20 Cod Recipes That Make The Most Of Our Favorite Whitefish
Fry it, bake it, grill it... flaky, buttery cod can take it all!
When it comes to weeknight dinners, seafood can be a real polarizer—you either love it or you (think) you hate it. We’re of the mind that those who aren't seafood fans, might just dislike the taste of fattier options like anchovies, sardines, or even salmon. If you’re looking to convert someone into a fish lover, you’re better off serving a leaner and milder option like tilapia, halibut, or one of our favorites, cod. Check out our 20 cod recipes for ideas—we bet some of them will sway even the most ardent fish haters.
Admittedly, one of the reasons we LOVE cod is for how good it is fried. It’s hard to go wrong when it comes to frying, and one of the best parts is that you don’t even have to spend the big bucks on your fish for it to be delicious. It’s great in dishes like fish and chips or fish sticks, which can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. Try our beer-battered fish or our bruschetta fish sticks if you don’t believe us—they’re grown up versions of the traditional kid fare that everyone will love.
Another place cod shines is in tacos. The best fish versions have a wide variety of flavors and textures: hot and cold, crunchy and creamy, rich and bright, and with just the right amount of heat. With all that going on, a simple, flaky fish like cod is just right. Check out our classic fish tacos, our grilled cod tacos with chipotle crema, or our fried fish tacos for flavor ideas, but really, you can replace the proteins in your fave recipes with cod to great effect.
Cod always makes for a great, easy seafood weeknight dinner. Its simple preparation pairs well with carbs like mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice. Whip up a quick sauce or salsa to pour over top, and you’ll be on your way to a delicious meal everyone in the family can get behind. Check out our miso butter cod, our roasted cod with soy ginger plum salsa, our grapefruit jalapeño baked cod, or our roasted cod with tomato cream sauce for flavor inspiration, but really, the world is your oyster… er, cod!
Easy Fish Tacos
The flaky fish here marinates in a mixture of lime juice, chili powder, and cumin that will become your standard. (Seriously, steak or chicken marinated in this will also taste bomb.) But the real gem of this recipe is the cabbage slaw—don't skip it. It takes just a few minutes to toss together and its brightness is the perfect condiment to the spiced cod.
Get the Easy Fish Tacos recipe.
Baked Cod Fish
If you're someone who's afraid of cooking seafood at home, cod is the fish for you. It's basically impossible to mess up: It cooks quickly, is hard to overcook (unless you really forget about it), and is easy to flavor however you want. This recipe is a no-brainer and will give you sweet, fall apart tender cod on your table in no time.
Get the Baked Cod Fish recipe.
Beer-Battered Fish
There's nothing super crazy about this recipe, but when you do it right, it's absolutely perfect. For optimal crispiness, check out our tips. Our top one? Since you've already heated up some oil, throw in a batch of French fries to complete the meal. To make them closer to the authentic British style "chips", just cut them a little bit thicker and shorter.
Get the Beer-Battered Fish recipe.
Air Fryer Fish
We love the classic fish and chip combo and normally turn to our favorite beer-battered fish when the craving hits. When we don't like the idea of pulling out the big Dutch oven and filling it up with oil, though, this air fryer fish is the perfect substitute. It is every bit as crunchy and the fish stays perfectly flaky.
Get the Air Fryer Fish recipe.
Fish Stick Tacos
Make your own fish sticks, and transform Taco Tuesday with the crispiest cod and a crazy easy red cabbage slaw.
Get the Fish Stick Tacos recipe.
Miso Butter Cod
This is an easy and healthy dinner that's ready in just 40 minutes. The cod and bok choy roast together, keeping things simple, but don't worry—this fish is flavor-packed. The miso butter gets a little umami kick from sriracha, honey, garlic, and ginger. Yum!
Get the Miso Butter Cod recipe.
Soba Cod & Mushroom Soup
Earthy soba noodles ground this delicate soup made with a light and flavorful awase dashi (AKA Japanese seafood stock) and flaky cod. It’s sophisticated enough for a dinner party, easy enough for a weeknight dinner, and gentle enough to soothe a stomach ache or persistent cold.
Get the Soba Cod & Mushroom Soup recipe.
Roasted Cod with Soy Ginger Plum Salsa and Jasmine Rice
Give your roasted cod a zesty, tart boost with a robust plum salsa. Want to experiment with more fruit salsas? Try our blueberry salsa next!
Get the Roasted Cod with Soy Ginger Plum Salsa and Jasmine Rice recipe.
Grilled Cod With Salsa Verde
Cod is a delicate fish, so we used some tin foil to make little cod packets that helps to cook the fish and aromatics perfectly, without the risk of anything falling through the grates. Foil packs also make it easy to customize the recipe beyond just salsa verde. Add in whatever you want—chopped olives, cherry tomatoes, or even a little cheese!
Get the Grilled Cod With Salsa Verde recipe.
Bruschetta Fish Sticks
We LOVED fish sticks as kids, and every so often as adults, we'll admit to getting a hankering for them. Elevate homemade ones with a distinctly grown-up bruschetta-inspired tomato salad, and enjoy!
Get the Bruschetta Fish Sticks recipe.
Sriracha-Butter Cod with Garlicky Kale
This simple weeknight seafood dinner gets an upgrade with a spicy sriracha butter you're going to want to put on everything. Feel free to swap out the kale for your favorite greens if you desire.
Cod with Garlicky Tomatoes and Potatoes
This is the perfect weeknight seafood dinner. Adults will love the flaky, flavorful cod, and kids will enjoy the tomato-y sauce. Everyone can get down on the potatoes! The white wine here will cook off, but feel free to sub for chicken broth if you like.
Crispy Baked Fish Sticks With Mashed Potatoes
Nothing should get in the way of dunking crispy fish sticks into a fluffy, hearty bowl of mashed potatoes (not even tartar sauce).
Get the Crispy Baked Fish Sticks With Mashed Potatoes recipe.
Butter-Roasted Cod with Couscous
Check out our top tips for how to cook quinoa to make this crazy simple, super fast fish dinner the best it can be.
Grapefruit Jalapeño Baked Cod
The sweet-tart grapefruit with spicy jalapeño is the perfect combo here—and the avocado salsa adds another layer of bright flavor and texture. We're hooked! (Fish pun, definitely intended. 😉)
Get the Grapefruit Jalapeño Baked Cod recipe.
Ginger-Lemon Cod with Roasted Broccoli and Rice
Prepare to fall in love with this super simple, tangy fish dish. We love it with an extra flavorful rice pilaf, but feel free to swap in simple brown rice if you prefer.
Get the Ginger-Lemon Cod with Roasted Broccoli and Rice recipe.
Fried Fish Tacos
The best fish tacos have a wide variety of flavors and textures; hot and cold, crunchy and creamy, rich and bright, and with just the right amount of heat. Because this dish has so many flavors and elements, an expensive white fish with a delicate flavor is not at all necessary—save your $$$ and stick with cod rather than a fancy fish like halibut or turbot.
Get the Fried Fish Tacos recipe.
Roasted Cod with Tomato Cream Sauce
This is the perfect light and bright summer dinner. You can roast the tomatoes, cod fish, and garlic all together, meaning it comes together quickly too!
Grilled Cod Tacos with Chipotle Crema
Prepare for your new go-to taco topping: chipotle crema. The Old Bay-spiced cod fish isn't half bad here either. 😉
Fried Fish Sandwich
This might be a controversial thing to say, but here it goes: Fried fish sandwiches are better than fried chicken sandwiches. Chicken sandwiches can definitely deliver on the flavor but due to the more substantial bite to chicken thigh and breast, it can be a little too much to swallow... and chew. Enter flakey, delicate cod fish!
Get the Fried Fish Sandwich recipe.
