Cod is seared to perfection in a skillet, then engulfed in a delicious creamy garlicky sun-dried tomato sauce with hints of lemon and basil. This Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Cod is an impressive main dish that comes together in less than 30 minutes!
If you’ve prepared cod before, you know first hand it can be underwhelming without a little help. Naturally very lean and subtle in flavor, this mild white fish makes a great canvas for creativity.
Aside from coating in bread crumbs and frying cod, I find making a flavorful sauce featuring bold flavors is the best way to spruce up a piece of cod.
Which is exactly what we are doing here!
Pulling inspiration from my Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Salmon recipe, we’re pulling out some heavy hitting ingredients like garlic, lemon, and sun-dried tomatoes for a real flavor fest.
This simple cod recipe requires just a few steps to prepare and is ready for the dinner table in 20 to 30 minutes! We simply sear cod in a skillet and swaddle it in that rich and creamy lemon garlic sauce for a main dish that is cooked to perfection.
Just be sure to break out your meat thermometer for this one, as cod is one of those finicky proteins that is best at a specific temperature.
If you enjoy flavorful cod recipes, also be sure to make my Mediterranean Baked Cod. It is one of my personal favorite cod recipes in addition to this creamy sun-dried tomato cod on account of its big bold flavors!
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this quick and easy cod recipe!
Ingredients for Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Cod:
Cod Filets: Pick up 1 to 1.5 pounds of cod from the grocery store to serve as the main ingredient for this tasty dinner recipe.
My local grocery stores don’t always have fresh cod, so I often buy frozen wild-caught cod filets.
If you use frozen cod, just be sure to thaw the fish completely prior to preparing the recipe. My frozen cod fillets come pre-portioned in 4 to 6 ounce filets, which is the ideal size for me.
Avocado Oil: Used to sear the fish, we need a quality high temperature cooking oil. I use avocado oil because it has a high smoke point and shouldn’t burn through the cooking process.
I also like that avocado oil is a good source of omega 3 fatty acids. Olive oil has a lower smoke point and isn’t ideal in applications like this.
Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Onion Powder, Paprika: Season both the sauce and the fish with sea salt, fresh black pepper, onion powder, and paprika. These ingredients are lovely flavor enhancers!
Fresh Garlic: Minced garlic cloves add a great deal of flavor to the dish. Feel free to add more or less depending on your preference.
Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk or Heavy Cream: I make the creamy sun-dried tomato sauce dairy-free by using canned full-fat coconut milk.
Be sure to use a good quality brand of coconut milk, as they are not all created equal! Native Forest is my personal preference for coconut milk, and Whole Food’s 365 brand is great too.
If you don’t follow a dairy-free diet, feel free to swap it out with heavy cream.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes: The best supporting actor to the subtle flavor of cod! Sundried tomatoes add tangy flavor and provide that romantic Tuscan or Mediterranean vibe.
I use one whole jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil and drain the oil from them. If you prefer sun-dried tomatoes in sealed packets without oil, feel free to use them instead.
Fresh Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice: A little fresh lemon zest and juice gives a little citrus flair and some acidity to counterbalance the creaminess of the otherwise rich sauce.
Baby Spinach: I like adding baby spinach to this dish in order to boost the nutrient profile. If you aren’t into it, skip it!
Fresh Basil: Fresh basil adds that unmistakable herby vibe, which pairs so flawlessly with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes.
Green Onions: A generous amount of green onion brings a creamy onion flavor to the sauce without adding any bite or a lot of texture.
Looking for ways you can change up the recipe? Here are some great options.
Recipe Customizations:
- Add delicious goodies like kalamata olives or black olives, artichoke hearts, or capers for even more flavor!
- Finish the meal off with a drizzle of pesto or a sprinkle of parmesan cheese or feta cheese.
- Use any kind of white fish you enjoy! Mahi mahi, halibut, sole, and tilapia are all lovely in this application.
- Skip the fresh basil if you aren’t into it.
- Double up on the sun-dried tomatoes by whipping up a sun-dried tomato pesto in the food processor.
- Serve the dish with lemon wedges so that everyone can squeeze lemon juice over the meal if desired.
- Garnish with fresh herbs like fresh parsley or extra basil.
- Sprinkle some pine nuts on top for a little crunch.
- Swap the sun-dried tomatoes for cherry tomatoes, or add cherry tomatoes in addition to the sun-dried.
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients for this skillet cod recipe, let’s make it!
How to Make Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Cod:
Remove the cod fish filets from their packaging and place them on a plate lined with a couple paper towels. Use the paper towels to gently pat the fish to remove any excess moisture.
Sprinkle both sides of each filet with sea salt, black pepper, and onion powder.
Heat the avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes to become sizzling hot.
The ideal temperature for the skillet should be between 400 and 450 degrees. If you have a laser thermometer, you can use it to test the temperature of the surface. Otherwise, carefully flicking a small amount of water on the hot surface to test whether or not it dances and immediately evaporates works too.
Carefully place the cod filets on the hot surface and allow them to sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until each side is golden brown.
Transfer the filets to a plate and set aside. Note: The fish should not be cooked through just yet.
Allow the skillet to cool down for a few minutes, then place it back on the burner. Heat the skillet to medium heat. If needed, add more avocado oil.
Sauté the minced garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the can of full-fat coconut milk (or heavy cream if using), along with the paprika, onion powder, lemon zest, lemon juice, drained sun-dried tomatoes, and red pepper flakes (if adding).
Bring the sauce to a full boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened but is slightly thinner from the consistency you want, about 8 to 15 minutes.
Add in the spinach, basil leaves, and chopped green onions and continue cooking until the spinach has wilted. Taste the sauce for flavor and add sea salt and black pepper to your personal taste.
Transfer the cod filets to the skillet with the sauce and spoon the sauce over each filet. Continue cooking and spooning sauce over the fish until the filets are all cooked through and the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
Cod is fully cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. To check the internal temperature, insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of each filet.
Serve creamy sun-dried tomato cod with your choice of side dishes, and enjoy! I like serving it over steamed rice or pasta noodles to soak up the sauce, as well as some form of vegetable, like salad or roasted vegetables.
Green beans, steamed broccoli, and crusty bread are also great pairings.
Store leftover cod in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
The next time cod it on the menu and you don’t want to risk losing out on any flavor opportunities, be sure to whip up this easy recipe!
Ready in less than 30 minutes, it makes the ideal weeknight dinner, and is fancy enough for special occasions.
If you love preparing fish and seafood recipes, also try these reader favorites.
More Fish and Seafood Recipes:
- Bang Bang Salmon Bites Bowls
- Seafood Corn Chowder
- Baked Sockeye Salmon
- Bang Bang Shrimp
- Gluten-Free Crab Cakes
The best cod recipe, let’s go!
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Salmon
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 pound cod fish cut into individual filets
- Sea salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Onion powder
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce:
- 6 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 15-ounce can full-fat coconut milk or 1 ⅔ cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 to 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 8.5-oz jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained (about 1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes)
- Pinch red pepper flakes optional
- 3 cups baby spinach loosely packed
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- 5 stalks green onion chopped (green parts only)
- ¼ tsp sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove the cod fish filets from their packaging and place them on a plate lined with a couple paper towels. Use the paper towels to gently pat the fish to remove any excess moisture.
- Sprinkle both sides of each filet with sea salt, black pepper, and onion powder.
- Heat the avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes to become sizzling hot. The ideal temperature for the skillet should be between 400 and 450 degrees. If you have a laser thermometer, you can use it to test the temperature of the surface. Otherwise, carefully flicking a small amount of water on the hot surface to test whether or not it dances and immediately evaporates works too.
- Carefully place the cod filets on the hot surface and allow them to sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until each side is golden brown. Transfer the filets to a plate and set aside. Note: The fish should not be cooked through just yet.
- Allow the skillet to cool down for a few minutes, then place it back on the burner. Heat the skillet to medium heat. If needed, add more avocado oil. Sauté the minced garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Add the can of full-fat coconut milk (or heavy cream if using), along with the paprika, onion powder, lemon zest, lemon juice, drained sun-dried tomatoes, and red pepper flakes (if adding). Bring the sauce to a full boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened but is slightly thinner from the consistency you want, about 8 to 15 minutes. Add in the spinach, basil leaves, and chopped green onions and continue cooking until the spinach has wilted. Taste the sauce for flavor and add sea salt and black pepper to your personal taste.
- Transfer the cod filets to the skillet with the sauce and spoon the sauce over each filet. Continue cooking and spooning sauce over the fish until the filets are all cooked through and the sauce reaches your desired thickness. Cod is fully cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. To check the internal temperature, insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of each filet.
- Serve creamy sun-dried tomato cod with your choice of side dishes, and enjoy!
Nutrition
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