This Mediterranean baked cod recipe couldn’t be any easier! Packed with veggies, olives, lemon, and herbs, this easy and healthy weeknight dinner is ready in just 35 minutes.
This white fish and veggie sheet pan dinner is a light, flavorful Mediterranean meal that comes together in under 35 minutes. Tender cod fillets (or sub other white fish) are baked with colorful vegetables, sweet red onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes, briny kalamata olives, fresh oregano, and zesty lemon. It’s an easy one-pan meal that feels fresh and nourishing. Perfect for busy weeknights, this Mediterranean-inspired dinner is simple to prep, full of vibrant flavor, and easy to customize with seasonal vegetables and fresh herbs.
Why you’ll love this Cod recipe!
Fast, easy, healthy. This Mediterranean baked cod is one of my go-to weeknight meals-ready in just 30 minutes, and packed with omega-3, fresh veggies, olive oil, garlic, and lemon.
Adaptable. Whether you’re using fresh or thawed frozen fish, this recipe is versatile and perfect for using up whatever veggies are in season. Right now, I'm using tender asparagus, but zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, or snow peas all work beautifully. Use what you have.
Great Flavor! Flaky wild cod (or try other white fish like halibut, sea basss, mahi mahi, or snapper) is tossed in a vibrant Mediterranean marinade and roasted on a single sheet pan with seasonal vegetables, Kalamata olives, red onion, and herbs. A final squeeze of lemon brings it all to life. Sometimes Ill add feta, for extra richness!
Baked Cod Recipe Ingredients
- White fish fillets: Use fresh wild cod or frozen cod, thawing completely. (Or sub mahi mahi, halibut, seabass, black cod)
- Veggies: zucchini, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, or sub asparagus, French green beans, snow peas, or mushrooms.
- Red onion: Caramelizes to add savory depth of flavor.
- Kalamata olives: Adds a briny, tangy taste.
- Garlic cloves: For an aromatic punch.
- Lemon: Zest the lemon first before using the fresh lemon juice.
- Red pepper flakes: For a hint of heat.
- Fresh oregano: Or substitute thyme or a teaspoon of dried oregano.
- Garnishes: Lemon juice, lemon slices or wedges, and fresh herbs like chopped parsley, basil ribbons, fresh mint, or fresh dill. Feta is delicious here too! I love this with a little Gremolata spooned over top. Not necessary, but elevates.
How to Make Mediterranean Baked Cod
1. Prep. Preheat oven to 425F. Place parchment on a large sheet pan.
2. Season the veggies. Place the cut veggies in a large bowl along with the tomatoes, sliced red onion, olives, half of the garlic, oregano, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper. Stir the mixture with two tablespoons of olive oil. Spread the veggies onto the parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 10-15 minutes. While baking, prep the cod.
3. Season the cod. Pat each fish fillet dry with a paper towel and add to the same bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, and lemon zest. Toss with olive oil, coating all sides well. Nestle the fish into the par-cooked vegetables and sprinkle with chili flakes if desired. Add the lemon halves, but wait until after it bakes to squeeze over the fish.
4. Bake. Bake for 12-15 minutes. The cook time depends on the thickness and size of the fish, with larger filets taking a bit longer. The cod fillet should flake with a fork, look opaque, and have an internal temperature of 130-135°F (145°F is considered well done).
5. Garnish and serve. Squeeze lemon juice over top, sprinkle with fresh herbs, or drizzle with one of our green sauces and serve. Here I am using gremolata. You don’t need it, but it adds nice color and flavor, especially if entertaining.
Chef’s Tips
- How to thaw frozen cod? Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or if the cod is wrapped in plastic, place it in a bowl of cold water.
- Pat the fish dry before seasoning to help crisp the fish, instead of steam.
- Consider timing! If your fish is thin, cut the vegetables smaller so they cook at roughly the same time. Alternatively, if you have very quick-cooking veggies like asparagus, you can always cut the fish smaller.
- Don’t over-bake. Check the fish early and pull it once it easily flakes, is opaque, and reaches an internal temperature of 130-135°F. Continue cooking the veggies if needed.
- Prep ahead of time by marinating the fish and veggies, then store together in a ziplock bag in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Storing, Reheating, Repurposing Leftovers
Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the oven at 300F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until warmed through. Microwaving may dry out the fish, so add a splash of water or broth if reheating that way.
Repurpose leftover baked fish – tastes great in pita wraps, over grain bowls, or flaked into a salad!
Serving Suggestions
- Serve over a bed of grains like rice, couscous, quinoa, or orzo.
- Add a drizzle of tahini sauce, yogurt sauce, or tzatziki.
- Make a mezze-style dinner with warm pita, hummus, baba ghanoush, and marinated olives.
- Serve over creamy polenta or mashed potatoes.
Hope you enjoy this Mediterranean Baked Cod recipe! Let us know what you think in the comments below.
FAQs
One of the best and easiest ways to cook white fish is to season with olive oil, salt, and pepper and bake in a 425F oven for 12-15 minutes.
We keep it simple here with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Oregano, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes add herby, citrusy flavor with a hint of heat.
For this recipe, we use wild, frozen, and thawed wild cod, but sea bass, black cod, tilapia, halibut, snapper, or haddock are other great types of fish.
More Favorite White Fish Recipes!
Mediterranean Baked Cod Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: dinner idea, easy dinner, healthy dinner idea, weeknight dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Mediterranean baked cod recipe couldn’t be any easier! Packed with healthy veggies, olives, lemon, and herbs, this easy and healthy weeknight dinner is ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini (or other veggies, see notes), sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (optional)
- 1 red onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives, halved
- 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- lemon zest from one medium lemon, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 lbs white fish- cod or sub black cod, mahi mahi, sea bass, halibut, red snapper, or haddock
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or thyme)- or substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- optional- red pepper flakes to taste, cubes of feta (1/2-1 cup)
- Garnish– lemon juice, lemon slices, and fresh herbs like chopped Italian parsley, basil ribbons, mint, dill or make gremolata for drizzling.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F and place parchment on a large sheet pan.
- Prep Veggies. Place the sliced veggies in a large bowl with cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, olives, half of the chopped garlic, half of the lemon zest, half of the salt, half of the black pepper, and half of the oregano. Toss well with half of the olive oil, and place on a large parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes while you prep the rest.
- Prep Cod. Pat the cod dry with a paper towel, and place it in the same bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining salt, pepper, garlic, lemon zest, oregano, and olive oil, and toss to coat all sides well. Nestle the fish into the par-cooked veggies on the sheet pan. Cut the lemon in half and add it to the pan. Sprinkle the pan with chili flakes if you like. Feta chunks are nice here, too!
- Bake. Place the sheet pan on the middle rack in the oven for 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness and size of the fish. Large or thick filets may take longer. Fish should flake with a fork, turn opaque, and have an internal temp of 130- 135°F. (145°F is considered well done.)
- Season and Garnish. Once done, squeeze with lemon juice, sprinkle with fresh herbs, and drizzle with optional gremolata sauce. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Storage: Leftovers will keep up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Serving suggestions: Serve with rice, creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or just on its own for a low-carb meal.
Veggies: Sub with asparagus, or snap peas and mushrooms – cooking times may vary, so think accordingly.
Add Feta! For a richer meal, add cubes of feta cheese to the sheet pan.
Meal Prep: You can prep this ahead of time by marinating both the fish and veggies, then store them in a ziplock bags in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 ounces fish + ¼ the veggies
- Calories: 159
- Sugar: 6.8 g
- Sodium: 995.2 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.1 g
- Fiber: 4.8 g
- Protein: 21.5 g
- Cholesterol: 53.3 mg
Ooops! Forget to give 🌟rating! X
Thanks Gail!
Made this for dinner today. It really was delicious!! I will definitely be doing it again. Was quick to prepare & cook. I added sweet potato to the pan as I had some left over from the day before. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow 😋😍
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed.
We made this dinner when family came to visit and doubled the recipe to feed over a dozen people. I paired it with cauliflower rice and a kale salad, and it was a huge hit!
It was simple to prep, easy to make, and so delicious that we’ve made it several more times since.
Glad you enjoyed Marilyn!
So yummy and so simple!! I made this last night when in a rush. I did not use veggies. I made it in the airfyer—about 12 minutes at 400 degrees with the skin side up (made the skin sooo crispy and yummy!). Definitely will become a repeat in our house.
Perfect Megan! So glad you enjoyed.
Just noticed that olive oil is not mentioned in the list of ingredients, so perhaps you could add that. And, the fresh oregano is listed separately, not as a garnish, but it’s not mentioned when to add that…
Thanks for pointing that out Linda- good catch! Updated the recipe, all good now.
Made this last night. Used whole green beans fresh from the garden, which I will cook longer next time, on their own at first. Loved it! Will be keeping this in our regular rotation. Thanks!
Great to hear Linda!
I saw this recipe yesterday and immediately made it for dinner.
It was so easy, yet stunningly elegant and the flavors were amazing.
Wonderful, so happy you enjoyed! Thanks for leaving a review Nappie Dee. 🙂
I made this recipe last night. It was amazing! Thanks for sharing your tasty and colorful recipes.
Wonderful to hear this Angela!
Whoops forgot the stars…
Appreciate this Del!
I highly recommend this delicious cod recipe which is not only full of flavour, and simple to make, but is also light and nutritious! I followed the recipe as written and would not really change anything but might try adding a bit of feta next time. I served it with roasted potatoes and a salad. We ate al fresco and watched the hummingbirds at our feeders. 😊
Nice to hear this Del, sounds like a lovely experience all around. 🙂