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Baked cod with tomatoes and beans is a one-pan dinner where everything gets better in the oven. Juicy fillets roast on top of jammy cherry tomatoes, sweet shallots, and creamy white beans, soaking up a tangy olive oil vinaigrette as they cook. The flavors lean Mediterranean thanks to kalamata olives, lemon zest, and a shower of fresh basil.
For something saucier, seafood stew with romesco brings smoky depth and a bold, nutty broth.
Here’s Why This Baked Cod Recipe Works
One pan, full meal: Fish, beans, and vegetables cook together. No side dishes needed (but some crusty bread is perfect for sopping up the juices.)
Roasting builds flavor: Collapsed tomatoes, caramelized shallots, and whole garlic cloves create a sweet-savory base.
No overcooked fish: Nestling the cod into the warm stew keeps it juicy and tender.
Balanced seasoning: Bright vinegar, honey, olives, and lemon zest layer acidity, sweetness, and salt.
Craving something quicker? Try broiled cod with chives. It’s bright, minimal, and ready in minutes.
Recipe Tips
Use a nonreactive dish: Stick with ceramic, glass, or enameled baking dishes. Avoid aluminum or uncoated metal pans, which can react with the vinegar and give the sauce a metallic tang.
Don’t skip the whole garlic: Roasted cloves add sweetness and depth.
Brush the cod well: A little olive oil on the fillets helps them roast instead of dry out.
Choose smaller tomatoes: Grape or cherry tomatoes roast faster and collapse better than larger varieties, creating more pan sauce.
Layer the seasoning: Taste the tomato-bean mixture before adding the fish. You can adjust salt or vinegar before locking it all in.
Don’t overcrowd the fish: Give each fillet breathing room so they roast instead of steam.
Swap the herbs if needed: No basil or mint? Try dill, parsley, or even tarragon for a different but still bright finish.
Want something richer but just as easy? Broiled cod with tarragon butter is another fast seafood dinner.
Adapted from a recipe by Lidey Heuck for Cooking New York Times.
Mediterranean Baked Cod
This baked cod with tomatoes and beans proves you don’t need much to make dinner feel complete, just good fish, a hot oven, and a smart combo of pantry staples.
Like my halibut Provencal, it leans on Mediterranean flavors and simple technique to deliver big payoff. Clean, juicy, and deeply savory, it’s an easy one-pan meal built for real weeknights.
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Baked Cod with Tomatoes and Beans
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Ingredients
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup kalamata olives
- 7 to 8 garlic cloves, leave whole
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 (15 ounce) can canned cannellini beans
- 4 cod fillets, about 6 ounces each
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, from about ½ lemon
- Chopped fresh basil, for serving
- Chopped fresh mint, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F. In a 9-by-13-inch nonreactive baking dish, combine the tomatoes, shallots, olives, whole garlic cloves, and cannellini beans.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Pour over the mixture and toss to coat evenly. Roast until the tomatoes collapse, and the shallots turn translucent , about 15 to 20 minutes.
- While the vegetables roast, pat the fish dry with paper towels. Brush all over with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and give the tomato-bean mixture a quick toss. Nestle the fish fillets evenly on top, then return the dish to the oven. Roast until the cod flakes easily with a fork, 10–12 minutes. Thicker fillets may need a minute or two more.
- Sprinkle the entire dish with lemon zest, basil, and mint. Serve the fish with generous spoonfuls of the tomatoes, beans, and pan juices over the top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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