Baked Cod with Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Capers
Baked Cod with Cherry Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Capers is the ideal recipe for those busy weeknights when you crave something rich and satisfying, with minimal effort required. Simply saute shallots with some cherry tomatoes and capers in a little Jerez Sherry vinegar, lightly season the cod fillets with some salt, pepper, and sweet paprika to taste, add the chickpeas, then bake everything in the oven for around 20 minutes, and serve!
For sweetness, garnish with the zest from 1 lemon to give this recipe some extra zing. The result is deliciously seasoned cod fillets cooked to perfection with plenty of caramelized shallots and cherry tomatoes that make the ultimate sauce.
Serve alongside some steamed rice, couscous, or some crusty fresh bread and you’ve got an easy 30-minute one-pan weeknight dinner recipe that is sure to impress! Serve 4-6.
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Serving:
4-6 Main Meal
Ready in:
30 minutes
Skill level:
Easy
Serve with:
Lots of fresh bread
Watch step-by-step recipe video
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How to Make Baked Cod with Cherry Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Capers
Ingredients
- 24oz. (700g) cod fillets
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp sweet paprika (we used La Dalia Spanish Sweet smoked paprika)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 small shallots, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 15oz. (450g) cherry or grape tomatoes, half halved and half left on the vine
- 1 Tbsp white sugar
- 15 oz. (425g) can of cooked Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 Tbsp capers, (we used giant capers)
- ½ cup Black olives (pitted, sliced or whole)
- 1 Tbsp Jerez Sherry Vinegar
- Small handful of fresh chopped parsley
- Pine nuts (optional)
- Zest from 1 medium lemon (optional)
Equipment
- 1 large oven-safe casserole dish (or 12 inch cast iron skillet)
- Cooking Tongs
- Microplane
- Chef knife
- Wooden cutting board
- Paper towel
Step-by-Step Instructions (with Pictures)
Step 1 – Season Cod Fillets
- Pat dry each cod fillet with some paper towel and then season on all sides with salt, pepper, and sweet paprika. Set aside for use later.
Step 2 – Prepare ingredients
- Dice shallots, mince garlic, and chop a small handful of fresh parsley.
- Remove around half of the cherry tomatoes from the vines and cut them in half. Leave the remaining half on the vine.
Step 3 – Sauté Shallots and Tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the shallots and saute for 4-5 minutes or until softened. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and saute for another 3 minutes.
Step 4 – Add Aromatics and Chickpeas
- Add the garlic and the Jerez sherry vinegar and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sugar, and chickpeas, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Saute for around 3-4 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Step 5 – Add cod fillets and Bake
- Add the season cod fillets and arrange the remaining cherry tomatoes around the fish fillets.
- Season to taste and add a little chopped parsley and the capers and olives.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 200°C/400°F on the middle shelf of the oven.
Step 6 – Garnish and Serve
- Once the cod is cooked, remove from the oven and sprinkle with the zest from 1 lemon, and a squeeze of lemon juice for some extra tang.
- Optionally garnish with a little fresh parsley or some pine nuts and serve straight from the pan.
Cooking Tips:
Use sweet Spanish paprika:
To give your cod a little extra flavor, sprinkle some sweet Spanish paprika before and after cooking.
Use skinless cod fillets:
Ask your fishmonger to remove the skin from your cod fillets. Cod skin can be quite thick and chewy if left on and oven-baked.
For extra sweetness: use a sweet sherry instead of sherry vinegar for added sweetness. We suggest using Pedro Ximenez sherry vinegar or Jerez Sherry Vinegar.
Frozen cod fillets: frozen or fresh cod fillets will work for this recipe. When using frozen, thaw the fillets and use a paper towel to remove any excess moisture before seasoning.
How to Bake Cod in the oven perfectly every time
Cod fillets are very easy to cook in the oven and do not require a lot of attention. The trick is to cook the cod long enough so the fillets remain intact and will easily flake apart with a fork. Cod fillets are typically around an inch to 2 inches thick and will require anywhere from 15-20 minutes in the oven when cooked at 200°C/400°F.
Cut it into palatable fillets
If you buy your cod from a fishmonger they will ask how you would like it prepared. We suggest having the skin removed and the large long fillets cut into 2-3 inch sections. This way, they cook faster and will be easier to plate up once cooked.
Season Cod
Cod fish requires very little seasoning but a little salt, pepper, and paprika can go a long way. We suggest pat dry the fillets with paper towel, then lightly season and leave the fish at room temp for around 5 minutes while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
Note: Season lightly with salt, and around 1 tsp of sweet Spanish paprika sprinkled over will add a delicious warmth in flavor and color.
Baking cod
The easiest way to check if the cod is cooked through is to gently pry apart the thickest section of the fillet. It should be opaque and bright white. If it still looks translucent, it needs a few more minutes in the oven.
Choosing the best cod fillets for this recipe
Depending on where you hang your hat, it may be tricky to source fresh cod fillets. Here in Spain, cod (called bacalao) is plentiful and comes in various forms (salt-cured and dehydrated, rehydrated, and fresh (uncured) fillets. We use fresh (uncured) cod fillets for this recipe.
Most USA and Europe-based fishmongers will sell cod, and there are plenty of options for frozen cod fillets in the supermarkets. We suggest going with fresh cod fillets as they will hold together better and will taste amazing when lightly seasoned with some salt, pepper, and sweet paprika.
If using frozen fillets, thaw them before use and make sure to remove any excess moisture before seasoning, otherwise, the fillets will release a lot of the liquid when cooked and tend to break apart.
What type of pan we used for this recipe
We used a 13-inch enamel paella pan to make this recipe. They can be used on wood fires, gas or induction hobs and are also oven-safe. The one we used has a lip of around 2 inches which was ideal for this recipe.
“Paella” is a Spanish word that refers to a traditional rice dish from Spain, particularly from the Valencia region. The humble paella pan is a staple for any Spanish kitchen. We highly recommend adding a few paella pans of various sizes to your kitchen equipment.
If you don’t have a paella pan, use a large oven-safe skillet, either a cast iron skillet or a Stainless Steel Pan will both work well.
Serving suggestions:
This dish is wonderful when served all on its own or when served over some steamed white potatoes, cous cous, or rice. There is plenty of sauce from the caramelized tomatoes and a delicious warmth from the spices and paprika. We love serving it as is with plenty of fresh bread to help mop up the sauce.
Nutrition Facts
|
Servings: 4 |
|
|
Amount per serving |
|
|
Calories |
303 |
|
% Daily Value* |
|
|
Total Fat 6.2g |
8% |
|
Saturated Fat 0.6g |
3% |
|
Cholesterol 86mg |
29% |
|
Sodium 716mg |
31% |
|
Total Carbohydrate 28.3g |
10% |
|
Dietary Fiber 5.2g |
19% |
|
Total Sugars 8.7g |
|
|
Protein 36.2g |
|
|
Vitamin D 0mcg |
0% |
|
Calcium 49mg |
4% |
|
Iron 2mg |
9% |
|
Potassium 516mg |
11% |
|
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
|
Baked Cod with Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Capers
Equipment
- 1 large oven-safe pan (or 12 inch cast iron skillet)
- Cooking Tongs
- Microplane
- Chef knife
- Wooden cutting board
- Paper towel
Ingredients
- 24 oz. 700g cod fillets
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp sweet paprika we used La Dalia Spanish Sweet smoked paprika
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 small shallots sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 15 oz. 450g cherry or grape tomatoes, half halved and half left on the vine
- 1 Tbsp white sugar
- 15 oz. 425g can of cooked Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 Tbsp capers (we used giant capers)
- ½ cup Black olives pitted, sliced or whole
- 1 Tbsp Jerez Sherry Vinegar
- Small handful of fresh chopped parsley
- Pine nuts optional
- Zest from 1 medium lemon optional
Instructions
Step 1 - Season Cod Fillets
- Pat dry each cod fillet with some paper towel and then season on all sides with salt, pepper, and sweet paprika. Set aside for use later.24 oz. 700g cod fillets, ½ tsp Salt, ½ tsp cracked black pepper, ½ tsp sweet paprika
Step 2 - Prepare ingredients
- Dice shallots, mince garlic, and chop a small handful of fresh parsley.2-3 small shallots, 3 cloves garlic, Small handful of fresh chopped parsley
- Remove around half of the cherry tomatoes from the vines and cut them in half. Leave the remaining half on the vine.15 oz. 450g cherry or grape tomatoes, half halved and half left on the vine
Step 3 - Sauté Shallots and Tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.Extra virgin olive oil
- Add the shallots and saute for 4-5 minutes or until softened. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and saute for another 3 minutes.
Step 4 - Add Aromatics and chickpeas
- Add the garlic and the Jerez sherry vinegar and saute for another 2-3 minutes.1 Tbsp Jerez Sherry Vinegar
- Add the sugar, and chickpeas, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Saute for around 3-4 minutes, then remove from the heat.1 Tbsp white sugar, 15 oz. 425g can of cooked Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Step 5 - Add cod fillets and Bake
- Add the season cod fillets and arrange the remaining cherry tomatoes around the fish fillets.
- Season to taste and add a little chopped parsley and the capers and olives.2 Tbsp capers, ½ cup Black olives
- Bake for 20 minutes at 200°C/400°F on the middle shelf of the oven.
Step 6 - Garnish and Serve
- Once the cod is cooked, remove from the oven and sprinkle with the zest from 1 lemon, and a squeeze of lemon juice for some extra tang.Pine nuts, Zest from 1 medium lemon
- Optionally garnish with a little fresh parsley and serve straight from the pan.
Video
Notes
Cooking Tips:
Use sweet Spanish paprika: To give your cod a little extra flavor, sprinkle some sweet Spanish paprika before and after cooking. Use skinless cod fillets: Ask your fishmonger to remove the skin from your cod fillets. Cod skin can be quite thick and chewy if left on and oven-baked. For extra sweetness: use a sweet sherry instead of sherry vinegar for added sweetness. We suggest using Pedro Ximenez sherry vinegar or Jerez Sherry Vinegar. Frozen cod fillets: frozen or fresh cod fillets will work for this recipe. When using frozen, thaw the fillets and use a paper towel to remove any excess moisture before seasoning.Love this recipe?
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