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Make these flavor loaded packs of baked cod in foil with just 5 minutes of prep. Filled with cod, tomatoes, potatoes and lemon for a fish-potatoes-and-sauce-dinner all in one. The secret to not overcooking the fish? Use frozen cod.
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Why you will love this recipe
- It's quick - just 5 minutes of prep and all done in 35 minutes
- It's easy - just place everything on two sheets of foil, wrap it up and bake
- Made with frozen cod which makes it a perfect last-minute meal
- Juicy and loaded with flavor, with all the moisture and flavor trapped inside
- A healthy meal on its own and delicious served with a side of creamy rice or turkish bread
- Minimal cleanup - you can even serve it straight from the foil pack!
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes
- Lemon slices - wash the skin of this lemon carefully as you will be adding the slices to the packs skin-on
- Potatoes - use new potatoes to make sure they are done after 25 minutes. If you have older potatoes, slice them really thin instead.
- Cod should be frozen to avoid overcooking. Use cod fillets or a block of cod. If using the latter, let it thaw just slightly so you can cut individual pieces from it.
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter can be swapped for olive oil
- Fresh basil can be omitted or switched for other fresh herbs like thyme, tarragon or parsley
- Black pepper can be fresh ground or pre-ground
- Sea salt flakes can be swapped for fine table salt at half the amount stated
- Cod can be swapped for another white fish fillet like haddock, bass, tilapia or saithe
Variations and additions
- Garlic can be added - either whole cloves for a subtle garlic taste, or chopped or minced for more taste
- Capers can be added - I prefer mini capers
- Lemon zest can be added for even more lemon flavor
- Sliced carrots can be added if you want more veggies
How to make Baked Cod in Foil
- Place two sheets of aluminum foil at a 90 degree angle and add the butter
- Top with sliced potato, tomato and lemon
- Place the cod on top
- Squeeze over half a lemon
- Sprinkle with black pepper and sea salt flakes
- Top with fresh basil
- Wrap up the foil packs tightly and place on a baking sheet or other oven-safe dish. Cook in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes.
- Bring out the packs from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve still wrapped with some lemon wedges on the side, and let your guests unwrap their dinner themselves.
Tips & tricks
- Use frozen cod - this is the best way to ensure it's not overcooked and cooks in about the same time as the potatoes
- Slice the potatoes thin to make sure they cook through
- Test your fish and potatoes by using a cake tester and sticking it into the package. This way you don't need to open the package to test it. It's done when both are tender and the cake tester easily goes through.
- Make it on the grill instead and it will cook in about the same time
- Make it dairy free by using olive oil instead of butter
- This dish is best eaten just after it's cooked but you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
Recipe FAQ
Do things cook faster wrapped in foil?
No, it's actually the opposite. Foil reflects heat and so the food inside the foil packet will get less of it.
However, wrapping food in foil ensures the moisture is trapped inside and the longer cook time tends to make food juicier and tastier.
Which side of aluminium foil should touch the food?
It doesn't matter! The difference in shiny vs not shiny comes from the manufacturing process but makes no difference to the finished product.
How do you tell if baked cod is done?
Cod is done when it flakes easily when a cake tester or fork is put through it. It should be white all the way through.
More quick & easy one-pan dinners
Love quick & easy dinners with limited cleanup, like this Baked Cod in Foil? Then you've gotta try these one-pan dinners!
- One Pot Hummus Pasta
- Tortellini al Forno with Spinach
- Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Veggies
- Oven Baked Lamb Chops with Vegetables
- Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake [dump and bake]
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Baked Cod in Foil with Tomatoes, Potatoes & Lemon
Print RateServings: 2
Calories: 587kcal
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Resting time 5 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 sheets of aluminium foil large enough to create the packets
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 4 medium-sized potatoes sliced thin
- 1 large tomato sliced
- 1 lemon juice of
- ⅔ lb frozen cod
- ½ lemon sliced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- fresh ground black pepper
- 10 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Set the oven for 440°F (225°C).
- Place two sheets of aluminium foil on top of each other, positioned at 90 degrees to each other. Create another setup just like it next to it.4 sheets of aluminium foil
- Add the butter in pieces to the two packets, followed by slices of potato, tomato and lemon.2 tablespoon butter, 4 medium-sized potatoes, 1 large tomato, ½ lemon
- Top with cod filets and squeeze over the lemon juice. Season with sea salt flakes and fresh ground black pepper. Top with basil leaves.⅔ lb frozen cod, 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes, fresh ground black pepper, 10 fresh basil leaves, 1 lemon
- Fold the ends of the aluminium foil over the fish to create a well-sealed package.
- Place the foil packets on a sheet pan or in another type of oven safe dish and cook in the middle of the oven for 25 min. After 25 min, take them out and let sit for 5 min. Serve in the packet!
Equipment needed for this recipe
Video
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Lemon slices - wash the skin of this lemon carefully as you will be adding the slices to the packs skin-on
- Potatoes - use new potatoes to make sure they are done after 25 minutes. If you have older potatoes, slice them really thin instead.
- Cod should be frozen to avoid overcooking. Use cod fillets or a block of cod. If using the latter, let it thaw just slightly so you can cut individual pieces from it.
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter can be swapped for olive oil
- Fresh basil can be omitted or switched for other fresh herbs like thyme, tarragon or parsley
- Black pepper can be fresh ground or pre-ground
- Sea salt flakes can be swapped for fine table salt at half the amount stated
- Cod can be swapped for another white fish fillet like haddock, bass, tilapia or saithe
Tips & tricks
- Use frozen cod - this is the best way to ensure it's not overcooked and cooks in about the same time as the potatoes
- Slice the potatoes thin to make sure they cook through
- Test your fish and potatoes by using a cake tester and sticking it into the package. This way you don't need to open the package to test it. It's done when both are tender and the cake tester easily goes through.
- Make it on the grill instead and it will cook in about the same time
- Make it dairy free by using olive oil instead of butter
- This dish is best eaten just after it's cooked but you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
Nutrition
Calories: 587kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 1365mg | Potassium: 2685mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1054IU | Vitamin C: 137mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Did you make this? Tag me today!Tag @alwaysusebutter and use the hashtag #alwaysusebutter!
Gillian
A fast and very tastey meal with very little effort. I didn't have lemons so used lemon juice over the top. I didn't have basil so used dill. I thoroughly enjoyed this meal and will definately cook it again and again in the future. I think it lends itself to variations. Loved it!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Gillian! Thank you so much for your comment. It sure can be varied in so many ways, just use whatever you have. /Emmeline
Rick
Recipe is OK; it's the same as many others but I doubt that most of the people who rated it were making it. The problem is that potatoes will come uncooked. I used Yellow Idaho, cut them 1/8" and they come almost raw after 25 min. Sorry!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Rick, sorry to hear that! I have tried this recipe many times and with several different types of potatoes and they have always been cooked through. I haven't tried Yellow Idaho specifically so I would assume it's the type of potato that's the reason. Can't get them were I live so unfortunately I can't try it myself. /Emmeline
Julia Carter
Its a lovely flavour, but agree about potato's. I sliced my new potato's super thin, they were still not cooked through and I gave the recipe an extra 5 mins. I think this could be simply sorted by a recommendation to par boil the potato's first. I added garlic, and wish I had added a little more salt. I will cook but with the above adjustments.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Julia! Sorry your potatoes weren't cooked through. Haven't had this problem myself, but I know other readers have commented about this. If parboiling the potatoes I would be concerned about them overcooking instead. Now with summer approaching I woul recommend trying it with new potatoes, they cook much faster! /Emmeline
Patricia
My first of your recipes but definitely not the last!
Thank you - no more battered cod for us!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you for the rating, Patricia! So happy to hear that you enjoyed it!
Carrie Robinson
I just love foil packet dinner recipes! So easy to make & clean-up is super fast too. 🙂
Emmeline Kemperyd
Same here! Can't beat minimal cleanup 😉
Erika
I love cod! These flavors sound so amazing. What a great, light dinner idea!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you, Erika!
Kathryn Donangelo
We love cod and this made such a perfect dinner, love how it's cooked in foil for extra moisture!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you, Kathryn!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
So delicious! Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Shadi, so happy you liked it!!
Ashley
This smells incredible!!! Our garden provided all the produce for this recipe, and I had a few pieces of cod in the freezer!! Lunch is baking and I can't wait to eat it!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Oh you are so lucky!! I wish I had a garden like that! Hope you found the taste just as good as the smell! 😀
Pedro
I love cod...and the recipe....yum. Not only dies it look really delicious but it seems ver healthy too. What an awesome combination!! Thanks for sharing 😀
Emmeline
Thank you, Pedro! Yep the holy trinity in my book - healthy, delicious & easy to make!
Bindu Thomas
This looks extremely delicious and healthy. It sounds easy to prepare. I am going to try this today.
Emmeline
Thank you Bindu!
Presiii
It looks yummy. usually try this with skinless salmon. But will definitely try cod next time.
Emmeline
Thank you so much! Mm skinless salmon would be delicious as well! I might try it your way next time 😉
Preet
Wow, I love this recipe it is so delicious and look so easy to prepare. I will def try to make this for the whole family.
Emmeline
Thank you for commenting! Let me know what they think 😀
Stephanie Jeannot
Now the fact that I just got salmon to cook this week and you have this recipe. Thank you. I can’t wait to try this.
Emmeline
Thank you, Stephanie! Yeah this would be sooo good with salmon as well!
Lauren
This sounds so delicious! I just forwarded this recipe to my mom. She’s going to want to make this right away! Yummy!
Emmeline
Thank you Lauren! Hope she likes it! 😀
Megan
Oooh yum! I'm not normally a fish person but this is definitely tempting.
Emmeline
Thank you, Megan! You can just have the sauce and give someone else the fish - the sauce with some bread to dip in or over rice is amaaazing!
Christa
Codmisnmy husband’s favorite. I’ll have to make this recipe for him. He’ll love it!
Emmeline
Thank you for commenting Christa! Oh then I'm sure he will! Let me know how it turns out! 😀
Angela Ricardo Bethea
I want to try something and I found this. Will give this a try this weekend!
Emmeline
Thank you for commenting, Angela! Let me know how it turns out!
Erica ~ Erica Ever After
This sounds amazing! I'll have to try it.... I know my gf would love it
Elizabeth O
looks so good and healthy! thank you sharing such recipe.
Emmeline
Thank you so much Elizabeth! Love a good healthy delicious meal 🙂
Taryn
I love cod, and I never thought to pair tomatoes and potatoes. Looks like a yummy dish!
Emmeline
Thank you, Taryn! The tomato gives such a great taste to the saue and well potatoes are delicious?? 😉
Czjai Reyes-Ocampo
I love easy to prepare, healthy dishes like these! Love the combination of flavors on this one! 🙂
Emmeline
Thank you for commenting! Same here!
Nancy Johnson Horn
This looks so good and healthy! I love a tasty and easy dish for dinner! Yum!
Emmeline
Thank you, Nancy! Tasty, easy and healthy wins in my house as well! 😀
Sydney
This looks so delicious and healthy, and it's great that it's easy too! I'll have to try it out.
Emmeline
Thank you, Sydney! Hope you like it! 😀
Bree
YUM! I love cod and I am a big fan of foil packet dinners so this is a winner! I can't wait to try it out!
Emmeline
Thank you Bree! Hope you like it!