Baked Fish in Tomato Sauce

Fish is a great option for healthy meals that come together with minimal time and prep. Whether it's Salmon Piccata or this Italian inspired dish, it's something that you can feel good about serving to those you love.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Easy Process - This is a one skillet dish. After the sauce is simmered its finished off in the oven.
• Quick Cooking - This cozy seafood recipe goes from the oven to the table in less than an hour.
• Accessible Ingredients - This family favorite recipe uses pantry staples like canned tomatoes and olives with easily accessible fresh ingredients like peppers. Even the cod can be found at any local grocery store year-round.
• Texture - Just say no to dry fish! Allowing the cod to bake in the hearty and flavorful tomato sauce not only infuses it with flavor but ensures that it remains tender and moist.

Ingredients

You don't need a laundry list of ingredients to create a beautiful meal your family will love. Baked Fish in Tomato Sauce is not only delicious, but also comes together with minimal ingredients and an easy process. Anyone can make this and create a new family favorite and tradition.

• Tutorosso San Marzano Style Chopped Tomatoes in Puree with Garlic, Basil, Olive Oil, and Sea Salt - These larger diced tomatoes are infused with perfectly balanced herbacous flavor. The fresh picked, vine ripe flavor is preserved with Tutorosso's Steam Sealed Flavor-Loc™ system. These tomatoes have a meaty texture with fewer seeds than other varieties.
• Aromatics - Onion, sweet bell pepper, and savory garlic build layers of flavor.
• Salt and Pepper - Enhances the natural flavors of the ingredients without overpowering them.
• Fresh Oregano - Adds a floral, herbaceous note.
• Bay Leaves - Gives the sauce that all day cooked flavor.
• Cod - Firm, mild, and buttery this is an ideal fish to absorb the bold flavors of the sauce and stand up to being baked.
• Kalamata Olives - Gives a briny pop to ever bite. This is a classic pairing with seafood.

How to Make Baked Fish in Tomato Sauce

Mild and sweet cod and a bright and bold tomato sauce will make this cod recipe a weeknight go-to.

Time needed: 50 minutes.

Mild cod is simmered and baked in a bold and hearty tomato sauce bursting with the bright pop of kalamata olives.

1. Mise en PlacePreheat the oven to 400 degrees. Chop all of your vegetables.
2. Sauté Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat with the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and allow them to sauté for 5-8 minutes until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are tender and fragrant.

SimmerAdd the tomatoes, salt, pepper, fresh oregano, and bay leaves. Allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes. This will allow the flavors to develop.

BakeRemove the pan from the heat. Dip the cod filets into the sauce and nestle them in. Sprinkle a little salt over the top of each filet. Place the skillet into the oven and allow it to bake for 30 minutes until the cod is golden brown and flaky.

Finishing TouchThe last five minutes of baking, add the kalamata olives. Garnish with more fresh oregano when serving.

Variations

Like things spicy? This rustic tomato sauce with olives is delicious on its own but also easy to add a little kick to. When simmering your tomatoes, add a good pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. You can also add a dice hot pepper such as a Fresno chile when you're sauteing your onions, bell peppers, and garlic.

Substitutions

If you don't have cod, you can substitute with other types of white fish. The baking time will vary by the thickness of the fish. Thin fish such as tilapia will cook quickly while a thick filet such as halibut will take about the same amount of time as the cod. Here are a few suggestions for substitutions.

• Haddock
• Pollock
• Tilapia
• Grouper
• Mahi-Mahi
• Sea Bass
• Halibut

How to Serve Baked Fish in Tomato Sauce

Is there anything better than sopping up all of that glorious tomato sauce with something hearty? Here are a few ideas on how to serve this baked cod dish.

• Pasta
• Rice
• Polenta
• Crusty Bread

Storage

The leftovers for this baked cod recipe make for delicious and tasty lunches the next day. Allow the cod and tomato sauce to cool and then transfer it to an airtight container. Keep it refrigerated and it will last for 3-4 days.

To reheat your cod, you can either microwave it until warmed through or heat it up in a skillet on the stove.

Top Tip for Baked Fish in Tomato Sauce

Both fresh caught cod, and frozen cod work well with this recipe. If buying fresh cod, you always want to make sure that it is firm to the touch and has a clean smell. It should smell like the ocean, but never fishy.

If using frozen cod allow it to defrost overnight in the refrigerator. This will give you the best texture once cooked. If you forget to take the fish out of the freezer the night before however, you can run cold water over it. Most frozen fish comes vacuum sealed. Simply stick the package of fish in the sink and allow a small stream of cold running water to continuously run over it. It should take about half an hour to defrost this way.