Tomato olive cod
Cod fillets gently cooked in a tomato sauce with green olives and oregano.
Serving illustration.
Cod fillets gently cooked in a tomato sauce with green olives and oregano. This version is written for two people, with ingredient quantities that you can scale using the recipe card. Read the whole method before heating your pan so you can prepare the ingredients in the order they are used. Cooking times are estimates and should be checked against the doneness cues in the instructions.
What makes this dinner work
A gentle simmer is kinder to delicate fish than a rapid boil. Keep the fillets in one layer so they cook at a similar rate and can be lifted without breaking.
Olives contribute salt as well as flavor. Taste the sauce after they have simmered before deciding whether it needs additional seasoning.
Before you start
Choose boneless fillets of similar thickness and check for bones before cooking. The side dish is not included in the quantities.
Measure the sauce ingredients and prepare the vegetables before handling any raw meat or seafood. Keep the ingredient list beside you: changes in thickness, pan size and stove output can affect the cooking time. When multiplying servings, a second pan or separate batches may work better than crowding everything into the original pan.
Cooking and handling notes
Check the thickest part of the fish for 145°F (63°C) with a food thermometer. Cooking time varies with fillet thickness.
The CDC guidance linked below covers keeping hands and surfaces clean, separating raw foods and refrigerating perishable food promptly. Check ingredient labels for allergies, including wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts and seafood where relevant.
Tomato olive cod
Prep and cooking times are estimates.
Ingredients
How to make it
- Build the baseHeat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Soften onion for about 5 minutes, then stir in garlic briefly.
- Simmer sauceAdd tomatoes, olives and oregano. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes, adding a little water if the sauce is very thick.
- Add fishLower the heat and nestle cod into the sauce in one layer. Spoon some sauce over the top and cover loosely.
- Check donenessCook gently until the thickest part of each fillet reaches 145°F (63°C), checking after about 6–8 minutes. Thick fillets may need longer.
- ServeLift the cod with a wide spatula and spoon sauce around it. Taste before adding salt because olives can be salty. Serve with separately prepared bread or rice if desired.
Make it work for you
A gentle simmer is kinder to delicate fish than a rapid boil. Keep the fillets in one layer so they cook at a similar rate and can be lifted without breaking. Olives contribute salt as well as flavor. Taste the sauce after they have simmered before deciding whether it needs additional seasoning.
Sources & editorial notes
Follow ingredient labels and the cooking guidance below. Food-safety references are listed for further reading.
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