flakes easily.
- Serve family style.
Notes
About the Fresh Breadcrumbs
You can use your food processor to make fresh breadcrumbs from Italian bread, French bread, sourdough, or even English muffins. We recommend Italian bread for this recipe. How many slices of bread you need will depend on the diameter of your loaf, but if you make too much, you can always freeze the extra in zip-top freezer bags. For full instructions, be sure to visit our fresh breadcrumbs recipe.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.