Crispy Oven Baked Cod With Panko and Parmesan is an easy 20-minute dinner, ideal for busy weeknights.
This Baked Cod dish is made with a light and flaky cod fillet topped with a buttery crispy parmesan & panko crust and then oven-baked until golden brown. The panko gives this dish a crispy texture and the herbs, garlic, and lemon zest provide a nice Mediterranean flavor.
Jump to:
Fish and seafood are the staples of Mediterranean cuisine, and I try to cook seafood dishes about twice per week.
There are many different ways to prepare fish meals, Fish Sticks in Air Fryer, Salmon and Spinach Quiche, BBQ Garlic Butter prawns, and Baked Sea Bass in Foil - Firinda Levrek are a few of many delicious fish recipes on the blog. However, this Panko Crusted Baked Cod recipe is the quickest and easiest among them all.
Why This Recipe Works?
- This simple, delicious, and healthy Baked Panko Cod recipe is so easy and comes together in only 30 minutes.
- Even though the ingredients are simple and the steps are quite straightforward, this dish is ridiculously delicious and every bite is a feast of flavors.
- It’s a great dinner idea for those busy weeknights or lazy weekends! Even the picky kids will happily eat this cod in breadcrumbs.
- Panko Baked Cod is one of the best fish recipes and the end result is always crispy outside with a juicy and moist inside.
- Cod fillet is flavorsome and quick to cook. It is tender and mild-tasting so you can easily add some big and bold flavors!
- This white fish is naturally low in fat and is a great source of protein with 35 grams of protein per serving.
Ingredients and Substitutes
What Cod to Use For Baked Cod With Panko?
I recommend using fresh wild cod whenever possible. Farmed fresh cod will also work well, but the wild tend to have more nutrients which is why it’s the better choice if it’s available.
Frozen cod fillets would also work with this recipe, make sure you thaw the fish entirely before cooking. You can substitute cod with any other firm white fish such as halibut, sole, or seabass.
- Panko - I use panko to ensure the outside of the baked fish is extra crispy. However, you can use regular breadcrumbs or a mixture of both.
- Parmesan - Freshly grated parmesan cheese adds so much flavor to this dish. You can substitute it with pecorino cheese.
- Lemon - I use the juice and zest of a lemon to add a citrusy fresh flavor to the fish.
- Olive oil - Ideally use good, extra virgin olive oil to deliver the best flavors. Substitute it with melted butter for a crunchier crust!
- Herbs - I use fresh parsley and dill but feel free to use other herbs such as chives, chervil, or tarragon.
How to Make Cod With Panko?
This is a very simple, straightforward recipe and to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:
Preheat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F) and lightly oil a baking dish or line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the panko, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, grated garlic, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper In a medium bowl.
Add the olive oil (or melted butter) to the bowl and give them a good stir, until the mixture has a crumbly appearance.
Lightly season the cod fillets and spread the panko topping among the fillets, pressing lightly to ensure it sticks. Arrange the fillets in your oven dish and cook them in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the size/thickness of the fish.
The topping should be slightly browned and the fish is mostly opaque (just cooked through), with a trace of translucence in the center. Serve the fish immediately with Tartar Sauce with Capers and a delicious Lebanese Fattoush Salad or potato chips while it’s warm and the crust is nice and crunchy.
Top Tip From The Chef
To make things even quicker and easier, you can make the panko topping up to five days in advance and keep it refrigerated in an airtight container. When you are ready to cook your dish, simply spread the topping on the fish fillets and bake them for 12 to 15 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen cod or any other firm white fish for this recipe. Make sure the fish is totally thawed before cooking.
Although it is best to consume the fish and seafood on the day it's cooked, you can keep the leftovers for up to three days refrigerated in an airtight container if you used fresh cod fillets.
If you used frozen cod fillets, I suggest consuming the leftovers within 24 hours prior to cooking. I don't recommend freezing the baked cod fillet leftovers.
I serve this simple dish with some homemade Tartar Sauce With Capers, Rocket Salad With Parmesan, and air fryer chips on the side. I also like serving panko-crusted cod with some Kisir - Turkish Bulgur Salad, Warm Austrian Potato Salad, Pumpkin Risotto (Risotto Alla Zucca), or Crispy Sauté Potatoes With Garlic.
Related Recipes
For more delicious quick & easy weeknight meal recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this Baked Cod With Panko as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!
Baked Cod With Panko
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cod fillets (150 to 170 grams each)
- 20 g grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs (20 grams)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (or melted butter)
- 1 clove garlic (grated)
- 1 ½ tablespoon chopped parsley and dill
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F) and lightly oil a baking dish or line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Place the panko, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, grated garlic, parsley, dill, salt and pepper In a medium bowl.
- Add the olive oil (or melted butter) to the bowl and give them a good stir, until the mixture has a crumbly appearance.
- Lightly season the cod fillets and spread the panko topping among the fillets, pressing lightly so that it sticks.
- Arrange the fillets in your oven dish and cook them in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the size/thickness of the fish. The topping should be slightly browned and the fish is mostly opaque (just cooked through), with a trace of translucence in the centre.
- Serve the fish immediately with Tartar Sauce with Capers and a delicious vegetable side or potato chips while it’s warm and the crust is nice and crunchy.
Notes
- To make things even quicker and easier, you can make the panko topping up to five days in advance and keep it refrigerated in an airtight container. When you are ready to cook your dish, simply spread the topping on the fish fillets and bake them for 12 to 15 minutes.
- I recommend using fresh wild cod whenever possible.
- You can use frozen cod or any other firm white fish for this recipe. Make sure the fish is totally thawed before cooking.
Nutrition
This post use affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.
Jeff
I followed the recipe exactly and it was wonderful ! Thank you.