Last Updated on April 25, 2023 by Suzy Sakamoto
This Mediterranean Baked Black Cod (Sablefish) recipe is the ultimate catch for a quick dinner and ranks at the very top of my favorite sablefish recipes!
With artichokes, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes, that create a juicy Mediterranean salad that compliments this juicy fish beautifully.
Super easy dinner to put together, and so so good!
Thanks to Alaska Gold Seafood for sponsoring this recipe!
One of my absolute favorite things is mezze platters or in other words, a table full of a variety of appetizers, olives, nuts, veggies, hummus, baba ghanouj and pita bread. Once it's on the table, there's no stopping me from eating all this healthy good for you spread.
This dish reminds me so much of a mezze platter, since it's full of the fresh, the tangy, and the crunch!
I've made this recipe numerous times while falling in love with it more and more every time. Especially after hearing how much my guests loved it. I knew it needed a permanent home on my blog along with my other fish recipes!
Now, add high quality sablefish (black cod) which is packed with omega-3 and ranks at the top of good for you fish. It's fattiness makes it hard to overcook and it's flavor is unbeatable.
ABOUT BLACK COD / SABLEFISH
Sablefish is known for it's smooth buttery flavor that's hard to beat. It's incredibly high in heart-healthy omega-3s, and packed with just about your daily limit of vitamin D. Not to mention has plenty of B vitamins!
When it comes to health benefits of fish, black cod ranks well above most fish including salmon and tuna for it's protein and omega-3 content.
If you're new to this fish, trust me, it's quite addicting and incredibly juicy and soft. I've served it many times to my guests and they all unanimously claim it to be their "Favorite Fish!".
If you have more fish to work with, try this air fryer frozen fish recipe that's easy to make, and always turns out great! My other go-to quick and healthy fish recipe is this healthy air fryer sea bass.
INGREDIENTS NOTES
Black Cod / Sablefish
Using high quality black cod will ensure you're getting the most flavorful and nutritious filets. It's flaky, buttery smooth, and absolutely packed with nutrients.
Where to get sablefish?
I get Alaska Gold Seafood Black Cod to ensure quality is being met. The best part is, my fish shows up properly packaged at my door step within a day or two. Can't beat quality and convenience!
(limited time offer, use promo: theperfecttide for 15% & free shipping)
The Toppings You'll Need
Olives. Use any green olive or kalamata. I would stay away from black olives and pimento olives, they're not quite the right flavor for this dish. I suggest going for a pitted specialty olive, otherwise kalamata is great! Mixing olives is another good way to add variety to this dish.
Artichokes. Because of the strong flavors that all the toppings provide, I prefer to use artichoke hearts that aren't marinated, and just packed in water.
Sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil. Using marinated sun-dried tomatoes add the absolute best flavor to this dish. You truly can't replicate it with dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes. Trust me, I've tried. Though it was still delicious!
Shallots. This recipe is just about 2 shallots, so you won't need to get much. Another great alternative is red onion if you're in a pinch.
Fresh Lemon. The juicier the better, if the lemon seems to be on the dryer side, I'd grab another one as well.
Garlic. Fresh, fresh, fresh!!! Always use freshly minced garlic instead of the pre-packed minced in order to get the right amount and flavor of garlic.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Grab a good one and let's get to it! You'll need this for the fish and drizzling to coat your baking dish.
Feta. This is what seals the deal for me on this dish. Feta adds a creamy factor that completements the dish so well.
Parsley. I love to use it to brighten up the dish and add more color. It also adds a subtle added flavor, and who doesn't love fresh parsley?
SUBSTITUTIONS & MODIFICATIONS
- Olives. Swap out the green olives for kalamata, or a medley, or even black olives if you prefer those. My two personal favorites are kalamata and green olives, since they provide the most tang and added flavor.
- Sun-dried tomatoes. If you're looking for an alternative for these, then cherry tomatoes work wonderfully. The sun-dried tomatoes add so much more flavor to, but I'm sure cherry would be great as well.
- Red onion. Another great ingredient to use instead is shallots. They are easy to work with and would be a great substitution. If you're in a pinch, you can certain use yellow or white onions.
EXPERT TIPS ON COOKING WITH BLACK COD
- Watch the doneness on the filet. Be sure to stay close to the oven and ready to test the fish as it nears the 12-14 minute mark.
- Keep the fillets about the same size so they cook are done at the same time. Otherwise, one may be done before the other, but thankfully this fish is forgiving in the sense that it will remain juicy!
- Be gentle when plating it. It will remain buttery after being cooked, so grab your fish spatula to transfer it in one piece.
SERVING TIPS
Serve it with just about any side you'd like. I've done rice, roasted potatoes, quinoa, air fryer butternut squash, and as-is for a low-carb phenomenal dinner.
When choosing a side dish make sure that it won't overpower with the flavors in this sablefish recipe.
For a salad suggestion, I love having Lebanese Taboulleh Salad for a fresh and light compliment.
STORAGE TIPS
Leftovers? Better eat up! Or store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat on a skillet or in the microwave before enjoying again. I
I like to double the recipe to ensure I have leftovers for lunch the next day! I can't pass up black cod two days in a row.
FAQ
Nope! There's no need to cover your baked fish dish. Allowing it to get lightly crusty on the outside is one of the many benefits of this recipe. To avoid overcooking, be sure to remove the fish from the oven as soon as it registers at 140 degrees F.
To keep fish moist when baking, there are a couple secrets!
First, overcooking is the ultimate reason for a dry fish. Staying close to the oven as it's near the end is very important.
Secondly, allow it to cook with a good sauce or liquid of some kind. My absolute favorite way to bake fish is using this recipe that's full of juicy elements to avoid a dry fish. One of those ways is using extra virgin olive oil and lemon to create moisture.
Nope! This is another myth that you should entirely avoid. All you need to do is pat it dry using a disposable paper towel prior to coating it with oil and spices. Rinsing fish will spread germs around your kitchen sink and isn't a necessary step by any means.
MORE FISH RECIPES
If you're looking for other fish recipes, you're in the right place. Try my flavorful healthy salmon pasta without cream or this rosemary parmesan crusted fish that I've served numerous times now, and it's always a hit!
For an original surf n' turf recipe, you've got to try this bacon bousin fish, it's a super simple 3 ingredient recipe that's worth every bite!
If you're looking for a side, one of the best and heathiest side dishes to serve with this recipe is this Mediterranean quinoa salad that I can't ever seem to get enough of.
I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU! When you make this dish, please RATE using the ⭐️stars in the recipe card, and COMMENT at the end of the page how you enjoyed this dish. I love to connect with you in the comments section.
Make sure to share this recipe with others (there's an easy SHARE on FB button in the recipe card!) or post your picture on Instagram and tag @theperfecttide.
Mediterranean Baked Black Cod (Sablefish)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb black cod filets
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup artichoke hearts quartered
- ½ cup green olives and/or kalamata olives, left whole
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
- ⅓ cup red onions sliced
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced , large, or 3-4 medium
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano , or 2 teaspoon fresh
- 1 teaspoon aleppo pepper flakes or ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 whole lemon , half for cooking, half for serving
- ¼ cup feta to garnish
- 3 tablespoon chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
- In a baking dish, drizzle half of the olive oil and set aside.
- Coat the sablefish in the rest of the oil completely and place them in the dish. Then sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle artichokes, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and shallots around the fish. Try to distribute the toppings as evenly as possible.
- Then sprinkle fresh garlic, dried oregano, and aleppo pepper over the fish and toppings. Add more as needed,
- Squeeze half of a lemon over the dish and bake until the fish is flaky and reads 140℉. Typically takes 15-20 minutes depending on the size of your filets. Avoid overbaking by checking the temperature when nearly done.
- Once out of the oven, garnish with feta crumbles and chopped parsley to serve.
Notes
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Gina
My family and I were lucky enough to have this dish prepared for us by the chef, herself! It is officially now our favorite fish recipe. I’m making it tonight on my own - I’m so excited to get to eat it again!!!