Why I love this coconut curry cod
When I bought the cod for this recipe, I had planned on making something super basic. You know, normal fish stuff like lemon, parsley, olive oil. But, I quickly realized I had an unbelievable amount of cilantro – on top of more cilantro I had just picked up.
So naturally, I shifted gears in an effort to use some of this cilantro, and this recipe is what I came up with using ingredients I already had.
It’s a simple, 5-ingredient dish that requires less than 10 minutes to prep.The result was a tender, mild fish with a creamy flavorful sauce. If cod hasn’t always been your thing, this might be the recipe for you.
Serve it with some oven roasted broccoli and a big heap of rice for a complete and easy meal. This would also be great with my Thai noodle salad or some roasted butternut squash.
More curry recipes to try: slow cooker Massaman curry / Thai chicken meatball curry / curry chickpea salad / coconut curry salmon
Ingredient notes:
- Cod fillets – Look for individual portions that are similar in size so they cook evenly. If you are using a large filet, you can easily portion it yourself. Fresh or thawed frozen cod both work well here. You can also substitute another mild, white fish instead.
- Curry paste – Green, red, and yellow curry pastes all work in this recipe — they each bring slightly different heat levels and flavor profiles. I typically like to use red or green. You can even adjust the amount of curry paste to match your preference. I like the 2 teaspoons in this recipe because it provides just enough flavor and heat without overpowering the flavor of the coconut milk.
- Coconut milk – You want full-fat canned coconut milk to get the creamy rich taste we’re going for here. My favorite brand is Aroy-D.
- Cilantro – If you’re not a fan, fresh basil or sliced green onions are good alternatives.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Melissa’s tips + tricks:
- Dry the fish before seasoning. Patting the cod dry with paper towels helps the salt and pepper actually stick and gives you a slightly better texture after baking.
- Don’t skip the thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan. Pouring a bit of sauce into the baking dish before adding the fish prevents sticking and flavors the fish from both sides as it bakes.
- Check for doneness at 18 minutes. Cod cooks quickly, and the exact time will depend on the thickness of your fillets. It’s done when it turns fully opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Any mild, flaky white fish will work in this recipe — tilapia, halibut, and mahi mahi are all good options. Just keep an eye on cook time, as thinner fillets will cook faster than cod.
Cod is fully cooked when it turns completely opaque and flakes easily when you press it with a fork. If it’s still translucent in the center, give it a few more minutes.
Curry paste and curry powder aren’t really interchangeable — paste is much more concentrated and adds moisture to the sauce, while powder is dry. If you only have curry powder, start with 1 tablespoon and know the sauce will taste different than intended.
More dairy free seafood recipes: fish cakes / miso glazed salmon / blackened fish tacos / peel and eat shrimp
Coconut Curry Baked Cod Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 individual cod fillets, about 1 ½ pounds total
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups full-fat canned coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons curry paste
- Chopped fresh cilantro, amount to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels, then season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Make the sauce. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together coconut milk, ginger and curry paste until smooth. Pour a thin layer of sauce into a large baking dish. Place fish on top, and pour remaining sauce into the pan.
- Arrange and bake. Pour a thin layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Arrange the cod fillets on top, then pour the remaining sauce over the fish.Bake for 18 – 20 minutes, or until the cod is fully opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Garnish and serve. Remove fish from oven and top with fresh cilantro before serving with a generous portion of sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
This looks delicious Melissa! I love that it has only 5 ingredients and comes together in no time. Pinned!
Thanks Regina! It’s crazy how easy it was.
This recipe sounds so flavorful and heavenly! I love the flavors you have put together. This is a must try!
Annie, you must try this recipe then! It’s so creamy and flavorful 🙂 I just know you’ll love it!
This cod looks so incredibly delicious. I just love how it’s 5 ingredients and super simple and healthy too – I have to make this!
Thanks Thalia! I am a huge fan of easy to make dinners like this one. You should definitely try it!
This looks heavenly!!! I am making it tonight and already can’t wait until dinner time. Did you use full fat coconut milk or would light work as well?
I just find that light coconut milk just does not taste the same (it’s missing the “creamy” smooth factor)
I used full fat coconut milk. I’ve actually never used light before! You don’t want to miss out on that creaminess. It’s what makes the dish!I hope you love it as much as I did 🙂
We still had some sole fillets in the freezer and it turned out amazing with this creamy coconut curry. I only had red curry paste which made the sauce pink looking and oh-so-yummy! We will definitely be making this again. Thanks for this super easy recipe. After making blog food I often lack inspiration or motivation to make dinner. Simple recipes like this one are my saving grace!
I know exactly how you feel. Some days I wish I didn’t even have to eat! I’m glad you liked the recipe and that it worked with different fish and curry. 🙂
What type of curry paste did you use? Just simple red curry paste? Thanks!
I used Thai green curry paste, but you could definitely use red. Green has more of a lemongrass/ginger flavor, but I think that red would taste great too!
Hi Melissa, I made this delicious dish earlier this week and the entire crew loved it – including my 5-year-old son who wanted more and isn’t usually into curries! I used red curry paste and it worked out perfectly. The coconut milk was subtle and creamy and paired beautifully with the fish (I used sweetlip) – topped with the cilantro, it was bliss! Will definitely make this again. So simple and satisfying!
Thanks so much for the positive review! It’s definitely one of my favorite recipes, but it’s great to hear that you liked it, too! 🙂
Hi! Can i use powdered curry instead?
I would actually not recommend this. You could add curry powder for an additional flavor boost, but the curry really won’t taste the same if you only use powder. This is because powder has a totally different flavor profile and you’ll miss out on all the lemongrass and ginger flavors in the paste!
This was so easy and delicious I’m going to do it again for company in a couple days!
Where did you get the green curry paste? I’m living in a rural area so I can go online, but it so hard to know what is the good stuff without a recommendation.
Tonite I used red curry a friend gave me. It was good but I’m intrigued by the lemongrass-ginger flavors youu are describing in the green curry.
Thanks for any suggestions.
I buy mine at a local grocery store called Woodman’s. Do you have an Asian grocery store in your area? They usually have stuff like that. Otherwise, here’s a link to the brand I buy on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2tUJFRG. They also have an assortment you can buy that could be fun (http://amzn.to/2tomOfz). I love Massaman curry paste, too. We had it when we were in Thailand and I made a slow cooker version of it at home that turned out great. You can find that here: https://www.simplywhisked.com/slow-cooker-massaman-beef-curry/.
I can’t wait to make this! How many ounces do you consider a fillet? Trying to figure out the proportions in this recipe.
Oh geez. I honestly can’t remember. I usually buy 1 – 1.5 pounds of fish for 4 people, so about 4-6 ounces per person (even though I know it’s more that a “serving” size).