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This baked cod is light and flaky, with a savory creamy sauce that puts this dish over the top. It’s hands-down, my favorite fish dish and it turns out perfectly every time.
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Fish is often overlooked when planning dinner, though I have no idea why. When prepared well, fish is incredibly delicious! This cod dish in particular is always a hit, even with my kids! It pairs well with rice and potato side dishes or even just a green salad. What I love about this baked cod is that because it is baked in a bream sauce, it loses all traces of fishiness. You get perfectly flaky cod filets every time and the cream sauce kicks up the flavor to the next level. Even my pickiest eaters love it!
How to Make Baked Cod
This is one of the best baked cod recipes I’ve ever had. And it’s easy to make, with easy to find ingredients. Here’s how to make it:
Step 1: First, preheat the oven to 400-degrees F. Prepare the cream sauce by making a roux out of butter and cornstarch. Then add parmesan cheese, cream, and milk to make a flavorful béchamel sauce.
Step 2: Spray a baking dish with cooking spray then add fish and season with salt.
Step 3: Melt some butter and garlic together and brush it over the fish. Sprinkle each fillet with seasoned breadcrumbs then add any remaining melted butter over the top. This will help bake all that buttery flavor into the fish.
Step 4: Add the cream sauce to the dish until it is filled almost to the top with. Only the tops of the fish will be showing.
Step 5: Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes of until the cream is bubbling. Next, set oven to “broil” and broil for about 3-5 minutes or until the fillets start to turn golden brown and the creamy mixture darkens over the top. I always watch it constantly so it doesn’t burn. Remove from the oven and check the internal temperature. It should be 145-degrees F and flake easily when pulled apart with a fork.
How to Buy Fish
About ten years ago, I took a cooking class from a renowned chef in Salt Lake City. The entire class was all about how to cook fish. I will never forget his excellent pointers on how to find and buy the best fish. For instance, if you must buy fish from a grocery store (rather than a fresh fish market), always buy it FROZEN.
Don’t buy the fish that has already been thawed and sitting in the case. If you go home and put the fish in the freezer for later, the fish for later, the fish will be frozen twice. That is not ideal. When you request fish at the seafood counter, ask them to wrap up fish that is still frozen. Or, to simplify things, just buy the frozen cod loin at Costco. It’s delicious!
Substitutions for Cod
For this recipe, you can use any kind of mild white fish, not just cod. I have used Halibut, tilapia, and mahi mahi, and they all work great! Just be sure that when you are cooking them, check for doneness. Tilapia will typically cook faster than, say, halibut because it is usually not as thick of a cut. Using an “in season” fish will make you happy every time! Click this fresh fish availability chart to see which fresh fish is in season any month of the year.
How to Know When Cod is Done
Knowing when cod is done in the oven is essential to ensure it’s cooked perfectly. Here’s how you can tell:
- Check the Color: Cod goes from translucent to opaque as it cooks. When it’s fully cooked, the flesh turns white and easily flakes with a fork. The center should not be translucent, and it should have a consistent color throughout.
- Internal Temperature: You can use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the cod. It’s done when the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C).
- Flaking: Gently insert a fork into the thickest part of the cod fillet and twist it slightly. If the fish flakes easily and the flakes are opaque, it’s done.
- Texture: When you touch the cod with a fork, it should be firm but still moist. Overcooked cod can become dry and tough, so be cautious not to leave it in the oven too long.
Remember that the cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of the cod fillets and the oven temperature, so it’s important to monitor it closely, especially the first time you cook it in your oven.
Frequently Asked Questions about Baked Cod
Yes, if done correctly. The best way I have found to re-heat fish is to put it in a frying pan with a lid and bring it up to temperature on the stove (slowly). Fish does NOT re-heat well in the microwave!
No, you shouldn’t need to flip the cod while it’s baking in the oven. In fact, the fish may flake and fall apart if you try to turn it while baking.
READ MORE: 35+ Quick and Easy Dinner Ideas
What to Serve with Baked Cod
You can never go wrong with steamed veggies or a simple side of rice when it comes to any kind of fish. For this dish, specifically, here are a few of our favorite side dishes:
Baked Cod in Cream Sauce
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Ingredients
- 6 cod fillets
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs seasoned
For the cream sauce:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups whipping cream (or half and half)
- 1 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
- Kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Prepare cream sauce (see instructions below) and set aside, keeping warm. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Pat fish dry with a paper towel if needed and place cod fillets in the dish. Sprinkle with salt.
- Combine melted butter and garlic and brush over fillets, reserving any leftover butter mixture.
- Sprinkle seasoned breadcrumbs over fillets and pour remaining butter mixture over the top.
- Pour cream sauce in the spaces between the cod fillets so it fills up the baking dish and just the tops of the fillets are visible.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cream sauce starts bubbling. When the sauce starts bubbling up, set oven to "broil" and broil for about 3-5 minutes or until the fillets start to turn golden brown. Keep a CLOSE eye on it to make sure it doesn't start to burn. The internal temperature of the fish should be 145-degrees F and should flake easily when pulled apart with a fork.
- Remove from oven and serve with potatoes, rice, or vegetables.
For the cream sauce:
- Melt butter in a medium-sized sauce pan over medium heat.
- Slowly add the cornstarch and stir for about 1 minute.
- While whisking constantly, slowly add whipping cream and milk until well combined. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
- Reduce heat to low and whisk occasionally for about 10 minutes until sauce becomes rich and creamy, adding more milk, if needed. You want it to be the consistency of a thin gravy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
- Don’t buy the fish that has already been thawed and sitting in the case. If you go home and put the fish in the freezer for later, the fish for later, the fish will be frozen twice. That is not ideal. When you request fish at the seafood counter, ask them to wrap up fish that is still frozen. Or, to simplify things, just buy the frozen cod loin at Costco. It’s delicious!
- Re-heat fish in a frying pan with a lid and bring it up to temperature on the stove (slowly). Fish does NOT re-heat well in the microwave! It will turn rubbery, so avoid the microwave.
- You shouldn’t need to flip the fish during baking. Fish that has been baked may flake apart easily and fall apart if you try to turn it.
OMG, this was SO yummy! My husband says it’s a keeper, so I’ll defintely make it again.
Oh my gosh. This cod is divine!! I’m making it for the second time in 2 weeks. Fresh cod helps. ❤️
Whoops forgot 5 star recipe , all the family love it !
Great recipe, put 50 mls of a nice white wine a start of making the sauce ….perfection.
Thanks
Wonderful recipes! Fish came out nice and flakey and the butter, cheese sauce was a nice combination. I did use sliced lemon and paprika to top fish.
This dish was easy to prepare and was absolutely delicious. I added some lemon slices to the sauce and sprinkled it with Italian parsley.
Thank you for the 5-star rating! We are so happy you enjoyed this recipe.😀
Amazing recipe , added glass of white wine at atrart of making the sauce, Yum yum !
Could you use sea bass as an option? It is a much thicker peice, how should I adjust the time?
I haven’t cooked with sea bass as much, so I am not sure! I would just keep checking it with a meat thermometer.
Delicious dish. Will definitely make again.
I chunk up my fish and add some shrimp. I also add a few tablespoons of roasted garlic to the sauce. It is marvelous over some pasta with a side of asparagus. I made it for thé forth time tonight, I think. Thanks!
Had a lot of heavy cream leftover from a baking project and decided to try this to use it up. Adjusted “Servings” to 4 and guessed the fillets would be about 6 oz. each, so 1.5 lb total cod. Swapped about 1/4 cup of the milk with dry white wine & added zest of 1 lemon after sauce finished cooking. Was very rich & delicious despite not looking as pretty as yours – my fillets were fresh & not as thick. Would make again, but cut back a bit on volume of sauce and add minced parsley or chives. YUM!
This recipe was a mixed bag. Half of the family loved it and the other half, myself included thought the sauce didn’t bode well with the fish. Easy to make. Ended up throwing away a lot of the cream sauce. Wish I would have saved it and thrown it over some pasta or something.
Im so eager to try this. Sounds wonderful. What would 6 cod filet’s weigh for this rdcipe?
Cod filets are typically about a half pound each. Hope this helps!
My family loved this dish. Thank you for the great recipe!
I’m so glad this recipe was a success for you and your family! Thank you for your comment!
I think this is a good foundation for a recipe for people who don’t love fish. It’s slathered in so much butter and cream, you barely notice the cod. It’s decadent and worth making, but it desperately needs a hit of freshness, like chopped parsley or cilantro or scallions or all of the above. I typically serve lemon with any seafood dish but with such a thick cream sauce, I hesitated. It seemed like it might clash. If I make it again, I would definitely throw a bunch of fresh herbs at it.
I loved the music of North and South too! I’m yet to see or read Wuthering Heights though.
I made this recipe with out the bread crumbs and drowned the cod the cream sauce! I also added a little dry mustard,
Next time I may try a bit of nutmeg(?) as well. I served it with homemade shredded
gold potatoes (quick stir fry style) & fresh English peas w/ mint.
TY for the great recipe!
Looks yummy! All our favorite ingredients! For assembly, could you not pour the cream sauce into the pan first, then add the cod filets and then finish the butter and breadcrumbs steps? I would hate to accidentally “drown” the filets with the sauce….
I think that would work! Let us know how it goes if you try it.
I made this for the first time tonight and it was a big hit! I’m not a big fish eater so I am leery about preparing it. However, this recipe is near foolproof! I used frozen Cod fillets (thawed) and adjusted the seasoning to taste as suggested. My boyfriend who LOVES fish gave this rave reviews. And my 12 yr old stepson who is not a big fish eater, cleaned his plate and declared he’d eat it again. High praise for sure! Will be adding this to our meal rotation as it’s also easy to make and so flavorful!
Hey!
Can I use frozen fish without thawing first? Thanks
I haven’t used frozen fish with this recipe before, so I am not sure! Let us know how it goes if you do try it!
My husband is not a fish lover. But for the 7 weeks of lent, I try my best to find recipes he likes. He just about licked the plate clean with this one. I hit it out of the ballpark with this recipe. We both loved it and will definitely be making it again.
delicious!! had a ‘Bit’ of sauce ‘accidently’ left over==so== had it over angel hair pasta yum!!!!
I have just tried on this recipe for cod in cream sauce. I was unsure about using Parmesan and garlic but went with it. We have really enjoyed our meal tonight. The sauce is so subtle but very tasty. This will become a family favourite for sure.