Looking for an easy weeknight meal? This Parmesan Crusted Cod can be prepared in less than 20 minutes, but tastes like a dish you’d get at a restaurant! A family favourite fish recipe!
Are you prepared for the most tasty fish recipe EVER? Because that’s what this Parmesan Crusted Cod is. Absolutely mouthwatering.
The fish is topped with a crunchy panko parmesan crust infused with lemon zest and fresh parsley. Does that not sound amazing?!
It’s a cinch to prepare and the fish tastes like something that you’d order at a restaurant.
It’s seriously good stuff and makes for such a light and healthy meal!
Why this cod fish recipe should be added to your menu
- It’s simple. Minimal ingredients are required to produce this super tasty fish recipe.
- A source of lean protein. White fish just so happens to be naturally low in fat and is a great source of protein with 24 grams of protein per serving.
- A quick and easy meal. How many meals can you prepare in less than 20 minutes? Answer: Not many.
- Delicious. This baked fish recipe tastes like something you would get in a restaurant. The crust is so flavourful!
- It’s baked, not fried, making for a much heart healthier option. And the best part is, the baking still results in a nice crunchy topping!
- Beautiful presentation. Not only does this cod recipe taste good, but it also presents really well and looks plain tasty when it comes out of the oven. It would make a great dish to serve to guests!
Ingredients Required for Panko Parmesan Crust
The crust only requires a few simple ingredients to make for one flavour-infused crunchy topping!
- Panko bread crumbs
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Lemon zest
- Garlic powder
- Fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
How to Make Baked Cod With Panko
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- In a medium bowl, combine the panko, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper
- Add the olive oil and toss to combine. The mixture should have a crumbly appearance.
- Arrange the cod fillets on the baking sheet and season all over with salt and pepper.
- Divide the panko topping among the fillets, pressing lightly so that it adheres.
- Place the fish in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned and the fish is mostly opaque (just cooked through), with a trace of translucence in the center.
Chef’s Tip – I recommend cutting into a piece to double check.
Keep in mind that the cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fish fillets. Serve the fish up immediately while it’s warm and the crust is nice and crunchy.
How To Make This Breaded Cod Recipe Even Easier
If you’re looking for the ultimate simple weeknight meal, then I suggest making the panko parmesan crust mixture in advance so that it’s all ready to go. Just make sure that you store it in the fridge to keep it fresh.
Then, when that busy weeknight rolls around, all that you have to do is distribute the topping on the fish fillets and bake.
Doesn’t get much easier than that!
How to Store Leftovers
You can store the remaining fish in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to four days.
Can I use another type of fish other than cod?
Definitely! The panko parmesan crust mixture would taste delicious on any type of white fish.
If you don’t have cod on hand or prefer the taste of another fish, feel free to experiment with sole, halibut, haddock, tilapia, or your other favourite fish.
This recipe would work well with any of those options!
Once again, you may have to adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness of the fillet.
What to serve with this baked cod with panko and parmesan
This fish recipe pairs well with so many different sides. Try out any of the following!
- Creamy Cranberry & Walnut Coleslaw
- Cinnamon Paprika Sweet Potato Fries
- 5-Ingredient Roasted Garlic Potatoes
- Brown rice
- Steamed or roasted broccoli
Looking for other delicious and simple recipes?
Check these out:
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Parmesan Baked Cod With Panko
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 four ounce cod fillets
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the panko, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the olive oil and toss to combine.
- Arrange the cod fillets on the baking sheet and season all over with salt and pepper. Divide the panko topping among the fillets, pressing lightly so that it adheres.
- Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned and the fish is mostly opaque (just cooked through), with a trace of translucence in the center (cut into a piece to check). Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fillets. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links which means that I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only promote products that I love and feel will benefit my readers :)
Delicious and easy recipe! I agree that the fresh lemon zest was really a flavorful touch. Followed the recipe with one small exception. I used to freeze dried parsley in place of the fresh. Fresh isn’t always readily available to me and had the freeze dried on hand. Same measurement and it was delicious. Family of four and every one agrees this is a keeper! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much for the feedback! Great idea using freeze dried parsley…the perfect solution if you don’t have fresh on hand! So happy your family enjoyed the recipe :)
Excellent! My new favorite! My husband loved it too!
Thanks so much for your feedback! So happy you and your husband enjoyed the recipe :)
This has become one of my go to recipes. It is quick and easy, tasty and light. Love the lemon zest and toasty panko and cheese. I tried it with chicken, too.
That’s amazing! So glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe. I loved how you used the topping on chicken too…I’ll definitely have to try that!
Delicious and easy! My cod was pretty thick so I ended up cooking a little longer than 12 minutes. The Parmesan crust was very tasty and I will make this again!
So happy it was a winner! Thanks so much for reporting back :)
Excellent and very easy! Always looking for good and flavorful fish recipes! Loved the crunchy topping. My son, who’s leaving for college, says this is a must have recipe for him at his apartment!!! We will be making this often! :)
Don’t you love it when you find a recipe that the whole family loves? So happy it was a hit! That’s awesome that your son plans to continue making this recipe while away at college. Best of luck to him! :)
Best recipe I’ve tried! This will be my go to from here on. Easy, quick, has the crunch I wanted, and very tasty!
Yay!! Glad it was a winner! So happy you found a new go-to fish recipe :)
Easy and very tasty. Have made this several times and everyone loves it as much as I do.
So happy it was a hit with everyone! Thanks so much for your feedback :)
So simple and yet so tasty! So easy to make but tasted amazing. Was great with garlic hasselback potatoes . Thank you!
My pleasure — happy you enjoyed it! I bet it was delicious with the garlic hasselback potatoes!
This was incredible and each portion only had 245 calories!! Adding to the regular rotation – so much flavor and the crunch yummy
So happy you found a new recipe to add to your menu rotation! Always such a light and tasty option! Thanks so much for returning to share your feedback :)
Really easy to make and it tasted delicious. My family really liked it!
Yay!! So glad it was a hit! Thanks so much for providing feedback on the recipe :)
Excellent. Good enough to serve when friends are invited for dinner. Everyone enjoyed it. Even folks who aren’t fond of fish like it. Easy to find the ingredients in the grocery stores.
Thank you!! I agree — it’s a good recipe to serve to those non-fish lovers. Glad everyone enjoyed it! :)
Delicious and so easy to make. My family really enjoyed it!
That’s amazing — so happy you all loved the recipe!
My oven does not work properly. Would you give instructions for the microwave?
Unfortunately I don’t think this recipe would turn out very well in the microwave. Sorry about that!
The lemon zest gives this recipe a real punch. I didn’t deviate from the recipe and it was deliciously easy.
So happy you enjoyed it! I agree that the lemon zest totally kicks it up a notch!
A close friend brought us some just out of the ocean halibut. Our daughter had just shared this recipe with me. So guess what! Voila! Delicious recipe, fresh halibut and an amazing dinner!! I absolutely love this recipe!! It’s going to be the only way I make halibut from now on. Best halibut ever!! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!! We had it with baby potatoes and broccoli. Perfect dinner! Thank you, Susan in Alaska
That’s amazing!! One thing I love about this recipe is that it works with different types of fish! I bet it was delicious with the fresh halibut! Thanks so much for stopping by to share such a glowing review :)
Delicious and easy. Caught some Lingcod today and fixed this for dinner. I made homemade tartar sauce to go with but wasn’t really necessary. The lemon zest adds good flavor.
That’s amazing that you used freshly caught Lingcod to make this recipe! I bet that was delicious, especially paired with homemade tartar sauce. I’m so happy you enjoyed the flavour! Thanks so much for returning to leave a review :)
I recognized every ingredient and procedure i just used with flounder. It’s a perfect recipe and will be even better with cod .
Happy to hear that the recipe worked out well with flounder! Hope you enjoy it with the cod too if you have a chance to try it out!
My family LOVED this recipe! I am not a huge fan of Cod but even I thought it was wonderful. Plus it is very quick and easy to prepare. I am sure we will be making this recipe frequently.
That’s amazing! So happy you and your family found a new way to enjoy cod! Thanks so much for returning to leave a comment!
This was an excellent recipe with ingredients we had on hand. Our family of four adults raved about it and there were no leftovers. I made it using Ling cod and it was delicious!
That’s fabulous — so glad everyone in the family enjoyed the recipe! I appreciate you returning to provide some feedback!
Loved this recipe! So easy to make and clean up. I found I had lots of leftover topping, which I tossed on top of sauteed veggies (very delicious!). Next time, I would cut the ingredients for the topping in half.
I had tried several recipes for baked cod loins and found them to be either too high in calories due to the amount of butter or oil, or it left the fish too dry and rubbery.
This one’s a keeper!
So glad you found a keeper! Yes, it does make some additional topping depending on the thickness of your fish. I just put the extra topping around the sides and heaped a bit more on top of the fish, but I love your idea of putting it on top of veggies. YUM!
Outstanding fish recipe! My husband kept telling me it was “restaurant quality”. I love how easy it was to prepare & how healthy it is too. Thank you so much for posting. I will be making this again . . . And again :)
Aw this totally made my day!! Always love hearing when recipes are a hit! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment :)
This recipe was so delicious and easy!!! My husband kept saying how delicious it tasted the whole time he was eating it. Served it with asparagus. A definite keeper.
Thanks so much!! Gotta love those husband-approved recipes, right? So happy you guys found a new recipe to add to your rotation! :)
This recipe is absolutely delicious. It is the easiest cod I have ever made. My husband we only able to consume, so we look forward to dining on Parmesan Crusted Cod in two days. It goes very well with rice and a green vegetable. Plus, you absolutely can’t ever have too much lemon.
Thanks so much Sharon! It’s definitely one of our go-to easy meals and I agree that it pairs really well with rice, veggies and an extra squeeze of lemon ;) I appreciate you stopping by to leave a review!
This has a delicious crispy crust
So happy you enjoyed the recipe Rosemary and I totally agree about the crust! SO good!
This was excellent! I work full time and need quick, easy and healthy dinner recipes. This was perfect and I will be passing this recipe on to many others!!!!
Oh that’s amazing!! I totally understand the need for quick and healthy recipes! Life can be so crazy busy! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!!! :)
Easy recipe to follow and with little clean up. I will definitely make again.
Thanks so much for the feedback Jessica! So happy you enjoyed it! Gotta love those easy recipes :)
This dish was so good. I nailed it on my first try! I’ll definitely be cooking this meal again!
Yay!! So happy it was a winner!
Loved this recipe! I’m not a big fan of cod, but had some frozen cod I wanted to use up and looked up recipes. This recipe transformed the cod! It was so delicious. I made an aioli to go with it. Yum!
Yay!! So happy you enjoyed the recipe! I bet it was delicious paired with the aoili!! Thanks so much for stopping by to comment :)
Excellent recipe!!! Tastes like something from a high end restaurant and yet was so easy and delicious. Didn’t have fresh parsley so added dried dill which worked out nicely however the parsley would add such freshness. Thanks for sharing. Absolutely fabulous :)
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review Lisa! So happy you enjoyed the recipe! Great idea subbing in the dill for the parsley! I bet that was a tasty addition :)
Oh my goodness, this fish was absolutely delicious. Easy instructions and a great flavor. We had almost 2 pounds of cod, 2 very large filets, that we cut into 12 smaller pieces. I doubled the recipe for the topping and it was just the right amount for the fish. I cant wait to share this recipe with my friends and family! thank you !!
So happy you enjoyed the recipe Bertta!! Thanks so much for sharing and taking the time to leave a comment and review! :)