Mediterranean Baked Black Cod (Sablefish)
This Mediterranean-style baked black cod recipe is packed with nutritious ingredients, like tomatoes, peppers, olives, and fresh herbs. It’s buttery-soft, flavourful, and super easy to make.
While I have yet to post a black cod (sablefish) recipe on my blog, it actually happens to be one of my favourite fish varieties!
I often purchase it for special occasions (or when it’s on sale) because it has SUCH a beautiful and luxurious taste and texture. That said, this recipe is perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner!
This baked black cod recipe is a super simple, yet flavourful way to cook sablefish in the oven. It’s only 10 ingredients and packed with Mediterranean flavours!
As a dietitian, I’m happy to share that black cod has plenty of nutrition benefits (covered below). This dish is also a great source of veggies, and I’ve included some serving ideas for making this recipe a complete meal as well. Enjoy 🙂
Healthy Seafood Dinners Ebook
Enjoy this recipe? You will love my 118-page eCookbook of 50 easy, delicious, and nutritious seafood dinner recipes. Get instant access from your phone, tablet, or computer – ad-free!
Ingredients Needed
All you need to make this baked black cod recipe are 10 simple, nutritious ingredients:
- black cod (sablefish)
- bell pepper (red, orange, or yellow)
- tomatoes (small variety, like cherry or pearl)
- green olives
- black olives
- garlic
- olive oil
- lemon
- fresh parsley
- fresh basil
Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Recipe Modifications & Ingredient Swaps
- You could try making this recipe with a different type of fish, like regular cod, halibut, or even salmon. Please note that cooking times may differ depending on the type of fish and on the thickness of the cut! A quick Google search for cooking your specific fish variety should do the trick 🙂
- Feel free to use only one type of olive here, instead of both green and black (if desired). My personal preference would be to go for the green ones!
- If you want to try adding some chopped shallots or onions, that would likely work well too.
What To Serve This Recipe With
As this sablefish recipe is a delicious mix of protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich veggies, I would recommend serving it with a type of starch to make a complete meal! Some ideas:
Black Cod (Sablefish) Nutrition Benefits
This tasty, buttery-soft fish is a great source of complete protein and healthy fats, including omega-3s.
Black cod is also a rich source of vitamins and minerals, like:
- vitamin B12
- vitamin B6
- magnesium
- iron
- calcium
More Healthy Seafood Recipes
- Mediterranean Canned Mackerel Pasta
- Almond Herb-Crusted Cod
- Poached Halibut With Tomato Coconut Curry
- Baked Miso Maple Ginger Salmon
- Sheet Pan Cod Dinner With Veggies
Did you give this Mediterranean Baked Black Cod (Sablefish) Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Baked Black Cod (Sablefish)
Ingredients
- 1 pound black cod fillets (450g; cut into 4 pieces)
- 1 large bell pepper, cored + chopped (red, orange, or yellow)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 5 large green olives, pitted + diced (I used Gordal)
- 8 small black olives, pitted + diced (I used Hojiblanca)
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, juice only
- Salt + pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil, chopped (to garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Place sablefish fillets in a large baking dish.
- In a large bowl, toss together the peppers, tomatoes, olives, garlic, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Pour vegetable mixture over top of fish fillets. Spread out evenly so that the fish is visible and the vegetable mixture surrounds it. Season fish with additional salt and pepper.
- Place baking dish in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until desired doneness (for the fish).
- Remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil. See notes for some serving ideas!
Notes
- whole grains, like quinoa, farro, millet, or brown rice
- boiled or roasted potatoes (I love using mini ones!)
- pasta (the veggie mixture would make great, light sauce!)
- Leftover fish should be eaten within 1-3 days of cooking
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge
- Leftovers can easily be reheated in the microwave or in the oven!
- You could try making this recipe with a different type of fish, like regular cod, halibut, or even salmon. Please note that cooking times may differ depending on the type of fish and on the thickness of the cut! A quick Google search for cooking your specific fish variety should do the trick 🙂
- Feel free to use only one type of olive here, instead of both green and black (if desired). My personal preference would be to go for the green ones!
- If you want to try adding some chopped shallots or onions, that would likely work well too.
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
Pin it for later:
104 Comments on “Mediterranean Baked Black Cod (Sablefish)”
I made this for dinner this evening and it was delicious!! The marinated veggies lent such a wonderful flavor to the dish, and the cod was melt in your mouth!! Thank you so much for this yummy and healthy dish. I will be following you!!
Hi Cheryl! Aw thank you so much for taking the time to leave this kind review. It’s so very appreciated!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this one, and thank you for the follow!! I hope you find plenty of other easy recipe inspiration on here. I can’t wait to see what you try next 🙂
Lovely meal! Quick and easy too!
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Kathy!! Much appreciated. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it 🙂
I’m considering adding artichoke hearts (my wife loves them). Do you think this would be a good addition? Any suggestions on when to add them? (I’m thinking of just throwing them in with the rest of the veggie base.) looking forward to this for dinner tonight, as it looks beautiful, and I’m certain it will be delicious!
Thanks for your question, Jeremy! Oh I think artichoke hearts would be delicious and pair perfectly with these flavours. Agreed – I would think to add them with the rest of the veggies too. I hope you and your wife enjoy this one 🙂
It was delicious! I knew my wife would enjoy it, but I’m such a “comfort food” addict (and have the waistline to prove it) I was super pleased to find it was something I thoroughly enjoyed as well. Being from the Pacific Northwest, we have an abundance of white fish that o catch regularly (rockfish, lingcod, and seasonal halibut and sablefish) which I think will all do well with this recipe.
That’s so great to hear, Jeremy! So happy you both were able to enjoy this one. I’m from the PNW too, and totally agree that this dish would work great with a variety of fish!! I’ve got plenty of seafood recipes if you’re looking for anymore inspiration HERE – I’d love to know if you give any a try 🙂
Excellent complex flavors and easy to assemble. Great way to use farmers market produce. I added some shrimp for fun. Brava & thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Magda! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. It’s so appreciated! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this one. The shrimp addition sounds delightful, too!!
WONDERFUL recipe for sablefish!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Gwenn! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this one 🙂
This looks great and I’m trying it tomorrow. Do you know the calories?
Hi Gina! Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy this one 🙂
Unfortunately I don’t count calories so I don’t know off hand. If you’d like, you can enter the recipe into an online nutrition calculator like MyFitnessPal to get an estimate!
Delicious. I heated in the oven first a small cast iron Le Creuset fish pan, once it was super hot – I plopped in the fish coated in olive oil skin side down to get a little sear.
Then I added a splash of wine white which quickly reduced.
Following those 2 quick steps I added the rest of the mixture.
A lovely & slightly “fancy” yet simply healthy dish!
Thanks, Carrie, I will keep this one! Cheers!
This all sounds so delicious, Kimberly!! Thank you so much for sharing your experience and your modifications. Your review and kind words are so appreciated! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this fancy, yet simple dinner 🙂
Made this tonight. And oh wow. Sooooo good. We only had jalapeno stuffed green olives, so we used them. Also put a little feta cheese on top. Had it with angel hair pasta. So so good. Thank you for this delicious and healthy recipe!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Kim! It’s so appreciated :). Ah this all sounds SO good – angel hair is my absolute favourite. I’m sure the jalapeno stuffed olives + feta cheese were a perfect addition, too!!
Easy, tasty and very pretty too. Thanks!!
I’m so happy to hear that, Cheryl!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. It’s so appreciated! Happy holidays 🙂
Highly disappointing that an RD would not include actual nutritional data (calories, carb, fiber, protein, etc) with her recipes. I had looked forward to signing up for your recipes but will not since you don’t see fit to provide this information. I look for recipes that save me time, as well as provide nutritious and delicious meals. If I have to calculate the nutrition I’m not saving time.
Hi Teri,
I’m sorry that you feel that way, but the reason I don’t include them is intentional. From both my professional and personal experience, I’ve seen SO many people damage their relationships with food and their bodies by focusing on the numbers of calories and macronutrients. I couldn’t tell you the number of women I’ve spoken to who’ve struggled with this and it absolutely breaks my heart. And for anyone who has recovered from disordered eating, these numbers can be really triggering (I’ve had many women thanking me for not including them). I believe that food is one of life’s greatest joys and I find that focusing on the numbers can really take away from that.
While it may seem counterintuitive, I know so many dietitians who practice similarly and who focus more on intuitive eating. In fact, many of the dietitian bloggers I follow do not include the nutrition facts in their recipes either.
Despite not having a nutrition breakdown, I promise you that all of my recipes are made with balanced nutrition in mind. They focus on whole food ingredients, packing in tons of veggies, micronutrients, healthy fats, fiber, protein, antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds. Just because I don’t include the numbers, doesn’t mean that they aren’t there.
I understand that this approach may not resonate with you (and that’s ok!), but I hope that you can understand where I’m coming from too ❤️
Intuitive eating led to me being obese and having insulin resistance. I have now lost 40 pounds and my A1C is 5.7. So I still have a ways to go. Looking at nutritional values on labels and recipes (as recommended by the RDs I am working with) has been a lifesaver. I guess people like me don’t count, eh? You could provide the information as a separate link and then leave the choice to read the info up to the individual.
That’s awesome, Teri! I’m so happy to hear that this has worked for you.
I never said that people like you don’t count. I have millions of visitors to my website, and it is unfortunately impossible to create content for everyone. As you mentioned, there ARE RDs that take a different approach and perhaps their recipes are a better fit for you!
That said, I understand that for certain medical reasons the information is helpful (just like how for others it is the opposite of helpful). Finding that balance on my site is a constant struggle and I will definitely take your suggestion into consideration.
Tasty, fun – you’d NEVER guess it healthy too.
Hi Heather! Thank you so much for this kind review! It’s so appreciated. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Absolutely delish!!! This will be my “go to” recipe for cod, especially black cod!
Thank you so much, Mary!! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this one. So honoured that this will be your “go to” :)!!
Perfect! Added artichoke hearts and a little white wine and voila! Instant hit for my dinner party. Thank you!
Hi Julie! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this kind review. I’m so happy to hear that your dinner party enjoyed this one. LOVE your addition of artichoke hearts + white wine – that sounds fabulous 🙂
This was delicious and very easy! I had never cooked black cod before but saw this recipe and decided to give it a try. Served it over brown rice and with a simple cucumber and feta salad. Will absolutely make again and often!
Hi Jules! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this kind review!! I’m so happy to hear that you gave black cod a try with this recipe, it’s really such an underrated fish. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Your recipe pairings sound delicious, too 🙂
PS. black cod is famously made with a miso dressing (you’ll find this at many restaurants). If you’re interested in trying other black cod recipes, you can prepare it the same way that I did in this miso baked salmon recipe (just swap the fish!)
So I am walking on a beautiful trail on the Mogollon Rim this morning. But what am I thinking about? The awesomely delicious dinner I ate the night before. Fresh, easy and so so good!
Thank you Carrie! Fantastic recipe.
Aww!! Thank you so much for the kind comment, Peggy! It means the world! I’m so so happy to hear that you enjoyed this one 🙂
This recipe was super simple and very delicious. I would make it again. I added half a small zucchini chopped small with the vegetables. Thanks for introducing me to sablefish.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Laura!! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Zucchini is such a great addition here! Isn’t sablefish wonderful? So buttery soft, it’s one of my favourite fish species 🙂
Wow! Cooked this just now, added the shallot, served over orzo. It was fantastic! Thank you!
Hi Molly! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this kind review!! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. LOVE that you paired it with orzo – that sounds so good together!! Have a lovely weekend xx
This was great! 20 minutes was perfect. I subbed zucchini for the pepper and rice vinegar for the lemon…and left out the olives by mistake. It was still delicious, and I’ll look forward to adding the olives next time. We really enjoyed it with rigatoni and marina sauce — although folks who want to savor the mild flavor of the fish would probably prefer a less zesty sauce.
Hi Mary Ellen! Thank you so much for the kind review! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. The additions you made sound perfect, and I love that you paired this with some yummy rigatoni!!
Thank you for such a tasty recipe.
I have never cooked sablefish, so I googled it.
So glad I followed your.
I added zucchini and used Kalamata olives instead of black olives.
It came out great.
It was light and had so many wonderful flavors.
Thank you.
Hi Inna! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this kind review! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, especially for your first time cooking sablefish!! Zucchini in here sounds delicious 🙂
Recipe works really well with Sea Bass, too.
I’m so happy to hear that, TR! Thank you for sharing with fellow readers 🙂
This is fantastic! Made it exactly was given except added some artichoke hearts. Oh my. Sablefish has become one of my favorite fish
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Patti! I’m SO happy you enjoyed this and that you have a new love for sablefish! Isn’t it soo silky smooth and divine? It’s one of my favourites, also 🙂
Great recipe for my low carb husband and fish loving mother in law! Thanks so much we will make this again!
Thank you so much, Brigitte!! I’m so happy to hear that your family enjoyed this one 🙂
I doubled the garlic, as is my practice with recipes, and chopped in some scallions because I had them and used kalamatas for the black olives. But the thing I did that really added to the recipe, I think, was to add in a small palmful (my way of measuring) of fennel seeds. I garnished with African blue basil, which I grow in my San Francisco garden, where Italian basil doesn’t do well.
Hi Michael! Thank you so much for the review and for sharing some of your modifications with other readers! This all sounds so delicious. I’ve never tried adding fennel seeds to my recipes, will have to look into that!!
This turned out fantastic ! Served it on top of Farro. Simply Delicious and a great kick start to our post pregnancy diet .
Thank you so much for the kind review, Karen! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this one and found it nourishing post-pregnancy. Congrats 🙂
So easy and delicious!
Thank you so much, Yvonne!!
This recipe is amazing! The fish is so tender and delicious It desrves more than 5 stars!
Many thanks, Carrie!
You are too kind, Pavel!! Thank you so much for leaving a review. I’m so happy you enjoyed this one! Isn’t sablefish so wonderfully tender and buttery? One of my faves, for sure 🙂
Beautiful absolutely beautiful.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Malcolm! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Yum! The cod was delicious. That was regular cod (not black) and
exquisite. I also used green olives only because I did not have black ones on hand. I am sure it did not change the flavor. What I ate just could not be more enjoyable.
Thank you
Alicia
Thank you so much for the kind words, Alicia!! So happy to hear you enjoyed this one. If you ever get your hands on black cod (sablefish), it’s worth another try – its flavour is SO good and texture is soo buttery soft. One of my favourite fish ever 🙂
Made this tonight and we all loved it. Will make this again and again.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Karen!! I’m so happy to hear that this black cod recipe was a hit 🙂
Incredible! Simple but so delicious. In addition to the recipe ingredients I added roasted tomatoes, roasted red peppers, sliced mushrooms, one finely diced shallot – all in an effort to build up the veggie index – served over brown rice.
Baked for only 15 minutes and fish was perfect!
Hi Garry! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this kind review. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. LOVE all the extra veggies you added – that sounds just perfect 🙂
What a wonderful recipe! I was looking for ideas for sable fish other than the usual miso recipes. I cooked it in a Staub enameled pan with fingerlings and asparagus to make it a one pan dinner! I cooked the fingerlings for about 15 minutes, added the fish and toppings; 12 minters later added asparagus, and cooked another 6 minutes. Enjoyed it with a Sancerre. Delicious! Looking forward to checking out your other recipes!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Mary Beth!! I’m so happy you enjoyed this alternative to miso black cod! All your adaptations sound absolutely delicious, too!! I’d love to hear what you make next 🙂
Hi Carrie
I am about to make the dish. Should I remove the skin first?
Hi Eva! I left the skin on the sablefish before cooking. If you’d like to remove it, it’s probably easier to do so once cooked (unless you have a really good fish knife or something!) I hope you enjoy this one 🙂
This is so easy to make and so tasty! Perfect for weekday dinner. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe!!!
Thank you so much for the kind review, Liana! It’s so appreciated. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this sablefish recipe 🙂
This was delicious! We made some parsley roasted potatoes with it. I also used this as a blueprint to make fish tacos by subbing some ingredients: left out the tomatoes, lime juice instead of olives & lemon, green onions, red onion, some jalapeño and bell pepper, and cilantro instead of parsley!
Hi Zagmek! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this one. LOVE that you used this to make fish tacos, too – what a wonderful idea!!
I found this recipe absolutely delicious! For the starch I cooked orzo. Worked great. Even my cat was sniffing around my bowl. Needless to say I had to share the fish with him. Highly recommend
Thank you so much for the kind review, Brenda! So happy to hear you (and your cat LOL!) enjoyed this recipe 🙂 Orzo sounds like the perfect pairing!!
This was fantastic! So good! Definitely a keeper! I can see how you can be creative by adding other vegetables if you want which is why I love this recipe! But we like it just the way it is! Beautiful and healthy!
Thank you so much, Terri!! So happy to hear that you enjoyed this one. Totally feel free to get creative with other veggies next time :)!!
This is a great recipe. I make it regularly and have referred friends to it as well. I use mostly halibut which I prefer to sablefish(black cod). It’s always a success and we never tire of it.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Jeannette! I’m so glad you enjoy this one and so appreciate you sending it to friends. That means a lot! Totally great to make it with halibut or any white fish really 🙂
I LOVE this recipe, it’s very easy to prepare, uses my extra tomatoes and is healthy and low in calories. The presentation is beautiful and looks more complicated to make than it is. Served with a side green salad it makes a complete delicious meal
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this kind review, Jill!! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoy this one. Pairing with a green salad sounds so lovely and fresh 🙂
This recipe is simple and the results are really delicious. Make it 3 times in the last 2 weeks. I will serve it some guests soon and impress them ; )
Thank you so much for the kind words, Stefania!! I’m so happy to hear you’ve been enjoying this recipe so much lately. I hope your guests enjoy it too 🙂
Do I cover the fish / while In the oven
Hi Nick! No there is no need to cover the dish 🙂
Delicious and beautiful recipe. Thank you
Thank you for the kind words, Ellen! I’m so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Very easy to prepare and one pot cooking was a great start. I used a variety of olives as that’s what I had on hand and served with farro. The results were restaurant worth. So delicious.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this kind review, Jennifer! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
I thought the dish was pretty before cooking. The flavors were just fair. I would not recommend it.
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy this recipe as others have, Zucker!
Exquisite recipe, add some smoked paprika to the vegetable mix and it’ll transport you to Spain! Thanks!
Thank you for the kind review, Odette! So glad you enjoyed this. Oh my I LOVE that idea – smoked paprika is my absolute favourite! I will have to try that myself next time 🙂
It was my first time cooking block cod. I only knew the Miso-Marinated Black Cod Recipe.
I cooked this this evening. It was so delicious, and it was gourmet restaurant quality.
My daughter doesn’t like fish, but she finished the whole dish.
It is a keeper. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thank you so much for the kind review, Okhee! I’m so happy that both you and your daughter enjoyed this one. I too was only familiar with the miso black cod prior to making this! It’s nice to have a different way to cook the fish 🙂
Very tasty, great range of flavors. I used lime instead of lemon because that’s what was available. The olives add a unique Mediterranean flavor. For those who don’t care for olives, perhaps some fresh corn would be a good substitute. The sablefish is just so yummy! I served it with blanched broccoli. Will definitely buy sablefish again and prepare it this way!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Paula!! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Love some of your suggestions for ingredient modifications too – corn sounds delicious! 🙂
This is a real winner. Easy to make and delicious.
The sauce will go well with other fish and likely tofu.
I had about 1/2 the fish, but made lots of sauce – about 2/3 of tomatoes and red/yellow pepper and full recipe for all else. The richness of sablefish is nicely offset by the acid and salty flavours in the sauce. I have been doing sablefish just baked in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper, but it was always a bit rich and a bit bland. This recipe corrects all that. Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Alan!! It’s so appreciated and I’m so happy you’ve found a new way to enjoy sablefish 🙂
Hi Carrie,
I have made this about 5 times in the past 3 months. We love it! I love pretty much anything sablefish or with lemons! Sometimes we use feta crumbles after it is cooked instead of olives to appease our children. I have been serving it over instant pot brown rice. I usually cook my rice in chicken broth instead of water and it is great with this dish!
I have company coming this weekend and I am thinking about doing it with chicken cutlets instead. Have you tried this?
Hi Melanie! Ah I absolutely love hearing this – thank you so much for sharing!! So happy your kids enjoy it too, feta sounds delish here in place of olives.
I have not personally tried this with chicken, but I feel like the flavours would work well!! My husband does most of the chicken cooking in our household (I’m still newer to meat haha), so I’m not entirely sure re. cooking time, but I’d be so curious to see how it turns out if you do give it a try 🙂
Just made it . I also added capers to the mix . Served it with string beans ands purée sweet potato. It was delicious.
That sounds like such a delicious meal, Jake!! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
I made this recipe with Alaskan Black Cod (subsistence fishing) and it was PHENOMENAL! The mediterranean combination worked so well. I added marinated artichoke hearts and left the olives and cherry tomatoes whole. Served over toasted orzo with asparagus. Thinking about the meal continues to make me happy. Thank you, Carrie!
Thank you SO much for the kind words, Samantha!! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Love how you added artichoke hearts and that orzo pairing sounds absolutely perfect 🙂