Simple Cod Recipe
Cod in a deliciously rich tomato and pepper sauce; kinda Spanish style. Perfect for a midweek meal and easy on the washing up.
I used cod loin fillets, but you could use any white fish fillet.
*Post updated August 2023
A nice and simple healthy dinner - cod baked in a delicious sauce.
What's that? Don't you like olives?
No worries, if olives are not your thing, just leave them out. 😉
Cooking for kids?
Leave the chilli out, use 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika and leave the hot paprika out altogether.This sauce came about when I made Patatas Bravas, at the time of making the bravas sauce (salsa brava) I decided I'd try baking fish in it. Well as you can see it worked.
By the way, I have altered this sauce slightly from my recipe for bravas sauce, plus for this recipe, I didn't blend it.
Top Tips!
- Use a dish just big enough to hold the fish and the sauce.
- If it's too big the fish may end up dry. My dish was 8x8 inches and 2 inches deep (20x20cm and 5cm deep)
- Be sure to use skinless and boneless fish filets, no one wants to eat soggy fish skin.
- As always, use good, quality tinned tomatoes otherwise your sauce won't be half as nice. I use the brand, Mutti.
- Be sure to buy chargrilled peppers in OIL and not vinegar!
Pimentón de la Vera can be found in Sainsbury's or Waitrose or on Amazon. You use regular paprika but this one has such a lovely smoky taste.
Used by Rick Stein, Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver; this is the BEST paprika!
How to make tomato sauce for fish
Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and add the diced onion. Cook over low heat allowing the onions to soften but not coloured.
It'll take about 15 minutes but you will need to stir from time to time. Remember they won't really get a chance to cook in the oven so make sure they're nice and soft.
Add the chilli and garlic and allow it to cook for about 5 minutes before adding the tomato puree.
Cook for a further minute or so otherwise tomato puree will taste bitter.
Now add the hot and sweet paprika along with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Add the tin of tomatoes including their juice and the peppers.
Add the sherry vinegar along with the sugar and stir well.
Add the water a little at a time, until the sauce is a nice consistency; I ended up using 200ml.
Add the olives and cook until the sauce is nice and hot. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning - does it need more sugar, paprika or vinegar etc?
If so, now's the time to add it.
You can also add a pinch of dried red chilli flakes if you like things on the spicy side. 😋
Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan) 400°F
Make sure the sauce is piping hot before adding it to the dish; otherwise, the fish will not cook properly and the whole dish will be cold.
Put the cod into the sauce, don't cover it because it won't look as nice. Drizzle the fish with a tiny amount of olive oil.
Bake uncovered on the middle shelf of your preheated oven for about 12 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes when pressed.
Serve straight away with boiled new potatoes and green beans, or whatever else you fancy.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!
Baked Cod in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 nice-looking cod fillets (room temperature)
- olive oil
- 1 medium onion - diced
- 1 medium heat green chilli - deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves - very finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree (paste) if you're in the US
- 2 teaspoons Pimentón de la Vera - Picante (hot)
- 2 teaspoons Pimentón de la Vera - Dulce (sweet)
- pinch of salt and black pepper
- 1 400g tin of good quality chopped tomatoes
- 170g jar drained weight, of chargrilled peppers in oil, not vinegar (well drained from the oil) and sliced.
- 1 and a half tablespoons of sherry vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- approx 200ml water
- a few black olives - pitted
- * a pinch of dried red chilli flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and add the diced onion. Cook over low heat allowing the onions to soften but not coloured.
- It'll take about 15 minutes but you will need to stir them from time to time. *Remember they won't get a chance to cook in the oven so make sure they're nice and soft.*
- Add in the chilli and garlic and allow it to cook for about 5 minutes before adding the tomato puree and cook for a further minute or so otherwise tomato puree will taste bitter.
- Add the hot and sweet paprika with a pinch of salt and pepper the tomatoes (including their juice) and the well-drained peppers.
- Add the sherry or red wine vinegar along with the sugar and stir well. Add the water a little at a time, until the sauce is a nice consistency; I used 200ml.
- Add the olives and cook until the sauce is nice and hot. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning - does it need more sugar, paprika, vinegar etc? If so, now's the time to add it.
- You can also add a pinch of dried red chilli flakes if you like things a little spicier.
- Get yourself a dish just big enough to hold the fish and the sauce. If it's too big the fish may end up dry. My dish was 8x8 inches and 2 inches deep (20cmx20cm and 5cm deep)
- Make sure the sauce is piping hot before adding it to the dish; otherwise, the fish will not cook properly and the whole dish will be cold.
- Put the cod into the sauce but don't cover it with the sauce. Drizzle the fish with a tiny amount of olive oil.
- Bake uncovered on the middle shelf of your preheated oven for about 12-14 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes when pressed.
- Serve straight away with boiled new potatoes and green beans, or whatever else you fancy.
Notes
Be sure to buy peppers in OIL and not vinegar!
Thanks Jan I have just come across your website and I have to say I think it's great, so many lovely recipes and this one looks amazing. I love your site!
ReplyDeleteHi Amy! Thank you so much for your lovely comment. Seriously I'm really grateful and it's so good to know you like my site x
DeleteCan't wait to try this, it sounds (and looks) delish!
ReplyDeleteCheers Sue, we loved it. Just be sure to get the right chargrilled peppers (in oil) NOT vinegar as Paul's mum did!
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