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Baking dish with five pieces of Baked Cod in Cream Sauce garnished with parsley.
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4.91 from 109 votes

Baked Cod in Cream Sauce

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!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Seafood
Keyword: Baked Cod
Servings: 6
Calories: 531kcal
Author: Erica Walker

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 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Pat fish dry with a paper towel if needed and place cod fillets in the dish. Sprinkle with salt. 
    Baked Cod in Cream Sauce ingredients including cod, butter, milk, cream, salt, parmesan cheese, garlic, corn starch and Italian bread crumbs.
  • Combine melted butter and garlic and brush over fillets, reserving any leftover butter mixture. 
    Hand brushing butter on a fillet of cod for Baked Cod in Cream Sauce.
  • Sprinkle seasoned breadcrumbs over fillets and pour remaining butter mixture over the top.
    Baking dish with five uncooked fillets of Cod topped with bread crumbs and butter without the cream sauce.
  • 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. 
    Baking dish with five fillets of Cod in Cream Sauce.
  • 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.
    Baking dish with five fillets of Baked Cod in Cream Sauce.
  • Remove from oven and serve with potatoes, rice, or vegetables. 
    Plate with two fillets of Baked Cod in Cream Sauce with green beans and lemon wedges.

For the cream sauce:

  • Melt butter in a medium-sized sauce pan over medium heat.
    Pan of butter melting for cream sauce for Baked Cod.
  • Slowly add the cornstarch and stir for about 1 minute. 
    Whisk mixing a pan of roux for Cream Sauce for Baked Cod.
  • While whisking constantly, slowly add whipping cream and milk until well combined. Stir in Parmesan cheese. 
    Whisk mixing a pot of Cream Sauce with parmesan cheese for Baked Cod.
  • 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. 
    Pot of Cream Sauce for Baked Cod.

Video

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 531kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 764mg | Potassium: 707mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 795IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 216mg | Iron: 2mg