Pesto Baked Cod and Potatoes

This Pesto Baked Cod is fast and flavorful! It's made with roasted Yukon gold potatoes, cod fish filets, and a creamy lemon pesto mayo sauce.

If you're looking for a weeknight dinner that's ready in a little more than 30 minutes, be sure to check out this Baked Cod and Potatoes. It's takes minimal effort and won't leave you with a pile of dishes.

The only thing better than a good meal that's full of flavor is one that doesn't result in a mountain of dishes. Sheet pan meals are perfect if you want a dish that's satisfying, but requires minimal effort.

This recipe is made with either Yukon gold or red potatoes that are tossed in olive oil, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning and then roasted in the oven until tender on the inside and a little crispy on the outside.

The potatoes are topped with cod fish filets that are seasoned simply with kosher salt and pepper and baked along with them in the oven. The whole thing is drizzled with a lemon basil pesto mayo sauce, which provides some extra richness and flavor to the dish.

It's garnished with fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon juice. All you need is a baking sheet and a few ingredients to pull together this dish.

Jump to:

• Which Potatoes Are Best For Roasting?
• Do The Potatoes Need To Be Peeled?
• Ingredients For Pesto Baked Cod
• What Is Cod Fish?
• How To Roast Potatoes
• How To Make Cod and Potatoes
• How To Tell If Cod Is Done Cooking?
• How To Make Pesto Sauce
• What To Serve With Cod and Potatoes
• How Long Do The Leftovers Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Pesto Baked Cod and Potatoes

Which Potatoes Are Best For Roasting?

One of the best ways to prepare potatoes is to roast them. The roasting process helps to caramelize the outside of the potato, making them golden and crispy while allowing the inside to become soft and chewy.

When roasting potatoes, it's best to choose a variety that is waxy and low in starch. Waxy potato varieties include Yukon gold, fingerlings, and red potatoes.

I recommend using Yukon gold potatoes if possible. They have great flavor, texture, and tend to roast evenly. Yukon golds also pick up the flavor of whatever is added to it and don't dry out when roasted.

Yukon gold potatoes are sometimes labeled as 'Yellow Potatoes' or 'Honey Gold'. Any of these varieties should work when roasted along with this Pesto Baked Cod.

Feel free to use red potatoes if you can't find Yukon gold potatoes.

Starchier varieties of potatoes like russets are better suited for mashing or baking because they are softer in texture.

Do The Potatoes Need To Be Peeled?

It is not necessary to peel potatoes before roasting. Potato skins provide the dish with great texture and nutrients. Peeling smaller varieties of potatoes like reds or Yukon gold is also cumbersome.

I do recommend washing and scrubbing the potatoes thoroughly before use if needed.

Ingredients For Pesto Baked Cod

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 1 - 1 ½ lbs. Cod (fresh or frozen)
• 6 heaping cups Yukon Gold Potatoes (equals 2 lbs. or 8-12 potatoes, depending on size)
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil (split)
• 2 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• ½ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
• ½ tsp. Pepper (split)
• ¼ cup Jarred Basil Pesto
• 2-3 Tbsp. Mayo
• 2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
• Lemon Wedges for garnish
• Fresh Basil for garnish (optional)

What Is Cod Fish?

Cod is a firm, flaky white fish that holds up nicely when cooked. It can be grilled, roasted, and fried. Cod is often used to make staple dish like fish and chips and fish tacos.

It's a meaty fish with a clean flavor. Cod is widely available and a sustainable seafood choice. It's available in most grocery stores either in the fresh seafood or frozen foods section.

I recommend using fresh cod if you can find it, but frozen cod works great as well. If using frozen cod, make sure to thaw it completely and thoroughly pat dry before cooking, so that the fish doesn't become rubbery.

If you are unable to find cod, feel free to substitute it with any variety of firm, flaky white fish such as haddock, pollack, grouper, halibut, Mahi Mahi, or walleye.

How To Roast Potatoes

When making cod and potatoes, it's important to remember that roasting times for the two differ. Potatoes take longer to cook than cod, so the recipe starts by roasting them first and then adding the cod halfway through the cooking process.

1. Start by heating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Thaw 1 - 1 ½ lbs. of cod if frozen. Once thawed, place the fish between paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. Or, simply pat the fish dry with paper towels if using fresh cod.
3. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over the fish and sprinkle with ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. Wash and scrub 2 lbs. of Yukon gold potatoes (or waxy potatoes of choice) if needed. Dice the potatoes into chunks, making sure they are all relatively the same size to ensure even cooking (yields 6 heaping cups of diced potatoes).
5. Place the diced potatoes onto a large baking sheet. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. of olive oil over the potatoes. Add 2 tsp. each of garlic powder and Italian seasoning and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper to the potatoes. Toss until completely coated in the oil and spices.
6. Place the baking sheet into the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven after 15 minutes.

How To Make Cod and Potatoes

Fish and seafood take little time to cook and the cod in this dish is ready in only 15 minutes. For this reason, it's added to the top of the potatoes halfway through the cooking time.

The cod and potatoes together roast for another 15 minutes in the oven, meaning this dish is ready in 30 minutes.

1. After 15 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Place the cod on top of the halfway-roasted potatoes and arrange so that the pieces of fish are not touching each other.
2. Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast for another 15 minutes, or until the cod is finished cooking.
3. Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
4. The cod should be fully cooked and the potatoes easily pierced with a knife or fork at the end of the cooking time.

How To Tell If Cod Is Done Cooking?

It's important not to undercook seafood, but it's also important not to overcook it or the fish may become rubbery.

To test if the fish is done cooking, simply twist the fish with a fork to see if it flakes. The cod should also go from translucent to white as it bakes in the oven.

The best way to test if seafood is cooked properly is to check the internal temperature. This can be achieved by placing a food thermometer in the thickest part of the fish filet. The safe internal temperature for cod is 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cooking times may vary slightly depending on the thickness of your fish and the type of oven used.

How To Make Pesto Sauce

The glue that holds this Baked Pesto Cod together is the creamy pesto sauce that's drizzled over the top after the fish and potatoes are finished cooking. It gives the meal much of its flavor, so be sure not to skip this step!

This is a shortcut sauce made with a few simple ingredients, but packs a lot of flavor. It can be made while the cod and potatoes are roasting in the oven.

The amount of mayo needed may vary depending on the brand of jarred basil pesto used. Start with 2 Tbsp. of mayo and add more if needed. The sauce should be easily drizzled when finished.

1. To make the sauce, simply combine ¼ cup jarred basil pesto, 2-3 Tbsp. mayo, and 2 Tbsp. lemon juice in a small bowl.
2. Stir until completely combined using a fork or a small whisk.

Once the sauce is ready, it's drizzled over the top of the dish, giving it a rich a flavorful boost.

Love pesto? Don't miss these recipes!

• Homemade Spinach Basil Pesto
• Arugula Pesto Prosciutto Pizza
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• Pesto Grilled Cheese
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• Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad

What To Serve With Cod and Potatoes

Once the fish, potatoes, and pesto sauce are ready it's time to serve.

1. Place some of the roasted potatoes onto a plate and top with 1-2 of the cod filets.
2. Drizzle with desired amount of the pesto sauce.
3. Squeeze a wedge of lemon juice over the top of the dish.
4. Garnish with fresh basil or herbs of choice (optional).

Lemon juice helps to wake up the flavors of any dish and fresh herbs add great color and another layer of flavor.

Sheet pan meals like this one are perfect with a side salad, or any type of bright, tangy salad. This pickled beet salad, balsamic green bean salad, Italian tomato salad, or fresh pea salad are all great choices.

For a side dish, roasted vegetables like these sheet pan green beans or Parmesan roasted cauliflower work well.

Feel free to top this Baked Pesto Cod with any kind of garnish that complement Italian flavors like Kalamata olives, capers, artichokes, roasted red peppers, Parmesan cheese, or feta.

Love sheet pan meals? Check out these recipes!

• Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage and Veggies
• Sheet Pan Shrimp Tacos
• Mediterranean Sheet Pan Chicken
• Greek Sheet Pan Chicken
• Sheet Pan Italian Chicken
• Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes

How Long Do The Leftovers Last In The Fridge?

Fish is one of those things that's best enjoyed fresh, so I recommend enjoying it right away. Leftover fish may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

If you have leftover potatoes, they may be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Any leftover pesto mayo may be stored separately in an airtight container for 3-4 days. It can be used to top roasted veggies, chicken, or used as a dip for fresh vegetables.

Can It Be Frozen?

I do not recommend freezing this dish.

Love fish? Check out these recipes!

• Panko Baked Cod
• Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
• Asian Smoked Salmon Rice Bowls
• Breaded Walleye Fingers
• Pan Fried Walleye Sandwich

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