Baked Cod Tomato Olive Salsa

There's something almost meditative about watching cod transform in the oven—one moment it arrives pale and modest on your cutting board, and fifteen minutes later it's flaking into tender clouds. I discovered this particular way of cooking it during a summer when I kept buying too many tomatoes at the market, convinced I'd make something elaborate and never quite getting around to it. One Thursday evening, faced with a pile of increasingly soft tomatoes and some beautiful cod fillets, I simply baked the fish and threw together whatever was left in my fridge, and somehow that hasty improvisation became the meal everyone asked me to make again.

I made this for my sister on an ordinary Tuesday when she'd had a terrible day at work, and watching her face shift as she took that first bite—the way the flaky fish and tangy salsa seemed to reset something in her—reminded me why I cook at all. She asked for the recipe that night, and now she makes it whenever she needs to feel like someone's taking care of her.

Ingredients

• Cod fillets (4, about 150 g each): Look for fillets that are roughly the same thickness so they cook evenly; thinner edges won't dry out while thicker centers finish cooking.
• Olive oil (2 tbsp for fish, plus 2 tbsp extra virgin for salsa): Use your better oil for the salsa where you'll actually taste it; regular olive oil is fine for the oven.
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper: Grind your pepper fresh if you can; it makes a quiet but real difference in how bright the fish tastes.
• Lemon (1/2, sliced): Those slices protect the fish while it bakes and release their juice slowly, keeping everything moist.
• Ripe tomatoes (2 medium): Find tomatoes that smell like tomatoes—fragrant ones will make your salsa sing.
• Kalamata olives (1/2 cup, pitted): If you can only find olives with pits, give yourself extra time to pit them; it's meditative work.
• Red onion (1/4, finely diced): Don't skip the red onion; it adds a gentle sharpness that keeps the salsa from tasting one-note.
• Fresh parsley (2 tbsp, chopped): Tear it by hand just before serving if you have time; the leaves stay prettier and release more flavor.
• Capers (1 tbsp, drained and rinsed): Rinsing them removes excess salt and lets their unique briny pop come through without overpowering.
• Fresh lemon juice (1 tbsp): Squeeze it right before mixing the salsa so it doesn't oxidize and turn bitter.
• Dried oregano (1/4 tsp): This small amount adds Mediterranean warmth without making the dish taste like Italian seasoning.

Instructions

Heat your oven and prepare the stage:

Set your oven to 200°C (400°F) and let it come to temperature while you work. A properly preheated oven is the quiet hero of this recipe, ensuring the fish cooks through gently instead of blasting it with uneven heat.

Dry and season your cod:

Pat each fillet completely dry with paper towels—this one step is what gives you that light, flaky texture instead of steamed fish. Place them in a lightly oiled baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, season generously with sea salt and pepper, and lay lemon slices directly on top.

Bake until just cooked through:

Slide the dish into the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets. The fish is ready when it's opaque throughout and flakes apart with the gentlest pressure of a fork—this is the moment to stop, not a moment to wait beyond.

Build the salsa while the fish cooks:

In a medium bowl, combine your diced tomatoes, chopped olives, red onion, parsley, capers, extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and oregano. Taste it and adjust the salt and pepper—remember the fish and the briny elements are already salty, so go easy. Stir gently so the tomatoes stay in pieces rather than breaking down into mush.

Finish and serve:

Pull the cod from the oven, discard the lemon slices, and spoon a generous amount of salsa over each fillet. Garnish with extra parsley if you like, and serve right away while the fish is still warm and the salsa is still bright.

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The first time I served this to someone who said they didn't usually like fish, they went back for seconds and looked genuinely confused by their own appetite. There's something about the combination of tender, mild fish and that aggressive, alive salsa that changes people's minds about what they thought they wanted to eat.

Choosing Your Fish

Cod is forgiving—it stays moist even if you're not perfect with your timing, and its mild flavor doesn't fight the salsa. That said, halibut and haddock work just as well if that's what your fishmonger has looking good that day. The rule I follow is simple: buy fish that smells clean and briny, not fishy, and ask the person behind the counter when it came in. Fresh fish makes all the difference here, more than any technique ever could.

The Salsa as Your Canvas

This salsa is begging to be personalized. I've added fresh basil when I had it, swapped the red onion for shallots on nights when I wanted something softer, and even thrown in a small handful of arugula for a peppery note. The bones of it—tomato, olive, acid, heat—stay the same, but the details are yours to play with depending on your mood and what's in your kitchen.

Building a Meal Around It

Baked cod is versatile enough to play well with almost any side, but I keep coming back to the same few pairings. Roasted potatoes are predictable but perfect; a simple green salad cuts through the richness beautifully; steamed rice absorbs the salsa in the best way. On summer nights, I skip the starch altogether and serve it with a big platter of raw vegetables and good bread for soaking up every last bit of that bright, briny topping.

• A crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio is the obvious pairing if you're drinking wine, but this meal is just as happy with sparkling water and a wedge of lemon.
• If you want to add heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes stirred into the salsa will wake everything up without overwhelming the delicate fish.
• Leftover salsa keeps for a day or two and is wonderful on scrambled eggs, spooned over grilled chicken, or eaten straight from the bowl while standing at the counter.

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This is the kind of meal that feels both simple and special, the sort of thing you can make on a Wednesday night for people you love without any fuss at all. Once you've made it once, you'll find yourself making it again and again, each time discovering something new about it.

Recipe Help & Support

→ How do I ensure the cod stays tender when baking?

Pat the cod dry before placing it in the baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and avoid overcooking by baking until just opaque and flaky.

→ Can I substitute the cod with other fish?

Yes, haddock or halibut can be used as alternatives for similar texture and flavor.

→ What is the best way to prepare the tomato and olive salsa?

Combine diced ripe tomatoes, chopped Kalamata olives, red onion, parsley, capers, olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, then gently mix.

→ How can I add a spicy touch to this dish?

Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the salsa to introduce a subtle heat that complements the Mediterranean flavors.

→ What side dishes pair well with this cod and salsa?

Roasted potatoes, steamed rice, or a fresh green salad make excellent accompaniments to balance the dish.