This baked cod is hands-down my favorite fish dish. It turns out perfectly flaky every time. The flavorful, creamy sauce puts it over the top!
This baked cod is one of the easiest fish dishes you can make, and easily one of the most delicious! You get perfect, flaky cod every time and the cream sauce kicks it up to the next level. Even your pickiest eaters will love this dish! Cod is such a mild fish anyway but when it is baked in this cream sauce, any trace of fishiness disappears. You are going to love it!
How to buy fish:
About 10 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, one of them being 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. Most likely, they took fish that was frozen already and put it in the case. If you go home and freeze the fish for later use, that will be the 2nd time it has been frozen. That is not ideal. If you must, ask the person at the seafood counter to wrap up some fish for you that is still frozen. Or to simplify things, just buy the frozen cod 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 to check for doneness. Tilapia will typically cook faster than, say, halibut because it is usually not as thick of a cut. Use whatever fish is “in season” and you won’t be disappointed! Here is a great chart to see what fish are in season at any given time (click HERE).
What goes well with baked cod?
We like to serve this particular dish with either baked or mashed potatoes. You can also serve it with plain or seasoned rice. Our favorite vegetables to serve with baked cod is sautéed sweet asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, or peas. You really can’t go wrong with any kind of steamed vegetable!
Can baked cod be re-heated?
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). If you heat it on too high of heat it will burn, so watch it closely. You definitely don’t want to throw it in the microwave. Fish does re-heat well in the microwave! It will turn rubbery and the flavor will just not be there.
How to Make Baked Cod in Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 cod fillets
- 1 tsp. kosher salt or to taste
- 4 Tbsp. butter melted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 c. breadcrumbs seasoned
For the cream sauce:
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 2 c. whipping cream (or half and half)
- 1 c. milk
- 3 Tbsp 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 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray 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.
- 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.
mike says
this was the second time I tried baking with a sauce.
The broiling worked great.
The recipe is forgiving as I used less cream (I was lacking), more starch and a lot more cheese. The sauce turned out great for potatoes and broccoli too and the texture of the cheese made a difference. Also much better than the very buttery one I made the first time.
thanks for the work on this, I will do it again!
Margaret fennelly says
Hi this is my second time
To use this recipe. I would highly recommend it its fabulous.
JeanB says
Made this tonight but I had to do a little creative reimagining. I didn’t have any cornstarch so I used Instant Blending gravy flour instead. It worked awesome although we had to add about 1 more cup of milk by the time I was ready to use it.
Also someone had accidentally opened a can of crab today so I added that to the sauce before pouring it over the fish. I will definitely be using this recipe again!
Favorite Family Recipes says
That sounds like the happiest accident! Glad you liked the recipe!
Leeann says
Delicious!! I just made this and it was fantastic. I will definitely play with the recipe next time to really amp up the flavour profile and hit it out of the atmosphere. Company worthy dish and so simple.
Suz says
Amazing flavor and so easy to prepare. Thank you!
I made our bread crumbs by seasoning with “Everything Bagel” seasoning. It was all so very yummy…First recipe made from your web page and will continue from today on.
Served it with homemade vinegar fennel coleslaw and baked white & sweet potato fries for a chilly Friday night special in Wisconsin.
Bravo ladies!
Favorite Family Recipes says
Thank you so much for the kind review! Glad you liked the recipe!
SJolie says
Excellent! Loved this dish. Served with roasted asparagus. Will definitely make again. Thinking the sauce can be used with with other dishes as well. Maybe with pasta!
Cathie says
Loved the recipe. I had about a pound of Cod loin. I made the sauce as if I had more fish. Lot leftover it so good hate to throw it out. Got any ideas for leftover sauce only?
Favorite Family Recipes says
It would be delicious over pasta!
Chris in KC says
A terrific recipe! I had some leftover garlic Alfredo sauce, so I added and lemon zest to that instead of making my own sauce. We loved the flaky and crunchy fish and the creamy sauce ❤️
Christine says
Do you have to thaw the fish first or do you bake it from frozen?
Favorite Family Recipes says
It’s best if you thaw the fish first!
Chandra says
Loved it! Just what I was craving. I didn’t have enough cream on hand and eczema flares when I consume too much dairy. I substituted milk for coconut milk and for 1/2 of the cream. And I just sprinkled Parmesan on the fillets instead of breadcrumbs (AID diet). It turned out so lovely. Very enjoyable meal! (Served with steamed broccoli.)