Last Updated on February 2, 2025
An easy and healthy one-pan meal for baked cod with tomatoes, chickpeas and spinach
This recipe for baked cod with tomatoes is a store-cupboard/freezer favourite of mine. While it looks superbly fresh and is, I believe, healthy, most of the ingredients are in my store cupboard or freezer. It’s also a flexible recipe – in fact I made this last week using cherry tomatoes. I also make it using mi-cuit roasted tomatoes that I grew myself and froze last autumn. I added in a handful of olives this time too.
This particular version of baked cod with tomatoes used mi-cuit roasted tomatoes that I’d grown myself and frozen last autumn. I added in a handful of olives this time too. But, I’d suggest you can easily improvise with the ingredients you have to hand – even tinned tomatoes will work.
I’ve also used half a glass of vermouth, some frozen spinach, an onion and about 75 grams of chickpeas in this baked cod with tomatoes I make my chickpeas up in bulk from the dried sort when I’m in need of some hummus. Once they are frozen they will keep perfectly well for up to three months and, just like frozen peas, you can help yourself to as many as you need without having to open a can. I love chickpeas and, added to a dish like this they provide extra fibre and protein so that you really don’t need any side dish at all.
As you can see, I’ve salted my cod. I just sprinkle sea salt over the fillet and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes on the kitchen counter. It helps to firm up fish that has been frozen and draw out any excess water. Once it’s time to cook I brush off as much of the salt as possible and then wipe the fillet with a damp kitchen towel.
While the salted fish is resting, I slice and precook the onion and garlic in some olive oil until the mix is nice and soft but only just picking up colour. I add the fish, skin side down, whatever tomatoes I am using and just cook it on the stovetop for a minute or two before adding in the vermouth or wine, the spinach, chickpeas and olives. Then, I season with pepper and a little salt and cover the service side of the fish with a few slices of lemon before popping the whole thing into the air fryer or a pre-heated oven at 180C to bake for 15-20 minutes.
There should be a little liquid in the pan – if necessary add more wine, vermouth or just water so that the mixture doesn’t dry out. I use the bake setting on my air fryer, set at 180C. You can either cook this in the oven or an air fryer (depending on the model). The length of time it will take depends on the thickness of your fish – you should be able to see traces of white protein when the cod is baked. This is a very forgiving dish though and the fish will not dry out even if you cook it for a little too long. Mine took 20 mins in the air fryer.
Here’s a printable recipe so you can make this at home. But please remember, it’s a dish that asks to be adapted to suit what you have in your own freezer or store cupboard so don’t be shy and let me know how you get on. My fish comes from the local farmers’ market at Oval where Potter Street Fishmonger has a stall every Saturday
Baked Cod with Tomatoes and Chickpeas
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 150 grams Cod Fillet
- 75 grams Cooked chickpeas I make these up in bulk from dried and freeze them. You could also use canned or jarred chickpeas
- 150 grams Tomatoes cherry, mi-cuit or fresh (cut into quarters if larger)
- 50 ml Dry white wine or Vermouth
- 1 medium Onion
- 100 grams Frozen Spinach drained. Or a packet of fresh!
- 1/2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 cloves Garlic crushed
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 handful Black olives optional
- 1 Lemon sliced
Instructions
- Salt the cod with sea salt and let rest for about 15 minutes
- Slice the onion and crush the garlic
- Add the olive oil to the skillet and gently fry the onions for 5 minutes before adding the garlic and cooking for a further 2-5 minutes
- Wipe off the seasalt from the cod
- Add the tomatoes and the cod to the pan and cook for a further minute. Season the cod with pepper and top with lemon slices
- Add the spinach, chickpeas, wine and olives if using and spread around the pan
- Put the dish in the air fryer or oven at 180C
- Cook for 15-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of your fish), until you can see traces of white protein rising to the top of the fish and it is nicely opaque.
- If necessary add a little water, wine or vermouth during cooking so that there is always liquid in the pan
- Check and adjust the seasoning and serve with the remaining lemon cut into wedges on the side
Nutrition
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Looking for more fish recipes? Try our fabulous Salmon fishcakes made with fresh salmon
An easy and healthy supper favourite!