This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy.
This baked cod is light, flaky, with a savory creamy sauce that puts this dish over the top. It’s hands-down, my favorite fish dish and it turns out perfectly every time.
Featured with this recipe
Fish is often overlooked when planning dinner, though we have no idea why. When prepared well, fish is incredibly delicious. It pairs well with rice and potato side dishes. This easy baked cod recipe is one of the most delicious fish dishes you can make! You get perfectly flaky cod filets every time, and the cream sauce kicks it up to the next level. Even your pickiest eaters will love this baked cod recipe! Cod baked in cream sauce loses all traces of fishiness. Your whole family will love it!
Ingredients in Baked Cod with Cream Sauce
This is one of the best baked cod recipes I’ve ever tried! And it’s easy to make, with easy to find ingredients. Here’s what you need:
- Cod filets – about six for this recipe. You can easily double or cut the batch in half for your family. Cod is an excellent lean protein that tastes delicious!
- Kosher salt – about one teaspoon or one and a half teaspoons salt, to taste
- Butter – four tablespoons, melted
- Garlic – two cloves, minced
- Breadcrumbs – you can use plain or Italian seasoned crumbs
For the cream sauce:
- Butter – a few more tablespoons
- Cornstarch – three tablespoons
- 2 cups whipping cream – you can use half and half too
- Milk – one cup
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
- Kosher salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired
Additional Seasonings for Fish
Cod, like other types of white fish, is a blank slate and can be flavored up all sorts of ways. In addition to the simple seasonings in this recipe, you might try a few other ideas to add flavor to your next fish dish:
- Lemon juice – fresh lemon juice is the best way to add zest and flavor to fish. Yum!
- Shallots
- Garlic powder
- Cajun seasoning
- Thyme
- Lemon zest
- Onion powder
How to Buy Fish
About ten years ago, I took a cooking class from a renowned chef in Salt Lake City. The entire class was all about how to cook fish. The chef gave some excellent pointers on how to find and buy the best fish. For instance, if you must buy fish from a grocery store (rather than a fresh fish market), always buy it FROZEN.
Don’t buy the fish that has already been thawed and sitting in the case. If you go home and put the fish in the freezer for later, the fish for later, the fish will be frozen twice. That is not ideal. When you request fish at the seafood counter, ask them to wrap up fish that is still frozen. Or, to simplify things, just buy the frozen cod loin at Costco. It’s delicious!
Substitutions for Cod
For this recipe, you can use any kind of mild white fish, not just cod. Halibut, tilapia, mahi mahi, these will all work great! Just be sure that when you are cooking them, check for doneness. Tilapia will typically cook faster than, say, halibut because it is usually not as thick of a cut. Using an “in season” fish will make you happy every time! Click this FRESH FISH AVAILABILITY CHART to see which fresh fish is in season any month of the year.
Frequently Asked Questions about Baked Cod
Yes, if done correctly. The best way I have found to re-heat fish is to put it in a frying pan with a lid and bring it up to temperature on the stove (slowly). Fish does NOT re-heat well in the microwave! It will turn rubbery, so avoid the microwave.
Cod bakes up really fast in a 400 degree oven. Depending on the thickness of the fish, it should only take about 10-12 minutes, or longer if baked in a sauce. Baking at a lower temperature, like 375, will take plain fish 15-20 minutes to cook through. Fish should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 145-degrees F and flake easily when pulled apart with a fork.
No, you shouldn’t need to flip the fish. Fish that has been baked may flake apart easily and fall apart if you try to turn it.
READ MORE: 35+ Quick and Easy Dinner Ideas
Try These Side Dishes with Baked Cod
- Baked Potatoes
- Easy Lemon Rice
- Yellow Rice
- Rice Pilaf with Orzo
- Sautéed Sweet Asparagus
- Cauliflower
- Peas
How to Make Baked Cod in Cream Sauce
Baked Cod in Cream Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 6 cod fillets
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs seasoned
For the cream sauce:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups whipping cream (or half and half)
- 1 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
- Kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Prepare cream sauce (see instructions below) and set aside, keeping warm. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Pat fish dry with a paper towel if needed and place cod fillets in the dish. Sprinkle with salt.
- Combine melted butter and garlic and brush over fillets, reserving any leftover butter mixture.
- Sprinkle seasoned breadcrumbs over fillets and pour remaining butter mixture over the top.
- Pour cream sauce in the spaces between the cod fillets so it fills up the baking dish and just the tops of the fillets are visible.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cream sauce starts bubbling. When the sauce starts bubbling up, set oven to "broil" and broil for about 3-5 minutes or until the fillets start to turn golden brown. Keep a CLOSE eye on it to make sure it doesn't start to burn. The internal temperature of the fish should be 145-degrees F and should flake easily when pulled apart with a fork.
- Remove from oven and serve with potatoes, rice, or vegetables.
For the cream sauce:
- Melt butter in a medium-sized sauce pan over medium heat.
- Slowly add the cornstarch and stir for about 1 minute.
- While whisking constantly, slowly add whipping cream and milk until well combined. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
- Reduce heat to low and whisk occasionally for about 10 minutes until sauce becomes rich and creamy, adding more milk, if needed. You want it to be the consistency of a thin gravy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
- Don’t buy the fish that has already been thawed and sitting in the case. If you go home and put the fish in the freezer for later, the fish for later, the fish will be frozen twice. That is not ideal. When you request fish at the seafood counter, ask them to wrap up fish that is still frozen. Or, to simplify things, just buy the frozen cod loin at Costco. It’s delicious!
- Re-heat fish in a frying pan with a lid and bring it up to temperature on the stove (slowly). Fish does NOT re-heat well in the microwave! It will turn rubbery, so avoid the microwave.
- You shouldn’t need to flip the fish during baking. Fish that has been baked may flake apart easily and fall apart if you try to turn it.
Please advise if the cod fish in this baked cod recipe starts out frozen or thawed. The notes indicate it might be best to use frozen cod, however, there are no instructions on thawing the fish before making this lovely dish. Thanks!
You can thaw the fish in the fridge overnight or inside the packaging under cool running water in the sink.
This was delicious! The creamy sauce was perfect!
I had quite a bit of leftover sauce and for another meal, I diced up about 12 baby potatoes, added a little more cream to the sauce (as it had thickened up quite a bit), added a clove of garlic, a little onion and salt and pepper. Mixed it together and baked it in an 8×8 glass pan at 350° for about 40 minutes. Terrific cheesy potatoes with our ham dinner!
Very Good. Will make again but will use halibut for a thicker steak and no pin bones. The cream sauce is delicious..Thank you for your recipe 👍
This was fabulous. Got a tummy ache from eating so much because it was so delicious.
Should the fish be thawed before being put into the oven? Thanks in advance for your help! Hoping to make this tonight. 😊
Yes the fish should be thawed!
Can’t wait to make this fish with the sauce. It looks great.
5 Star! I cut the recipe in half and it’s still so flavorful and light even with a cream and half & half sauce. 👍🏻
Can you make the cream sauce ahead?
I don’t recommend making the sauce ahead of time because the dairy will split.
I found the instructions too scattered. Made the dish more difficult than it needed to be. If the ingredients were with the parts of the instructions it would have been easier. Also the sauce I made was thicker.
This was so easy to make and the sauce was great. This is now one of my favourites