On busy evenings, baked cod with chorizo is my favourite kind of show-off supper: flaky fish nestled into a smoky, tomatoey stew with sweet peppers, creamy beans and a lift of lemon, all done in one pan and on the table in under half an hour.
My Baked Cod with Chorizo is a Winner Mid Week Dinner!
Why you’ll love it… Because baked cod with chorizo delivers weekend flavour on a weeknight timeline, with plants doing the heavy lifting and zesty notes from the lemon and wine keeping everything bright.
- Properly quick: 25 minutes, start to finish.
- Plant-powered: tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, beans, parsley (plus lemon) = serious feel-good.
- Balanced: smoky richness from chorizo, freshness from lemon.
- One-pan calm: bread for dunking is practically mandatory.
Spain On A Plate
My palate tends to lean south, and baked cod with chorizo channels the easy abundance of the Mediterranean – market peppers, ripe tomatoes, good olive oil – then a nudge with plenty of lemon. The citrus cuts through the paprika-rich sauce, keeping the cod clean and zesty while the cannellini beans make it properly moreish.
Ingredient Spotlight for Baked Cod with Chorizo
At its heart, baked cod with chorizo is simple ingredients just used really well – nothing fancy, just smart choices and knowing what pairs well together.
- Cod: thick fillets stay juicy and happily take on citrus-smoky flavours.
- Cooking chorizo: soft, paprika-rich links that season the whole pan.
- Cherry tomatoes & red peppers: sweet, saucy, and sunshiney when they collapse.
- Red onion & garlic: fragrant backbone.
- Cannellini beans: creamy plant protein that turns sauce into supper.
- Smoked paprika, bay & lemon: depth, aroma and a bright, zesty finish.
- Olive oil & parsley: gloss and green freshness.
Flexitarian Swaps and Plant Forward Twists
If you want baked cod with chorizo to land lighter and even more plant-forward, treat the chorizo like a seasoning rather than the star. I’ll often halve it and let the peppers do more of the heavy lifting, or stir in a couple of handfuls of baby spinach at the end so it wilts silkily into the sauce without stealing the show.
On meat-free nights, I borrow the frame of baked cod with chorizo and swap the protein: chunky butter beans (just up the amount as they go in anyway) or well-seared paneer slips right into that smoky, paprika-rich base. A pinch of fennel seed and an extra squeeze of lemon keep the warmth and brightness you love, even without the fish.
If you’re simply in a different fish mood, the spirit of baked cod with chorizo plays beautifully with hake, pollock or haddock. Keep those thin lemon slices on top as it finishes – the citrus lifts each flaky forkful and keeps the whole thing as fresh as it is comforting.
Serving Suggestions
Ladle baked cod with chorizo into deep bowls so the smoky, lemony juices have somewhere to gather; tear into crusty bread to mop up every last drop. A peppery rocket salad on the side keeps things fresh, while a quick lemon gremolata adds a bright, cool contrast to all that paprika warmth.
Watch me make this from start to finish on my TikTok channel, and browse the recipe collections and styling inspo over on my Pinterest boards!
If my baked cod with chorizo hits the spot, you’ll probably fall for my Crispy Cod Tacos (crunch + chilli cream), Sicilian Sea Bass with Caponata (sunshine on a plate), and Satay King Prawn Traybake (sweet–salty–tangy with zero faff).
Ingredients
Instructions
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Prepare All The Ingredients
- Pat the cod dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Dice the chorizo; slice peppers and onions; halve tomatoes; mince garlic; drain and rinse beans. Halve the lemon: juice one half; slice the other half into thin rounds. Build The Base
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add chorizo and cook ~3 minutes until it releases paprika-tinted oils and crisps lightly. Stir in onions and peppers and spices; cook ~3 minutes until starting to soften. Add garlic; cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add cherry tomatoes; cook ~2 minutes until they begin to collapse. Add liquid and beans
- Pour in white wine; let it bubble for 1 minute. Stir in cannellini beans. Season to taste, then squeeze in the juice of ½ lemon and simmer ~2 minutes to marry the flavours. Cook The Cod
- Nestle the seasoned cod fillets into the bubbling stew and lay thin lemon slices on top. Cover and cook 5-7 minutes, or until the fish just flakes when pressed. (Avoid moving the fish while it cooks.) Finish and Serve
- Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir through parsley and drizzle the remaining olive oil if you like. Serve immediately in warm bowls with crusty bread.
Notes
Equipment: Large, heavy-based pan with lid Sharp knife & chopping board Measuring spoons/cups Wooden spoon or spatula Fine grater/juicer (for lemon) Notes Don’t drain the chorizo oils — they’re your flavour base. Fish timing varies with thickness; aim for just-flaking and still juicy. Make-ahead: Cook the tomato–chorizo–bean base in advance and chill up to 2 days. Reheat to a gentle bubble, then add cod and lemon slices to finish fresh. Swaps: Hake, pollack or haddock work well; for a meat-lighter take, halve the chorizo and add extra peppers or a handful of spinach at the end.
