Baked Cod Tomato Olive Salsa (Printable)

Tender cod paired with a fresh tomato and olive salsa for a flavorful, Mediterranean-style main dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless, boneless cod fillets (approximately 5.3 oz each)
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1/2 lemon, sliced

→ Tomato and Olive Salsa

06 - 2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
07 - 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
08 - 1/4 red onion, finely diced
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
11 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
13 - 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make:

01 - Set the oven to 400°F.
02 - Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels and arrange in a lightly oiled baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, then top with lemon slices.
03 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the fish turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
04 - Combine diced tomatoes, chopped olives, red onion, parsley, capers, olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix gently.
05 - Remove cod from oven, discard lemon slices, and spoon salsa over each fillet. Serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The fish stays impossibly tender and never turns rubbery, even if you're a few minutes late pulling it from the oven.
  • Everything comes together in roughly the time it takes to set the table, making it feel far more elegant than the effort it actually requires.
  • That bright, briny salsa does all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you don't need fancy ingredients or complicated techniques.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the cod fillets; wet fish steams instead of baking, and you'll lose that tender, flaky texture you're after.
  • The salsa should be mixed just before serving (or at least within an hour), otherwise the tomato juice will pool and the whole thing becomes watery and sad.
  • If your fillets are particularly thick, start checking them at 12 minutes; overcooked fish is one of the few mistakes here that can't be recovered.
03 -
  • Keep a sharp knife and steady hand when dicing your tomatoes; rough chunks will make the salsa feel rustic, but mushy pieces will make it feel careless.
  • If your tomatoes aren't deeply flavorful, a pinch of sugar in the salsa will wake them up without making anything taste sweet.

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