Pesto Baked Cod and Potatoes

Sheet pan cod and potatoes with pesto sauce and lemon on white plate.

5 from 3 votes

This Pesto Baked Cod recipe is easy and ready in 30 minutes! It's made with potatoes and topped with a creamy lemon basil pesto sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: sheet pan cod, baked pesto cod, cod and potatoes, cod with pesto

Servings:

Calories: 546kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Equipment

Sheet Pan

Ingredients

For The Sheet Pan Cod:

1 - 1 ½ lb. cod fresh or frozen
6-8 red potatoes equals 8 cups diced
3 Tbsp. olive oil split
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. kosher salt split
½ tsp. pepper split

For The Pesto Sauce:

¼ cup jarred basil pesto
2 Tbsp. mayo
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
lemon slices for garnish
fresh herbs such as basil for garnish optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For The Potatoes:

Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thoroughly wash and scrub 6-8 red potatoes (or waxy potatoes of choice). Dice the potatoes into chunks, making sure they are all relatively the same size to ensure even cooking.
Once the potaotes are diced, place them on a large baking sheet. Drizzle 2 tablespoon olive oil over the potatoes, along with 2 teaspoon each of garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Add ¼ teaspoon each of kosher salt and pepper. Toss until completely coated.
Roast the potatoes for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven after 15 minutes.

For The Cod:

If using frozen cod, allow the fish to thaw completely before use.
Once thawed, cut 1 - 1 ½ lbs. into evenly sized filets. Place them on a large plate or separate baking sheet. Pat both sides of the cod dry with paper towels.
Drizzle the fish with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle ¼ teaspoon each of kosher salt and pepper on the cod.
Place the cod on top of the halfway-roasted potatoes and arrange them so that the pieces of fish are not touching each other.
Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast for another 15 minutes, or until the cod is finished cooking. Remove the pan from the oven.

For The Pesto Mayo:

Combine ¼ cup jarred basil pesto, 2 tablespoon mayo, and 2 tablespoon lemon juice in a small bowl.
Stir until completely combined using a fork or a small whisk.

To Serve:

Place a couple spoonfuls of roasted potatoes on a plate and drizzle them with desired amount of the pesto mayo.
Place a few cod filets over the top of the potatoes and sauce.
Squeeze some fresh lemon over the top of the dish. Garnish with fresh minced basil (optional).

Notes

Any waxy variety of potatoes such as Yukon gold or fingerling may be used in place of red potatoes.

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.

The safe internal temperature for cod is 145 degrees Fahrenheit and may be checked using a food thermometer.

Nutrition