Sicilian-Style Baked Cod

Simple, satisfying, and big on flavor, this baked cod with an anchovy and herb breadcrumb topping makes an excellent weeknight dinner.

Gina DePalma

Updated February 05, 2024

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Overhead view of Sicilian Style Baked Cod — Serious Eats / Jen Causey

Why It Works

An anchovy and herb breadcrumb topping offers a satisfying crunch.
White wine lends a delicate floral flavor and sharpness to the dish.

When I’m cooking fish at home, I like to do it in a hot oven. It’s a purely nostalgic impulse: My mother churned out a fish dinner every Friday of my childhood. After getting over my disappointment at being deprived of frozen fish sticks, I grew to love my mother’s simple recipe of baked fish filets with well-seasoned breadcrumbs and some good olive oil.

This easy fish supper gets sweetness from a red onion, freshness from mint and basil, and tanginess from a dash of red wine vinegar. Anchovy paste lends the dish a deep savory note, while olives bring a touch of richness.

I use cod, but you can use any firm, meaty white fish: scrod, haddock, hake, halibut, sea bass, or snapper all work well. Season carefully at each stage of preparation, as the anchovies and olives add saltiness to the flavor of the finished dish.

Simple, satisfying, and big on flavor, this baked cod has become one of my go-to weeknight dinners—and I suspect it will become one of yours, too.

March 2009

This recipe was cross-tested and lightly updated in 2024 to guarantee best results.

Sicilian-Style Baked Cod

Recipe Details

Sicilian-Style Baked Cod Recipe

Prep 15 mins

Cook 35 mins

Cooling Time 5 mins

Total 55 mins

Serves 4 servings

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Ingredients

1 medium red onion (8 ounces; 227g)
2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon (15ml) red wine vinegar
Four 4-ounce (113g) portions firm-fleshed white fish
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
3 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs (3/4 ounce; 21g)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine or water, plus more if needed
10 to 12 (35g) oil-cured black olives pitted

Directions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F (200ºC).
Cut the onion into eighths, separating the layers to create wide, square slices. In a medium sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over low heat, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion has wilted and started to turn translucent, 8 to 10 minutes; be careful not to let it brown. Add the red wine vinegar to the pan and shake briefly to coat onions, then transfer onion mixture to the bottom of an 8- by 12.25-inch baking dish.
Serious Eats / Jen Causey
Wipe the pan with a paper towel to clean it, then place it back over low heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil; heat until shimmering, about 5 minutes. Add the anchovy paste and, using a wooden spoon, stir to dissolve the paste into the oil, about 1 minute. Dump the breadcrumbs into the pan and stir to completely coat them with the oil, about 15 seconds. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a small bowl to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Serious Eats / Jen Causey
Add herbs to the bowl with breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
Serious Eats / Jen Causey
Lay the fish on top of the onions and season fish with salt and pepper. Distribute the breadcrumb-herb mixture evenly on top of the fish. Add the white wine or water to the pan and scatter the olives around the dish.
Serious Eats / Jen Causey
Bake the fish until opaque and flaky but still moist, 15 to 20 minutes; check the pan after 10 minutes and add a bit more water or wine if dry.
Serious Eats / Jen Causey
Serve immediately, with onions, olives and pan juices spooned alongside the fish.
Serious Eats / Jen Causey