Baked Cod with Tomato Olive Salsa (Printable)
Tender cod fillets with fresh tomato, olive, and herb salsa. Mediterranean flavors, ready in 35 minutes. Healthy and simple.
# What You Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 cod fillets, skinless and boneless, approximately 5.3 oz each
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving
→ Tomato and Olive Salsa
06 - 2 large ripe tomatoes, finely diced
07 - 0.5 cup pitted green olives, chopped
08 - 0.5 cup pitted black olives, chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
12 - 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped
13 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
15 - 0.25 teaspoon sea salt
16 - 0.125 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with oil.
02 - Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels. Brush both sides generously with olive oil and season evenly with salt and pepper.
03 - Arrange seasoned cod fillets on prepared baking sheet in single layer. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until fish flakes easily with fork and is opaque throughout.
04 - While cod bakes, combine diced tomatoes, green olives, black olives, red onion, parsley, basil, capers, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in medium mixing bowl. Stir well and allow flavors to meld.
05 - Remove cod from oven and transfer fillets to serving plates. Top generously with tomato and olive salsa and serve immediately with lemon wedges on side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast between the delicate, flaky cod and the bold, chunky salsa creates this perfect balance that makes you feel like youre dining seaside even if youre landlocked.
- Its one of those deceptively impressive meals that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen but actually comes together in just about 35 minutes.
02 -
- Never flip the cod while baking - I tried this once and ended up with a crumbled mess instead of beautiful fillets.
- Making the salsa at least 15 minutes before serving allows those flavors to properly mingle and develop, transforming it from good to absolutely memorable.
03 -
- The quality of your olive oil makes a noticeable difference here - use the best extra virgin you can afford for the salsa since it remains uncooked.
- If your tomatoes arent at peak ripeness, letting them sit at room temperature with a tiny sprinkle of salt for 15 minutes will draw out more flavor before you mix them into the salsa.