A simple cod recipe baked in a rich, flavorful tomato and pepper sauce, kinda Spanish-style. Perfect for a midweek meal and easy on the washing up.
*Post updated June 2026
I used cod loin fillets, but you could use any white fish fillet. A nice and simple healthy dinner - cod baked in a delicious sauce.
What's that? You don't like olives?
No worries, if olives are not your thing, just leave them out. 😉
Cooking for kids?
Leave the chilli out, use 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika and leave the hot paprika out altogether.
This sauce was born while I was making Patatas Bravas. As I prepared the bravas sauce (salsa brava), I thought I’d try baking some fish in it. Turns out, it was a success.
By the way, I tweaked this sauce a little bit from my bravas sauce recipe, and for this version, I skipped blending it.
Top tips!
- Use a dish just big enough to hold the fish and the sauce.
- If it's too big, the fish may end up dry. My dish was 8x8 inches and 2 inches deep (20x20cm and 5cm deep)
- Be sure to use skinless and boneless fish filets; no one wants to eat soggy fish skin.
- As always, use good, quality tinned tomatoes; otherwise, your sauce won't be half as nice. I use the brand, Mutti.
- Be sure to buy chargrilled peppers in oil, not vinegar!😉
Pimentón de la Vera can be found in Sainsbury's, Waitrose, or on Amazon. You use regular paprika, but this one has such a lovely smoky taste.
Used by Rick Stein, Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver; this is the BEST paprika!
How to make tomato sauce for fish
Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and add the diced onion. Cook over low heat, allowing the onions to soften but not coloured.
It'll take about 15 minutes, but you will need to stir from time to time. Remember, they won't really get a chance to cook in the oven, so make sure they're nice and soft.
Add the chilli and garlic, letting them cook for about 5 minutes before stirring in the tomato puree.
Cook for another minute or so to avoid a bitter taste in the tomato puree.
Now add the hot and sweet paprika along with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Add the tin of tomatoes, including their juice and the peppers. Then add the sherry vinegar along with the sugar and stir well.
Add the water a little at a time, until the sauce is a nice consistency; I ended up using 200ml.
Add the olives and cook until the sauce is hot and flavorful. Give it a taste and tweak the seasoning—does it need a bit more sugar, paprika, or vinegar? If so, now’s the perfect moment to add it.
You can also add a pinch of dried red chilli flakes if you like things on the spicy side. 😋
Be sure the sauce is piping hot before pouring it over the dish; otherwise, the fish won’t cook through, and the entire meal will end up cold.
Place the cod in the sauce, leaving it uncovered so it keeps an appealing look. Finish by drizzling a small amount of olive oil over the fish.
Serve straight away with boiled new potatoes and green beans, or whatever else you fancy.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!
Baked Cod in Tomato Sauce
Baked cod in a rich and tasty tomato and pepper sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 cod fillets at room temperature
- mild olive oil
- 1 medium-sized brown onion - peeled and diced
- 1 medium heat green chilli - deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves - very finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree (paste) if you're in the US
- 2 teaspoons Pimentón de La Vera - Picante (hot)
- 2 teaspoons Pimentón de La Vera - Dulce (sweet)
- pinch of salt and black pepper
- 1 400g tin of good-quality tomatoes
- 170g jar drained weight of chargrilled peppers in oil, not vinegar (well drained from the oil) and sliced.
- 1½ tablespoons of sherry vinegar - you could use red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons white sugar
- approx. 200ml water
- a few black olives - pitted
- a pinch of dried red chilli flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Warm a splash of olive oil in a frying pan, toss in the diced onion, and cook gently over low heat until the onions are soft but not browned.
- It'll take about 15 minutes, but be sure to stir them occasionally. Remember, they won’t have a chance to cook in the oven, so make sure they’re nice and soft.
- Add the chilli and garlic and let them cook for about 5 minutes, then stir in the tomato puree and cook for another minute or so to avoid a bitter taste.
- Add the hot and sweet paprika, along with a pinch of salt and pepper, to the tomatoes (including their juice) and the well-drained peppers.
- Add the sherry or red wine vinegar with the sugar and give it a good stir. Gradually pour in the water until the sauce reaches the right consistency; I ended up using about 200ml.
- Add the olives and cook until the sauce is piping hot. Give it a taste and tweak the seasoning—maybe it needs a bit more sugar, paprika, vinegar, or something else. If so, now’s the perfect moment to add it.
- You can also add a pinch of dried red chilli flakes if you like things a little spicier.
- Choose a dish just large enough to fit the fish and sauce, as using one that's too big can cause the fish to dry out. I used a dish measuring 8x8 inches and 2 inches deep (20x20 cm and 5 cm deep).
- Make sure the sauce is piping hot before adding it to the dish; otherwise, the fish will not cook properly, and the whole dish will be cold.
- Put the cod into the sauce, but don't cover it with the sauce. Drizzle the fish with a tiny amount of olive oil.
- Bake uncovered on the middle shelf of your preheated oven for about 12-14 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes when pressed.
- Serve straight away with boiled new potatoes and green beans, or whatever else you fancy.
Notes
Be sure to buy peppers in OIL and not vinegar!
To serve 3 people, add another cod fillet, and you'll still have enough sauce.
Thanks Jan I have just come across your website and I have to say I think it's great, so many lovely recipes and this one looks amazing. I love your site!
ReplyDeleteHi Amy! Thank you so much for your lovely comment. Seriously I'm really grateful and it's so good to know you like my site x
DeleteCan't wait to try this, it sounds (and looks) delish!
ReplyDeleteCheers Sue, we loved it. Just be sure to get the right chargrilled peppers (in oil) NOT vinegar as Paul's mum did!
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