Spicy Tomato Baked Cod
Ever had cod that looks mild on the plate but absolutely isn’t once you get into the sauce?
This one sits in a thick spicy tomato base with roasted cherry tomatoes, black olives, feta and plenty of basil, so every forkful has something going on.
The cod stays thick and flaky rather than breaking up into the sauce.
Around it, the tomatoes cook down until they are rich and jammy, while the cherry tomatoes soften and blister but still keep some shape.
The olives make it salty in the right way.
The feta gives little creamy pockets between the fish and tomatoes.
And the chilli is there properly, not just in the recipe title.
I’d serve this with bread before anything else because there is far too much good sauce here to leave behind.
Why You’ll Want This Again
- The cod stays thick, juicy and flaky.
- The tomato sauce is chunky, not watery.
- Cherry tomatoes give you sweeter roasted bites through the sauce.
- Feta and black olives stop it from tasting like ordinary tomato fish.
- You only need one pan.
- It works just as well with rice or potatoes as it does with bread.
What You’ll Need
For the Cod
- 4 thick cod fillets, about 150 to 180g each
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes
For the Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 250g cherry tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 80ml water
To Finish
- 80g feta, crumbled
- 12 to 15 black olives
- A good handful of fresh basil leaves
- Extra red chilli flakes, to taste
How to Make It
- Heat the oven to 200°C fan / 220°C / 425°F.
- Season the cod.
Pat the fillets dry, then rub them with the olive oil, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper and chilli flakes. - Soften the onion.
Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and starting to turn golden around the edges. - Add the garlic and tomato purée.
Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the tomato purée and let it cook for another minute. - Make the sauce.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes, then add the cherry tomatoes, oregano, thyme, chilli flakes, salt, pepper and water. - Let it reduce.
Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir it a couple of times, but leave the cherry tomatoes mostly alone so some stay whole. - Check the texture before adding the fish.
The sauce should look thick and chunky by now. If it still seems loose, cook it for another 2 or 3 minutes. - Add the cod.
Sit the fillets directly into the sauce and spoon a little tomato over the tops. - Scatter in the olives.
Tuck them around the cod and tomatoes rather than piling everything on top of the fish. - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Thick fillets may need the full 15 minutes. Thinner pieces will be ready sooner. - Add the feta.
Scatter the crumbled feta over the fish and sauce as soon as the pan comes out of the oven. - Finish with basil and chilli.
Tear or scatter over the fresh basil and add a little more chilli if you want it hotter. - Leave it alone for 2 minutes before serving.
The fish settles slightly and the feta softens into the hot sauce without completely melting.
Don’t Overcook the Cod
Cod is lovely when the flakes are still juicy.
A few minutes too long and it starts getting dry around the edges.
The easiest way to check it is to press gently into the thickest part with a fork.
If the flesh separates into large opaque flakes, it is ready.
You do not need to keep baking it until every last bit feels firm.
About the Sauce
The sauce needs to be thick before the cod goes in.
That part matters.
Fish gives off some moisture as it cooks, so if the tomato base already looks watery, it will be even thinner by the end.
Give the sauce enough time on the hob first.
You want it clinging around the cod, tomatoes and olives rather than pooling like soup.
What to Serve With It
My first choice would be warm crusty bread.
After that:
- Roasted baby potatoes
- Lemon rice
- Plain basmati rice
- Couscous
- Buttered orzo
- Green beans
- A simple salad
The sauce is fairly rich, so you do not need an elaborate side.
A Few Useful Tips
- Use thick cod fillets if you can get them.
- Pat the fish dry before seasoning.
- Do not skip reducing the tomato sauce.
- Keep some cherry tomatoes whole so you still get those roasted juicy pockets.
- Add the feta at the end rather than cooking it into the sauce.
- Fresh basil goes on after baking.
- If you like more heat, add fresh sliced chilli as well as chilli flakes.
Can I Use Another Fish?
Yes.
Haddock works well.
Halibut is also very good if you want something firmer.
Pollock works too, although the fillets are often thinner, so watch the cooking time.
Whatever fish you use, the main thing is not to leave it in the oven longer than necessary.
Can I Make the Sauce Ahead?
Yes.
Make the tomato sauce up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge.
When you are ready to cook, warm it in the pan first, then add the cod and continue with the recipe.
Do not add the fish ahead of time.
Can I Leave Out the Olives?
You can.
The sauce will still work, although the olives add a lot of that salty Mediterranean flavour.
If you leave them out, you may want a touch more feta.
Is It Very Spicy?
It has a proper chilli kick, but it should not blow your head off.
For a milder version, use half the chilli flakes.
For more heat, add a sliced fresh red chilli to the sauce.
Leftovers
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat gently.
The microwave is fine, but use a lower power setting and stop once the fish is hot.
Cod is much less forgiving the second time around, so blasting it until piping hot for ages will dry it out.
Final Bite
The best bit here is getting some cod, tomato, feta and olive on the same fork.
The fish is mild enough to take on all that sauce without getting lost in it, and the salty feta and olives keep the tomatoes from tasting too sweet.
Then the basil freshens the whole thing up right at the end.
It is bold, messy in a good way, and exactly the sort of fish dinner that needs bread nearby.
