Baked Cod with Panko
Baked Cod with Panko is an easy, flavorful, and light dinner dish. Cod fillets are topped with seasoned, buttery Panko breadcrumbs then baked to perfection!
Ingredients
Breadcrumbs
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons parsley, freshly chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Fish
- 1 pound cod fillets, 3 to 4 pieces
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
For the Breadcrumbs
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, parsley, lemon juice, melted butter, garlic powder, and paprika.½ cup panko bread crumbs3 tablespoons parsley2 tablespoons unsalted butter1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice½ teaspoon garlic powder¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
For the Fish
- Use paper towels to pat the cod fillets dry. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of lemon juice over the fillets, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.1 pound cod fillets2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice1 teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of panko topping on top of each piece of fish and press down gently so the topping sticks. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the cod flakes easily.
- Serve immediately with a side salad or sautéed vegetables. We do not recommend storing the cod for later.
Suggested Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
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Seafood is a blank slate. You can add a variety of seasonings, breadcrumbs, or toppings to enhance the flavor of the fish.
Whether it’s a simple seasoning blend like we used on our oven baked mahi mahi recipe, a lemon caper sauce like on our pan seared halibut, Chilean sea bass with dill, or baked flounder with lemon garlic and butter a little flavor goes a long way.
That’s the case with this baked cod with panko, too. We seasoned the panko breadcrumbs with butter, lemon juice, garlic powder, and paprika.
The seasoned panko adds a wonderful flavor and a crunchy texture to the light, flakiness of the cod. They make a great combination!
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
How do I make my panko crispy?
When you’re making panko crusted cod, the moisture from the fish has a tendency to make the panko topping soggy. There are a couple of ways to keep the panko nice and crispy.
The first thing is to add a little melted butter to the panko mix. Butter helps the panko brown nicely and hold it’s crunchiness.
The second thing is to cook the panko at a high heat. We bake the cod with panko topping at 425°F, because it cooks the cod nicely while crisping up the panko at the same time.
How to bake cod with panko and parmesan?
It’s really easy to add Parmesan cheese to this baked cod recipe for a little added flavor. Freshly grated (in a food processor) off the block Parmesan cheese, or grated cheese from a shaker container works best.
Add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the grated Parmesan cheese with the panko breadcrumb mixture and follow the recipe as written.
What can I use if I don’t have panko?
There are several things you can use as a topping in place of the panko; however, the texture won’t be quite the same.
You can make baked cod with Ritz crackers, cornflakes, regular breadcrumbs, pretzels, or potato chips. Any of those will give a crunchy texture to the baked fish.
Some thin potato chips may not hold up well, so look for thicker, hearty chips if you decide to go that route.
Simply replace the panko breadcrumbs with your choice of other topping. Add it to the fish, bake, and you’ll still have a great crusted cod dish.
This baked cod is amazingly easy and tasty with the recipe just as-is, and next time I’ll include the freshly grated parmesan cheese for just a little more “mmm”.
Thank you Roland! We’re glad you like baked cod. The addition of fresh parmesan sounds awesome. Thank you again commenting, have a great day!
Wow! One of the best cod recipes I’ve tried yet! My husband isn’t fussy for fish and he even loved it, thanks!!!
Thank you so much, Krys!
We’re happy that everyone enjoyed it. Have a wonderful evening! 🙂
Have tried several cod recipes. This is by far the best outside of a chowder, and so simple. Cod was flaky but still tender, panko coating was far superior to flour-based. Cooking at high heat worked well, just keep an eye on it.
Thanks so much, John!
We’re glad you enjoyed the cod. Thank you for coming back to comment and rate the recipe. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
This is our favorite weeknight fish dinner. Thanks!
I made this for dinner last night. It was amazing, restaurant quality. The fish was flaky and the topping cruncy. Did add the parmesan, it gave it a nice flavor.
Thanks so much, Colleen!
We’re glad you enjoyed it and hope you have a great week! 🙂
I had confirmed fish haters LOVE this! I used seasoned panko, bumped up the cheese but otherwise followed this. News to me: cooking at high heat! This was the trick- and the thick coat of buttered panko/parm kept the fish moist. Thank you!
Such an amazingly easy, flavorful dish!
Thanks so much, Carolyn!
Perfect just the way it is. Don’t change a thing. I baked for 13 minutes and it was flaky and delicious. Thank you!