Description
This Roasted Cod with Burst Tomatoes and Olives is a flavorful and elegant seafood dish perfect for a weeknight dinner or special occasion. Tender cod fillets are oven-roasted to perfection and complemented by a vibrant, buttery sauce featuring burst cherry tomatoes, briny olives, capers, fresh lemon juice, and fragrant dill. Served alongside crusty bread, rice, or grains, this recipe offers a deliciously balanced meal bursting with Mediterranean-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Fish and Seasoning
- 4 (6-ounce) skinless, center-cut cod fillets (or hake, halibut, or other mild white fish)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
Sauce and Garnishes
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/3 cup pitted chopped green olives
- 1 tablespoon chopped capers
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
To Serve
- Crusty bread, cooked rice, or grains such as quinoa or farro
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Season Fish: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat the cod fillets dry and season them generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Sear Cod in Skillet: In a 12-inch oven-safe nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil together with 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts and the foaming subsides, carefully arrange the seasoned cod fillets in a single layer in the skillet. Baste the tops with the melted butter and oil mixture to keep them moist and flavorful.
- Roast Cod in Oven: Transfer the skillet directly to the preheated oven and roast the fish for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the cod is opaque, flaky, and just cooked through. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the fish fillets to individual serving plates, reserving the skillet for the sauce preparation.
- Prepare Tomato and Olive Sauce: Return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter and stir continuously until it melts and turns a light golden color, about 2 minutes. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to soften and release their juices, approximately 2 minutes.
- Finish Sauce and Season: Stir in the chopped green olives, capers, lemon juice, and chopped fresh dill. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste. Allow the flavors to meld together for a minute more.
- Serve: Spoon generous amounts of the warm tomato and olive sauce over each cod fillet. Serve immediately with crusty bread, cooked rice, or your choice of grains such as quinoa or farro to soak up the delicious sauce.
Notes
- Use a firm, mild white fish such as hagfish, halibut, or hake if cod is unavailable.
- If you don’t have fresh dill, you can substitute with fresh parsley or basil, though dill provides the traditional flavor here.
- For a gluten-free meal, serve with rice, quinoa, or gluten-free bread instead of crusty wheat-based bread.
- Be careful not to overcook the cod; remove it from the oven as soon as it flakes easily with a fork to prevent dryness.
- To enhance the sauce’s flavor, consider adding a pinch of red pepper flakes for a subtle heat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: roasted cod, cod recipe, Mediterranean fish, baked fish, burst tomatoes, olives, healthy seafood dinner
