Creamy Lemon Garlic Baked Cod

You’re going to love how easy and delicious this recipe is. It’s insanely simple and so incredibly creamy! The best part is that you don’t have to feel guilty about eating this seemingly decadent dish. It’s actually really healthy!

Ahh cod. To be completely honest, I don’t usually like cod. I just think the texture is weird. But it’s SO popular that I love to use it in my recipes because really these recipes are for YOU, not for me. BUT Y’ALL. I actually like it in this recipe. And that’s saying a lot. I mean, I’ve given cod a lot of chances, trying it over and over at different restaurants and at home in different recipes. I even made a point to try it at one of the most famous fish and chips restaurants in London. And I STILL didn’t like it.

But this recipe is different, somehow. Maybe it’s the cream sauce? Maybe it’s that I made sure to use a meat thermometer to bring the fillets to precisely 145ºF? Who knows. All I know is if I like it, then it is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters, the fish-phobic, and cod haters alike. This recipe will not disappoint. Promise.

I’ve made this recipe dairy free, paleo, Whole30, gluten free, low carb, and keto! This kind of recipe is usually made with heavy cream, lots of butter, and breadcrumbs. This dairy free version tastes JUST as good, but is so much better for you. It’s made with heavy coconut cream, just a touch of ghee (or avocado oil if you eat strict dairy free), and I use pork panko for the breadcrumbs!

What the heck is pork panko you ask?? Don’t worry, I thought the same thing. To be honest, I thought it sounded a little sketchy and too good to be true when I first heard about it. But I’m glad I gave it a shot, because it makes the perfect substitute for breadcrumbs in this recipe!

Pork panko is pretty much just baked pork rinds that have been crushed up. You can buy them already crushed or make them yourself using whole baked pork rinds (just blitz them up in a food processor). Pork panko gives you a really nice crunch on top of the cod fillets that compliments the creamy sauce so well! I love all of the textures you get in this recipe!

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Creamy Lemon Garlic Baked Cod

• Gluten-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Paleo
• Low Carb
• Keto
• Whole30
• Low Calorie
• Pescatarian

5 from 2 votes

Print

This creamy baked cod recipe is perfect for a special meal or even a weeknight meal with the family! It's so easy to make and takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish! This recipe is paleo, dairy free, Whole30, gluten free, low carb, and keto! 

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients 

• 4 6 oz 170g wild-caught, sustainably-sourced cod fillets
• 1 1/2 Tbsp grass-fed ghee sub avocado oil for strict dairy free
• 1 medium shallot finely diced
• 5 large cloves garlic minced or pressed
• 12 oz 340g heavy coconut cream*
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pinches cayenne pepper increase to 1/16tsp if you want more of a kick
• 1/4 cup 25g pork panko**
• Chopped parsley for garnish
• Lemon wedges for serving
• Extra ghee or avocado oil for greasing dish and brushing on cod fillets

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400ºF (205ºC).
• Lightly grease 9x13" (approx. 23x33cm) ceramic or glass baking dish with a bit of ghee or avocado oil.
• Dry cod fillets well with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Place in dish, evenly spaced. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and pepper.
• Melt ghee in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once it's hot, add the shallot and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add coconut cream, lemon juice, dijon, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir to combine and turn off heat. 
• Pour cream sauce around cod fillets (not on top). 
• Brush fillets with a bit of melted ghee or avocado oil, then sprinkle with pork panko.
• Bake for 14-16 minutes (or until the centers reach 140ºF/60ºC), then broil on high for 3-5 minutes or until the tops are nice and golden brown (final internal temperature should be 145ºF/63ºC).
• Top with parsley and serve with lemon wedges. 

Did you love the recipe? I would love it if you left me a 5-star review below!

Notes

*I like to use this brand for this recipe. It's thicker than normal full fat coconut milk, but not as thick as when you refrigerate the can and scoop out the cream after it's separated. You can use regular full fat coconut milk, but the sauce will be a little thin. You can also use pure coconut cream (what you scoop out of the can of full fat coconut milk after it's been refrigerated) for a thicker sauce.

**You can also use crushed pork rinds here. Just make sure they are baked and not fried and check the ingredients for anything sketchy. I like this brand!

Category:

• 30 minutes
• American
• Dairy-Free
• Date Night
• Dinner
• Fall
• Family Friendly
• Fish
• French
• Gluten-Free
• Keto
• Low Calorie
• Low Carb
• Main Dish
• New Year's
• Paleo
• Pescatarian
• Quick Weeknight Dinners
• Spring
• Summer
• Valentine's Day
• White fish
• Whole30
• Winter

Author: Kit

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I hope you enjoy the recipe! Make sure to leave me a review in the comments section below! xx Kit