Pesto Baked Cod and Asparagus is a fresh and flavorful simple dinner recipe that is high in protein and low-carb. An easy weeknight staple.
How do you feel about cod?
Truthfully, because cod is so lean and naturally neutral in flavor, I have to spruce it up with some pizazz in order to be interested.
And pesto sauce is a pizazz maker!
This easy healthy cod recipe requires just two ingredients: cod and pesto sauce.
You can use store-bought pesto sauce to keep it easy, or make your own Basil Pesto Sauce.
As I mentioned in my Chili Lime Baked Cod recipe, cod is a great option for those who are looking to add protein to their diet while keeping calories relatively low.
Cod is a great source of Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6 and the very small amount of fat that is in cod is omega-3 fat. Plus, wild-caught cod is lower in Mercury than many other wild-caught fish.
Pair it with asparagus for some fiber and additional vitamins and you’re looking at a low-inflammatory dinner.
You can learn more about the health benefits of cod from Organic Facts.
How to Make Pesto Baked Cod and Asparagus:
Place the cod filets into a zip lock bag and add the pesto sauce.
Seal the bag and gently move it around until the cod is evenly coated with pesto sauce. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 8 hours.
When you’re ready to bake the cod, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Transfer the cod, including the pesto sauce to a large casserole dish.
Trim the asparagus and spread them over a baking sheet. Drizzle with avocado oil and sprinkle with sea salt and garlic powder.
Bake the fish and the asparagus for 15 minutes, or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid over-cooking the fish as it becomes tough easily. Depending on how you like your asparagus, you may want to leave it in the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve the cod with additional pesto sauce and fresh lemon wedges for drizzling and asparagus.
Can I Use Frozen Cod?:
You can absolutely use frozen cod in this recipe. Simply thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, or place it in cold water until completely thawed.
Once the fish has thawed completely, remove it from its packaging and pat it dry with a paper towel before marinating it.
And that’s all! Just a few simple ingredients and hardly any time results in this nourishing low-carb dinner recipe.
If you’re looking for more cod recipes, also check out my Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa.
Pesto Baked Cod & Asparagus (Keto)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds cod cut into filets
- ½ cup pesto sauce + more for serving
- Fresh lemon wedges for serving
- 1 bunch asparagus trimmed
- 2 to 3 tsp avocado oil
- Sea salt
- Garlic powder
Instructions
- Place the cod filets into a zip lock bag and add the pesto sauce. Seal the bag and gently move it around until the cod is evenly coated with pesto sauce. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 8 hours.
- When you’re ready to bake the cod, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Transfer the cod, including the pesto sauce to a large casserole dish.
- Trim the asparagus and spread them over a baking sheet. Drizzle with avocado oil and sprinkle with sea salt and garlic powder.
- Bake the fish and the asparagus for 15 minutes, or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid over-cooking the fish as it becomes tough easily. Depending on how you like your asparagus, you may want to leave it in the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Serve the cod with additional pesto sauce and fresh lemon wedges for drizzling and asparagus.
Nutrition
A cod dinner sounds good, and this recipe looks fast to make and tasty….my kind of recipe.
The pesto is everything here!