Truth be told I’m not a huge fan of most fish, unless it’s crispy, deep fried Fish & Chips with a generous side of tangy Tartar Sauce. Now that’s some fish I can get excited about but the deep frying part kinda cancels out any of the health benefits gained from eating fish…sigh. If it tastes or smells fishy I have a hard time choking it down. Honestly, I’ve had so many mediocre fish dishes over the years that I’ve kinda given up on ever enjoying some really good fish ever again. But it’s a new year, and I’m determined to eat healthier and lose a few holiday pounds, so I’ve been on the hunt to find some tasty, but healthy fish recipes. The million dollar question, can a home cook produce a healthy, flavorful fish that doesn’t require deep frying, is easy to prepare, and actually tastes good? The answer is a resounding…YES!
The hubs on the other hand adores fish and he’s always asking for it. He pouts because it rarely makes an appearance on our table. When I came across a couple of easy to make fish recipes I took the best parts from each one and combined them into this delicious recipe. I decided to surprise him and make it for his birthday dinner. I knew serving up some fresh fish would turn his frown upside down.
Cod is the same fish typically used to make the classic Fish & Chips you’re used to seeing on the menu at restaurants. It’s a mild white meat fish that’s light and flakey with no unappetizing fishy taste. When you purchase it at the market ask the fish monger to let you smell it. If there’s any hint of a fishy smell, it’s not fresh! Fresh cod will have an almost translucent milky white look to it and should not have any odor at all. If it smells even remotely fishy, walk away! If you can’t find fresh cod, you could substitute with another white fish like Tilapia.
Start by preheating oven to 350℉.
For easy cleanup, cover a cookie sheet with a piece of foil. Spray it with a little non-stick cooking spray. Set aside while you prepare the fish.
In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with a small splash of water. Adding a tiny splash of water helps break up the egg white when you whisk the egg. Don’t add a lot of water, just a small splash is all you need.
In another shallow bowl, stir together the grated Parmesan cheese, Panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and the red pepper flakes.
Wash the cod fillets under cold running water. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and season them lightly with salt.
Cut fish fillets into 4-5 equal sized pieces.
Dip each piece of fish into the beaten egg to completely coat it.
Then dredge it into the seasoned Parmesan/Panko mixture to coat each piece of fish.
Place on the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake in preheated 425℉ oven for 10-12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Serve with lemon wedges and a side of tartar sauce if desired.
Round out the meal and serve the fish with a side of this Easy To Make, Stovetop Mushroom Rice Pilaf. It’s a delicious side dish that cooks up quickly on the stovetop. Get it going on the stove while you make the fish and everything will be ready and on the table to enjoy in under 30 minutes.
Add this Rich & Creamy Caesar Salad With Crisp, Garlicky Toasted Croutons to complete the meal. It’s one of the best tasting salads you will ever eat using just a handful of simple, high quality ingredients. This crisp and creamy rich salad compliments the fish perfectly!
Even if you’re not a huge fan of fish like me, I guarantee that you are going to love this easy to make, oven baked, Parmesan Crusted Cod. The Parmesan cheese and spices give this fish loads of flavor and the Panko bread crumbs add a little crunchy texture that’s a wonderful contrast to the buttery soft, tender flaky fish. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to add some lovely fresh brightness. It got all gobbled up, not even one bite was leftover! Not a crumb was left! Hubs probably would have had seconds and thirds if there was more. Note to self, double the recipe next time. And when Cod is on sale we’ll be enjoying this meal again for sure!
Oven Baked Parmesan Crusted Cod
Ingredients
- 20 oz cod fillets
- 1 large egg, beaten with a splash of water
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉.
- Cover a cookie sheet with a piece of foil for easy cleanup. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside while you prepare the fish.
- In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with a tiny splash of water.
- In another shallow bowl, stir together Parmesan cheese, Panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes.
- Wash the cod fillets under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Cut fish into 4-5 equal sized pieces.
- Dip each piece of fish into the beaten egg to completely coat it.
- Then dip into the seasoned Parmesan/Panko crumb mixture.
- Place on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Serve with lemon wedges and a side of tartar sauce if desired.
Did You Make This?
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Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
John 6:35