Parmesan Baked Cod

The fork test is a good way to tell if cod is properly cooked. Stick a fork at a slight angle into the thickest part of the cod. Twist the fork – the fish will flake easily with a fork twist if it’s properly done. It will also have lost its see-through, raw appearance.

You can also use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of cod, for a fool-proof way to know when it’s done cooking. Cod should be cooked to an internal temperature of 60–63ºC (140–145ºF).

Baked cod is safe to reheat up to 4 days after it has been cooked. In fact, as the flavors will have had a chance to mingle that extra bit longer, it will taste even better!

The biggest challenge when reheating baked cod is to stop it from drying out. It’s easy to make the mistake of overcooking baked fish, but the last thing you want is to end up with tasteless dried out cod fillets. Do it properly and your Parmesan baked cod will still taste utterly delicious.

The first rule when it comes to reheating baked cod is... do not put it in the microwave! Reheating this recipe in the microwave is a sure fire way to zap away the taste and for the crumb layer to go soggy. 

Instead, make sure you take the slow and steady method. Loosely wrap your Parmesan crusted cod in foil, place on a baking sheet and baking tray, then heat it in the oven at 150ºC (300ºF) for 12–15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your baked cod fillets.

Your Parmesan crusted cod recipe leftovers will last 2–3 days in the fridge. Just make sure to place them in an airtight container. 

If you want to store your baked cod Parmesan for even longer, it’s possible to store it in the freezer. Again, place it in an airtight container before putting it in the freezer. 

Frozen Parmesan crusted cod will keep its flavor for 2–3 months. It will be safe to eat up until 6 months, although it will start to lose its flavor. When you want to reheat it, defrost it in the fridge overnight.

Frozen cod, when uncooked, is easy to cook. Just add 10 minutes to the standard cooking time.

Most white fish tends to have a mild flavour, which means finding a substitute for cod is pretty straight forward. Good alternatives to cod fish fillets that you can use in this recipe include haddock, pollack, hake, black cod, seabass, stripped bass, whiting, mahi mahi and monkfish.

Avoid using halibut as a substitute for cod. It has a much stronger flavor, so doesn’t quite work in this Parmesan baked recipe.

If you want to make this recipe for guests, it's a good idea to prepare the breadcrumb/cheese mixture in advance.

If you can’t get hold of fresh parsley, there are a few good substitutes that will work well with this recipe. 

Chervil is a very good alternative to fresh parsley. It has a milder taste than parsley, so you will need to add a little extra to the recipe.

Other good alternatives include tarragon and chives. You could also mix in a bit of dill, although go easy – dill has a stronger taste than parsley.

This Parmesan baked cod recipe is packed full of flavor. Still, there are some extra ingredients that can add an extra dimension of taste.

If you like a bit of spice in your life, try adding a touch of paprika. Sweet paprika and hot paprika would both work well in this recipe, as paprika is a spice that pairs very well with both white fish and Parmesan.

Adding lemon zest to the Parmesan mixture is also a great way to get an extra citrus zing to this recipe. You could even add a squeeze of lemon juice on top of the fish fillet crust, before putting them in the oven.

For an extra special mixture, try using panko crumbs in place of breadcrumbs. Panko is a lighter type of breadcrumb from Japan, typically used in Asian recipes.

You could also add an extra pinch of salt and pepper to the cheese mixture, a little dash of olive oil or half a teaspoon of garlic powder.

Cod is a particularly healthy fish. It’s packed with protein, vitamins and minerals. 

Just 100g of cod contains around 18g of protein – over a third of your recommended daily protein intake. Protein is essential for cell growth and repair, as well as maintaining strong healthy muscles. 

Cod also contains high amounts of Vitamin B6, magnesium and potassium, as well as the all-important vitamins B12 and D – all essential for maintaining a healthy, high-functioning immune system.  

Cod is also lower in mercury than most fish. So, avoid those toxins, get healthy and eat cod!

If this parmesan crusted cod recipe has got you in the mood to make some more delicious Parmesan recipes, you’ll love my savory bread pudding recipe.