Juicy Baked Cod Puttanesca

If you ask me, Italian-style fish dishes are some of the best comfort foods around.

This Mediterranean-inspired baked cod puts a new spin on the classic puttanesca sauce, pairing flaky white fish with briny olives and capers. The tomato-based sauce brings a nice balance of tangy and savory flavors that really shine.

It’s baked until the fish is just cooked through, letting the sauce infuse every bite with those bold Italian flavors. Fresh herbs and a touch of garlic make the whole dish feel like something straight from a seaside restaurant.

It’s a fuss-free dinner that feels special enough for company but simple enough for a weeknight meal.

Which Kind of Cod Should I Use?

For this Mediterranean-style dish, both Pacific and Atlantic cod will work great, though Pacific cod tends to be a bit firmer and slightly sweeter. Fresh cod is wonderful if you can find it, but don’t shy away from frozen – most cod is frozen right after catching to preserve freshness, and good-quality frozen fillets can be just as tasty as fresh. When shopping, look for cod fillets that are white or off-white in color with a clean smell and firm, moist-looking flesh. Try to choose pieces that are similar in thickness (about 1-inch thick is ideal) so they’ll cook evenly in your puttanesca sauce.

Options for Substitutions

This Mediterranean-style dish is pretty flexible with substitutions. Here’s what you can swap if needed:

• Cod fillets: Any firm white fish works well here – try haddock, halibut, or pollock. Just adjust cooking time based on the thickness of your fish.
• Cherry tomatoes: Regular canned tomatoes work just fine – just break them up with a spoon. You could also use 4-5 fresh tomatoes, chopped, plus a splash of water.
• Butter beans: Feel free to use cannellini beans, navy beans, or chickpeas instead. Any white bean will do the trick!
• Black olives: Kalamata olives make a great substitute, or any other Mediterranean-style olive you enjoy. Just make sure they’re pitted.
• Rosemary: Fresh thyme or oregano can step in for rosemary. If using dried herbs instead of fresh, use just 1 teaspoon as they’re more concentrated.
• Capers: While capers give this dish its signature tang, you can use chopped green olives in a pinch, though the flavor will be slightly different.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when cooking cod is overcooking it, which can turn this delicate fish tough and rubbery – you’ll know it’s done when it flakes easily with a fork and has just turned opaque throughout. Another common error is not patting the cod dry before cooking, which prevents proper browning and can make the dish watery, so take a moment to thoroughly dry the fillets with paper towels. The sauce can become too salty if you’re not careful with the anchovy-caper-olive combination, so taste as you go and adjust accordingly – remember you can always add more salt but you can’t take it away. For the best results, let the sauce simmer for at least 15 minutes before adding the fish to allow the flavors to develop properly, and make sure to rinse your capers and olives well to remove any excess brine that could overwhelm the dish.

What to Serve With Cod Puttanesca?

This Mediterranean-style fish dish pairs wonderfully with simple sides that let the bold sauce shine through. A bed of fluffy couscous or orzo pasta works great for soaking up all that tasty tomato sauce, while steamed broccoli or roasted green beans add a nice fresh element to the plate. If you want to keep things light and low-carb, try serving it over zucchini noodles or with a simple arugula salad dressed with lemon and olive oil. A piece of crusty bread on the side is always welcome too – you definitely won’t want to leave any of that sauce behind!

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This tasty cod puttanesca will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The flavors actually get even better as they mingle together overnight, making it a great make-ahead dinner option!

Pack Away: You can prep all the sauce ingredients ahead of time and store them separately from the fish. Keep the prepared sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days, then just add fresh cod when you’re ready to bake. This is super handy for busy weeknights!

Warm Up: To enjoy leftovers, gently heat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until just warmed through. Be careful not to overheat, as fish can become tough. You can also warm it in a covered dish in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	18-20 minutes
Total Time	28-35 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 600-700
• Protein: 40-45 g
• Fat: 20-25 g
• Carbohydrates: 70-75 g

Ingredients

For the cod:

• 250g cod fillets

For the puttanesca sauce:

• 1 tbsp olive oil (I use Colavita extra virgin olive oil)
• 40g pitted black olives
• 25g anchovy fillets
• 1 can butter beans (215g)
• 1 sliced garlic clove (freshly sliced for best flavor)
• 1 can cherry tomatoes (400g)
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp capers (drained, for a briny kick)
• Leaves from 3 rosemary sprigs (finely chopped)
• 1 chopped onion

Step 1: Preheat and Season

Begin by preheating your oven to 190°C (fan 170°C, gas mark 5).

Take your cod fillets and season them with salt and pepper to taste.

This will help enhance the flavor of the fish as it bakes in the sauce later.

Step 2: Sauté Aromatics

In a frying pan over medium heat, warm up some olive oil.

Once heated, add the chopped onion, sliced garlic, and chopped anchovies (optional).

Cook these ingredients for about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’ve softened and are flavorful.

Step 3: Add Spice and Additional Ingredients

Add a small pinch of chilli flakes to the frying pan and continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes.

This will infuse the sauce with a mild spicy kick.

Then, stir in the cherry tomatoes, rinsed butter beans, rinsed capers, halved black olives, and finely chopped rosemary.

Season to taste and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

If your frying pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer this flavorful sauce into a small baking dish to prepare for the next step.

Step 4: Bake the Cod in Sauce

Carefully nestle the seasoned cod fillets into the sauce, ensuring they are partially submerged.

Place the frying pan or baking dish into the preheated oven and bake for about 12 minutes.

The fish is done when it appears opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Step 5: Finish and Serve

Once cooked, remove the dish from the oven and generously drizzle a little extra olive oil over the fish.

This adds a rich, luscious texture and flavor.

Serve hot, as the oil will enhance the taste of the baked cod and sauce combination.