Fish is an important part of the Mediterranean diet. And while neither of us lives close to water, where fresh seafood is often more accessible, we try to get a fish dish, like this Greek Panko Crusted Cod into our weekly meals as often as possible.
What makes this dish healthy?
Well there are a few key things to this recipe that make it healthier than other fish dishes.
Baked vs. fried: this recipe is baked. While there is some oil used in this recipe its nowhere near the amount that would be needed to fry the fish. We used heart-healthy Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This type of oil is the healthier choice over other oils like corn oil or vegetable oil.
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Healthy fats: as mentioned above we used Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the recipe in place of butter (as well as other oils).
Frozen vs fresh fish: Surprise, both are healthy! When shopping for fish at the supermarket you want to look for “wild” fish rather than “farmer raised”. We used codfish for this recipe but you can easily sub for another mild white fish.
Making the Panko Crust
We love using Japanese panko breadcrumbs in recipes. They allow for a crispier texture than regular breadcrumbs and absorb less oil. To prepare the panko mixture combine the breadcrumbs, fresh parsley, dried oregano, garlic and lemon zest in a medium-sized bowl.
Preparing the fish
Place the filets a parchment-lined baking sheet. Top each filet with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and dash of salt and pepper. Then, flip the filets over and repeat on the other side.
Next, top each filet with the panko mixture evenly distributing the mix onto all 4 filets. This process is done best by using your hands. Press the panko mix down firmly on the fish, and don’t worry if some of the mix spills over, it will get nice and crispy in the oven!
Using the breadcrumbs only on the top of the fish makes sure that they stay crispy and don’t get soggy when moisture is released from the fish.
Place the fish in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until the fish is fully cooked. It should be flakey and the panko topping golden brown.
What to serve alongside Greek Panko Crusted Cod?
With how easy this fish recipe is we wanted to make a quick and easy side to go along with it. Keeping in mind something healthy of course! So we paired this Panko Crusted Cod with our Garlic Green Beans. Plus we think green beans pair so well with fish dishes, but that’s just us!
But if you’re not into green beans try one of these yummy side dishes or salads.
- GREEK LEMON POTATOES
- ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH FETA
- HORTA (GREEK GREENS)
- WATERMELON RADISH SALAD
- TRADITIONAL GREEK PEASANT SALAD (HORIATIKI SALAD)
Have you made this Greek Panko Crusted Cod? If so, we’d love to hear from you so leave us a comment below! Stay up to date on our latest recipes by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and tag #Hearthealthygreek in any recipes you recreate! And get them delivered right to your mailbox by subscribing to our mailing list!
Greek Panko Crusted Cod
Ingredients
- 4 cod filets fresh or frozen
- 1 cup Japanese panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free or regular)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 lemon juice & zest
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- If using frozen cod make sure that it has thawed to room temperature.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a small bowl combine panko, parsley, oregano, garlic and lemon zest and stir to combine.
- Place the fillets on the prepared baking sheet and top each filet with a drizzle of olive oil, and squeeze of lemon juice and dash of salt and pepper. Flip the filets over and repeat on the other side.
- Top each filet with the panko mixture evenly distributing the mix on all 4 filets and pressing it down firming on the fish (it's okay if some spills over).
- Place the fish in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until the fish is fully cooked and flakey and the panko topping is golden brown.
- Serve immediately with a wedge of lemon.
Made this tonight, soooo nostimo , yummy.
I made a salad on the side and roasted potatoes, mmmmm , realy good 😋
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I made this tonight for dinner and we all loved it ! I adore seafood anyway and the seasoning on this is amazing . Greek Food is so wonderfully flavorful and has become my Favorite. We had it with green beans and some Kalamata Olives & Cheese .Growing up in the US in the state of Kansas dead center of the country this has been a wonderful journey in cuisine may I say . No Ocean in the Midwest but I’ve had a lot of freshwater fish and love it too . I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes and wanted to say how much we enjoyed it . Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with us.
Hi Greg, Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that you and your family loved the Panko Crusted Cod. It’s great to know that you’re enjoying the flavors of Greek cuisine, even from the heart of Kansas. Your pairing with green beans, Kalamata olives, and cheese sounds delicious! We hope you enjoy trying more of our recipes.
Christina & Alexa