Tomato & Wine Poached Cod
Simmered in a garlicky tomato and white wine broth, this simple poached cod is light, fresh and full of flavor. It’s the kind of dinner that feels fancy, but is actually super easy – perfect for long summer days and warm weather. Serve it with a nice slice or two of garlic bread for a completely delicious and satisfying dinner.
Why you’ll love this poached cod recipe
If you’ve never actually poached fish before, I think you’re in for a treat. This recipe was inspired by one I tried years ago from NYT Cooking. I’ve taken it in a more Italian-inspired direction, similar to how I’d cook mussels marinara, but with fresh tomatoes and no fancy chile oil.
This cooking method is great for cooking delicate fish and keeps it tender while infusing it with incredible amounts of flavor. Plus, serving the cod with a few spoons of broth gives you something to dunk your garlic bread in.
More fish recipes: coconut curry salmon / blackened tuna steaks / baked mahi mahi / 6 ingredient fish cakes
Summer tomato recipes: chicken pomodoro / Italian bruschetta / roasted tomato pasta sauce / creamy vegan tomato soup
Ingredient notes:
- Cod – Any white fish will work for this recipe, but I like that cod is easy to get and relatively inexpensive where we live.
- Tomatoes – I normally use grape tomatoes for this recipe because the retain their shape slightly better than cherry, but both would work. You could also use larger tomatoes, just chop them to a reasonable size before cooking.
- Shallot – These give us a delicate flavor (and I happened to have a few when I made this recipe), but you could use a thinly sliced sweet or red onion.
- White wine – You’ll want a dry white wine with a citrus-y flavor profile. I like a sauvingon blanc, but a chardonnay or pinot grigio should work, too.
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
- Crush your tomatoes. If your tomatoes aren’t creating enough juice, use the back of your spoon to gently press on them to help them out a bit.
- Don’t overcook the fish. It only takes about 6–8 minutes to poach most pieces of fish. Look for it to turn opaque and flake easily with a fork.
- Serve with crusty garlic bread. This broth is too good to waste, so be sure to serve your poached cod with extra broth and some crusty garlic bread!
Frequently asked questions
Can I use frozen cod?
Poaching is actually a really great method for cooking frozen fish. You actually don’t even need to thaw it, but you will need to add more cook time if you’re poaching it straight from the freezer.
Can I make this without wine?
Absolutely! My favorite substitute is water + a splash of lemon juice. You can also substitute chicken or seafood stock, but you might need to adjust the amount of salt you add overall if you use stock.
More seafood recipes: shrimp toast / air fryer crab cakes / salmon kabobs / linguine with clams
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot (thinly sliced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 20 ounces grape tomatoes
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 1.5 pounds cod fillets
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil (thinly sliced)
- Lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Make the sauce. Heat a large skillet to medium-high with the olive oil. When it's hot, add the shallots, garlic and crushed pepper flakes. Sauté until fragrant, stirring frequently, about 1 minutes. Next, add the tomatoes and season with coarse salt. When the tomatoes have softened, add the white wine and bring to a simmer.
- Poach the fish. Season the fish with salt & pepper, and arrange the fish in the pan, nestling pieces between the tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow the fish to cook for about 6 – 8 minutes, depending on thickness, or until the fish is cooked through and opaque.
- Garnish and serve. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve the fish with a generous portion of broth and tomatoes. Serve with lemon slices and additional basil if desired.
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