Tomato Basil Baked Cod
This one pan tomato basil baked cod turns peak August tomatoes into a jammy, heart-healthy dinner over lemon rice, on the table in about 35 minutes.
Ingredients
| cod fillets, thawed if frozen | 4 |
| Italian or Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped | 700 g |
| fresh basil, about half used, torn | 1 package |
| yellow onion, thinly sliced | 1 |
| garlic, minced | 3 cloves |
| lemon, half juiced and half in wedges | 1 |
| long grain white rice | 300 g |
| olive oil | 30 mL |
| salt and pepper | to taste |
Steps
- 1Heat the oven to 205 C (400 F). Start the rice on the stovetop according to package directions, adding the juice of half the lemon to the cooking water.
- 2Toss the chopped tomatoes, sliced onion, garlic, 15 mL of the olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper in a 23 x 33 cm baking dish. Roast for 12 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and release their juices.
- 3Pat the cod fillets dry, rub with the remaining olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- 4Pull the dish from the oven, nestle the fillets into the tomato mixture, and spoon some of the juices over the top.
- 5Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cod flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 70 C (158 F), the Health Canada safe minimum for fish.
- 6Scatter the torn basil over everything, fluff the lemon rice, and serve the cod and tomatoes over the rice with lemon wedges alongside.
Cod is a lean protein naturally low in saturated fat, which makes it an easy pick for heart healthy fish nights. Tomatoes bring lycopene along with vitamin C and potassium, and cooking them actually makes the lycopene easier for your body to absorb, so the roasting step is doing nutritional work as well as flavour work.
Peak field tomatoes collapse into a garlicky sauce on their own. Your only job is drying the fish.
August is the short window when Ontario field tomatoes are actually worth what you pay for them, and the fastest way to use them well is to stop cooking and start roasting. These tomato basil baked cod fillets sit in a dish of tomatoes that turn jammy on their own, over lemony rice, and the whole thing takes about 35 minutes with one baking dish to wash.
Why does the lemon rice matter so much?
The one real rule for tomato basil baked cod is to pat the cod dry before it goes in. Wet fish steams instead of roasts and turns rubbery, and a paper towel is the entire fix. If your fillets are on the thin side, check them at the 10-minute mark, because cod goes from perfect to chalky in about two minutes. Cook it to the Health Canada safe internal temperature for fish, which is 70 C (158 F), and check with a probe thermometer rather than guessing.
The tomatoes need no help. Fifteen minutes in a hot oven and they collapse into a chunky, garlicky sauce without a wooden spoon anywhere near them. The lemon rice matters more than it sounds, since the acid in the cooking water keeps the grains from tasting flat under all that sweet roasted tomato.
If tomatoes look rough at your store, a pint of cherry tomatoes behaves the same way. If basil is not in the budget this week, a sprinkle of dried oregano before roasting gets you most of the way there. Leftovers keep two days, and the tomato mixture is honestly better the next day spooned over toast.
What else do people ask about baked cod?
Can you use frozen cod for this recipe?
Yes, and most Canadians will. Thaw the fillets fully in the fridge overnight, then pat them very dry, because frozen fish holds extra water and wet tomato basil baked cod steams rather than roasts. Cooking from frozen is possible but adds roughly 8 to 10 minutes and gives you a looser texture.
How do you spot perfectly cooked cod?
Cod turns opaque and flakes easily when pressed with a fork, and reaches an internal temperature of 70 C (158 F), the Health Canada safe minimum for fish. Thin fillets can hit that at the 10 minute mark, so check early. Overcooked cod goes chalky and dry very quickly, and there is no way back once it does.
What can you serve instead of rice?
Orzo, couscous, small potatoes or a thick slice of bread to mop the juices all work, since the tomato mixture is really a sauce. For a lower carbohydrate version, serve it over sauteed greens or cauliflower rice and spoon extra tomato juices over the top.
Can you swap the cod for another fish?
Haddock, halibut, pollock and basa all behave similarly and take the same time. Thicker fillets may need a few extra minutes, and thin ones a few less. Salmon works too, though it is richer and changes the character of the dish from light and summery to something more substantial.
Eat well on a real weeknight
If you are managing heart health or just want meals that fit your goals without a spreadsheet, a registered dietitian can build on recipes like this one. Find and book a dietitian or nutritionist near you on Medimap, and the Health Hub has more seasonal cooking like this summer lentil salad with feta and lemon and one-pot white bean pasta.
This recipe is general information, not medical or dietary advice. If you have a health condition or specific dietary needs, check with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian.