Tender baked cod supper (Printable)

Tender cod fillets baked with colorful vegetables, herbs, and a hint of lemon for depth.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless, boneless cod fillets (approximately 5.3 oz each)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 5.3 oz cherry tomatoes, halved

→ Aromatics & Seasoning

06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - ½ tsp salt
12 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Garnish

13 - Lemon wedges, to serve
14 - Extra chopped parsley (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Place the sliced bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, and halved cherry tomatoes into a large baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, half the lemon juice, and season with half the salt and pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
03 - Lay the cod fillets atop the vegetables. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle the fillets with lemon zest, minced garlic, dried oregano, and the remaining salt and pepper.
04 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 12 minutes.
05 - Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 8 minutes or until the cod is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
06 - Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The whole meal cooks in one dish, so cleanup doesn't steal your evening.
  • Cod stays impossibly tender when you follow the two-step baking method, never dry or overcooked.
  • Fresh lemon and herb flavors make you feel like you've done something impressive without any real struggle.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and low-carb, but nobody eating it will think about restrictions, only how good it tastes.
02 -
  • Don't skip the foil-covered first bake—it's the secret to cod that stays tender instead of turning flaky and dry.
  • If your fillets are thinner than average, shorten the second bake to 6 minutes; thicker ones might need 10, so watch for the fish to turn from translucent to opaque at the thickest part.
03 -
  • Don't waste money on the most expensive cod—mid-range quality fish cooked gently like this tastes just as good as premium, and the vegetables and lemon do most of the heavy lifting.
  • If you're cooking for more than four people, make two baking dishes side by side rather than crowding one; overcrowding means uneven cooking and steaming instead of gentle baking.