Parmesan Baked Cod

At a glance

What stands out: Parmesan baked cod is a simple and rich way to add lighter seafood to your weekday menu. High in protein and low in fat, inexpensive cod is a great choice, and the crispy coating makes it extra special.

How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, 25 minutes in the oven
Equipment you’ll need: baking pan, oven, small bowl
Servings: 4

We love salmon prepared in a variety of ways, like this grilled salmon, baked salmon with lemon and chives, and salmon with maple mustard glaze. Lately we're loving air fryer salmon. The crunchy coating on parmesan and almond crusted salmon is so, so good!

However, some of you have requested recipes for other varieties of fish. We absolutely love reader requests, and we try to make the requested recipes happen whenever we can. Today we're bringing you this recipe for rich Parmesan baked cod.

Cod is versatile and can be cooked using a variety of methods. We often make air fryer cod because it’s straightforward and can be used for fish tacos, bowls, salads, and so on. Cod’s mild flavor goes well with different seasonings and sauces, too, like this straightforward skillet lemon butter cod, or cod in tomato sauce, another skillet recipe.

Memorable Parmesan baked cod

Not “fishy” tasting. Cod is a mild-tasting white fish. Picky eaters often enjoy cod because it doesn’t have a strong seafood flavor. Cod is often used for commercial breaded frozen fish fillets or fish sticks.

Flavorful breading. This Parmesan baked cod is somewhat similar to a frozen fish fillet but so much better! The cod fillets are lightly coated with mayonnaise to add richness to the cod. The flavor of the crispy breading is enhanced by Parmesan cheese and lemon zest.

Make it a meal. While you have the oven on, why not roast broccoli and potatoes to go along with your cod? Lemon roasted broccoli is lighter and rich, and incorporates a couple of the same ingredients as the fish: lemon and Parmesan cheese. Round out the meal with a pan of dill roasted potatoes with lemon.

Connie Said:

“FANTASTIC!!!!! The whole family thought it was some of a standby fish they’d tasted! The crispy crust is so rich!”

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What goes in

• Cod Fillets: Usually cod is fairly inexpensive. We purchase cod fillets at the meat counter of our grocery store. Using frozen cod is okay but we find that it tends to be more watery. Cod loins are a good choice, too. You’ll need 4 boneless fillets, about 4 ounces each.
• Mayonnaise: The mayonnaise acts as glue for the flavorful topping. It also adds flavor and just a bit of fat to the cod.
• Parmesan Cheese: For best results, use shredded parmesan. It looks nicer, giving the topping a more interesting texture. There is no added salt in this recipe because the cheese is fairly salty.
• Flavorings: Dried parsley adds color and just a bit of flavor. Lemon zest makes the dish flavorful. The fish is also seasoned with paprika and ground black pepper.

How it comes together

Prep pan. Preheat the oven to 425ºF and prepare a rimmed baking pan (such as a sheet pan) by lining it with foil or parchment so cleanup will be straightforward. Set a wire baking rack in the pan and spray it lightly with nonstick spray. (If you don’t happen to have a rack, no worries. You can bake the fish without it. It will turn out a little less crispy.)

Prep cod. Rinse each fillet and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels Make sure you get it as dry as possible or it will be difficult to spread the mayo on top. Put the fillets in the pan.

Add coating. Mix together the cheese, parsley, lemon zest, paprika and black pepper. Next, spread a little mayonnaise on top of each fillet and then add a coating of the cheese mixture. Lightly pat it on with your fingertips to make sure it stays put.

Bake. Pop the fish into the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coating is crispy and the fish is done.

Serve. We like to serve the Parmesan baked cod fillets with a wedge of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley. Keep reading for more side dish suggestions.

Tips For Perfectly Cooked Cod

Use an instant read thermometer. The easiest way is to tell when the cod is done is to use an instant-read thermometer (like this one) to check the internal temperature of the fish. It should be at least 145ºF.

…or test it with a fork. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can easily check the doneness by inserting a fork in the thickest part of the fillet and twisting the fork slightly. If the cod resists the twist, and is still translucent in appearance, it isn’t done yet. Cod should flake easily and be opaque when it’s done.

Remove thinner fillets first. Some of your fillets may be thicker and will take a little longer to bake. We usually remove the thinner pieces as they get done so they don’t get overdone, and let the thicker pieces bake a bit longer. Don’t overcook the cod. It should be moist and tender, not dry and hard.

Ways to change it

• Use a different kind of fish. If you’re not a fan of cod, substitute salmon or another fish of your choice.
• Make it dairy-free. Use panko or bread crumbs in place of the parmesan. Increase mayonnaise to 3 tablespoons.
• Skip the mayo. Instead of spreading the filets with mayonnaise, you could brush melted butter or olive oil on them. We did test it this way and found they didn’t get quite as crispy.
• Don’t have a baking rack? Just set the fillets right into the baking pan. Again, they may be a little less crispy but will still be rich.
• Change up the seasonings. Try garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, or salt-free seasoning blends. We wouldn’t add salt because the mayonnaise and Parmesan provide quite a bit of saltiness.

Make-Ahead Ideas

Prepare cod as directed but don’t bake. Refrigerate up to 8 hours, covered. Bake as directed, adding five minutes. We're thinking it could also be frozen but we haven’t tested that.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: If you have any cod left over, wrap it well with plastic wrap or put it into a resealable container. It should keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Reheat: We like to reheat ours in the toaster oven for 10 minutes or so at 350ºF. You can also reheat it by broiling or air frying it for a few minutes so the coating gets crispy again. The fillets can also be warmed in the microwave but try not to overdo it. The fish tends to get tough if it’s overheated.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #70. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list.

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Ways to serve it

Sides: Parmesan baked cod is a mild tasting protein that can be served with almost any side: pasta, potatoes, vegetables, salad. Whatever you would serve with chicken or pork would also taste great with baked cod. It’s not fishy tasting so most people will enjoy it.

Roasted vegetables: Since the oven is on already at 425°F, why not roast some vegetables too? Try luscious roasted cauliflower steaks or roasted carrots with thyme and nutmeg!

Make a scrumptious sandwich. Generously slather buns or bread with from-scratch tartar sauce, add a few leaves of lettuce, and add a breaded cod fillet. Oh, that’s so good! A standby “fishwich” ever!

Side Dish Recipes

• Yield: 4
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 25 minutes
• Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 boneless cod fillets, about 4 ounces each (thawed if frozen)
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• lemon wedges for serving, optional

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Prepare baking pan: line with a sheet of foil, place baking rack on top (see note). Spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. Pat the cod fillets with paper towels to dry thoroughly.
3. Place fillets on baking rack. Spread mayonnaise evenly on each fillet.
4. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, parsley, lemon zest, paprika, and black pepper. Cover the top of fillets with Parmesan mixture, lightly patting so it adheres.
5. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork and flesh is opaque. Cooking time will depend on how thick the fillets are. Internal temperature should be 140 to 145ºF.
6. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges, if desired.

Notes

Don’t have a baking rack? Just set the fillets right into the baking pan. They may be a little less crispy but will still be rich.

Salt: You may have noticed that salt isn’t in the list of ingredients. The mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese add quite a lot of salty flavor so we've found that you don’t need to add extra salt.

Make ahead tip: Prepare cod as directed but don’t bake. Refrigerate up to 8 hours, covered. Bake as directed, adding five minutes.

Variations: Substitute panko for Parmesan cheese for a dairy-free alternative (increase mayo to 3 tablespoons). If you don’t care for mayonnaise, brush the fillets with olive oil or melted butter. We found that they don’t get quite as crispy but this is still a good alternative. You can also use this recipe to cook different kinds of fish.