Baked Cod alla Puttanesca with Capers and Olives
Flaky cod fillets baked in a bold tomato sauce with Kalamata olives, capers, garlic, and chili flakes.
Puttanesca sauce was made for fish just as much as it was for pasta — the bold combination of olives, capers, garlic, and chili flakes gives mild, flaky cod a huge amount of flavor without needing anything more than a tomato base to carry it.
Baking the cod right in the sauce keeps it moist and means everything finishes in one dish, with almost no risk of overcooking the fish the way pan-searing sometimes can.
Cod is one of the leanest fish available, so this dish stays notably low in fat and saturated fat despite how much flavor is packed in, and it delivers a substantial amount of protein for relatively few calories per serving. It's a good one to reach for when you want something that eats hearty but stays light, and it pairs nicely with a simple green salad or a scoop of rice on the side.
Ingredients
- 4 fillets cod — about 6 oz each
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic — minced
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes — 1 can
- 1/3 cup Kalamata olives — sliced
- 2 tbsp capers — rinsed
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley — chopped
These ingredients are standard at most major European supermarkets.
Instructions
- 1Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- 2Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chili flakes, cooking 1 minute until fragrant.
- 3Add crushed tomatoes, olives, and capers. Simmer 8-10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- 4Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then nestle the cod fillets into the sauce.
- 5Transfer to the oven and bake 12-15 minutes until the cod flakes easily with a fork.
- 6Garnish with fresh parsley and serve straight from the skillet.