Roasted black cod topped with tomatoes, mixed olives, fresh herbs, and lemon on a plate

Black cod has a richness to it that doesn’t need much to feel complete.

This dish keeps things simple—lemon, herbs, tomatoes, and olives—just enough to balance the natural buttery texture without covering it up. It comes together quickly and feels a little elevated, but still easy enough to make any night of the week.

  • Prep Time:

    15 minutes

  • Cook Time:

    15 minutes

  • Total Time:

    30 minutes

  • Servings:

    4 servings

  • Ingredients:

    • 1½–2 lbs black cod (sablefish), portioned
    • Salt and pepper
    • 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
    • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
    • ½ cup mixed olives (such as Kalamata, green, or Castelvetrano), roughly chopped
    • ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
    • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
    • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn
    • Zest and juice of 1 lemon

  • Instructions:

    1. Preheat and prepare: Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a baking dish or sheet pan.
    2. Season the fish: Pat the black cod dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place in the prepared dish.
    3. Make the topping: In a bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, olives, red onion, parsley, basil, and lemon zest and juice.
      You can roughly chop everything by hand, or pulse it briefly in a food processor for a quicker, more evenly mixed topping—an easy way to get dinner on the table without overthinking it.
    4. Assemble and cook: Spoon the mixture over and around the black cod.
      Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the fish is just opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
    5. Finish and serve: Serve warm, spooning the juices and topping over the fish.


    Serving Ideas:

    • Serve over rice or quinoa to soak up the juices
    • Pair with a simple green salad
    • Add warm flatbread on the side
    • Spoon over roasted vegetables

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