Cod in Tomato Sauce

Name: Cod in Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; ½ cup finely diced yellow onion ((1 small onion)); 4 cloves garlic ((minced)); 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes ((optional)); 1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper; 4 cod fillets or loin pieces ((5 to 6 ounces each, thawed if frozen)); 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

By Rachel Gurk

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Published May 20, 2026

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Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: Cod in tomato sauce is a light, flavorful Mediterranean-style dinner made with flaky cod gently simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce. It’s a weeknight-friendly recipe that’s fancy enough to serve for a dinner party!

How long it takes: 1 hour
Equipment you’ll need: skillet with lid
Servings: 4

A person serves white cod fillets in tomato sauce from a white pan, surrounded by small bowls of herbs, pepper, and slices of baguette.

You’ll Want Bread for This One

I love cod because it’s basically a blank slate. This lemon butter cod is a garlicky classic, and Parmesan crusted cod has a perfectly crunchy crust.

For this recipe, garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning jazz up canned crushed tomatoes for a simple sauce that tastes like it was simmering away on the stove for hours.

It’s light yet filling! And on the dinner table in no time at all!

What makes mine special:

Weeknight friendly: Everything cooks in one skillet, so there’s less to manage on the stovetop and less to clean up afterwards!
Pairs with veggies or carbs: Serve it with pasta, Instant Pot brown rice, or bread for soaking up the sauce or keep it light with a veggie side like sautéed zucchini.

Ingredient Notes

You’ll find the full list of ingredients with measurements at the bottom of the page.

Yellow onion and garlic: These form the backbone of the sauce, infusing it with savory flavor and a little touch of sweetness. Olive oil helps coax the flavor out of the aromatics as you sauté them.
Crushed tomatoes: I like using canned crushed tomatoes instead of tomato sauce because they are still saucy (unlike diced tomatoes) but have texture. Look for no-salt-added or low sodium tomatoes. They taste the same but have considerably less sodium.
Seasonings: To give the cod a Mediterranean vibe, I use Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper, along with red pepper flakes if you’d like a kick. You could substitute dried oregano instead of the Italian seasoning if you don’t happen to have it.
Cod fillets: Cod is perfect for gently poaching in tomato sauce. It’s firm enough so that it won’t fall apart in the sauce and it’s mildly flavored so it doesn’t clash with it. Frozen cod is fine; follow package instructions for thawing. Cod loin fillets work really well for this recipe.
Fresh parsley: Often parsley is merely a garnish but I really recommend adding it to this recipe. Another fresh herb could be substituted if you happen to have it on hand. We like basil, fresh oregano, or even dill.

Ingredient Tip

Use similar-sized cod fillets or cod loin fillets. This helps the cod cook evenly so none of the pieces overcook. Cod is one of the easier seafood options to cook. Cod doesn’t fall apart easily and it’s not as fussy about cook time either.

How to Make Cod in Tomato Sauce

Cook the aromatics. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot and shimmering, add the onion and cook until softened, but not browned. Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and cook just until the garlic is fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds. Again, don’t let it brown! (It gets a sharp, unpleasant flavor when over-cooked.)

Make the sauce. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Let the mixture come to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes to allow the flavors to come together and the sauce to thicken a bit.

Raw cod fillets on a plate, surrounded by bowls of chopped herbs, olive oil, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, chopped onion, and crushed tomatoes.

Diced onions cooking in oil in a white pan.

Add the cod. Nestle the cod fillets into the sauce and spoon some sauce over them. Cover the skillet and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cod flakes easily with a fork and the internal temperature reaches 145°F.

Four pieces of raw white cod in a pan, topped with chunky tomato sauce, ready to be cooked.

A white enameled cast iron Dutch oven with a black knob sits on a light-colored surface, viewed from above.

Recipe Variations

Mediterranean-style: Add sliced olives, capers, or artichoke hearts to the sauce.
Cod with spinach and tomato sauce: Stir in baby spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking time.
Try another fish: Substitute halibut, haddock, or another firm white fish if cod isn’t available.

Serving Suggestions

Pasta or grains: Serve this cod in tomato sauce over jasmine rice, orzo, Instant Pot quinoa, couscous, or pasta for a complete meal.
Bread: It’s also delicious with crusty no-knead bread or Texas toast garlic bread to soak up every bit of sauce.
Veggies: Pair the cod with a green salad and red wine vinaigrette or a vegetable side. This sautéed asparagus would be excellent, as would roasted green beans.

A close-up of a flaky cod fillet topped with chunky tomato sauce and garnished with chopped herbs, being pulled apart with a fork.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerator: Store leftover cod and tomato sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the texture of the fish will suffer.

Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat or (carefully!) in the microwave.

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