Ritz Cracker Oven Baked Cod

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This baked cod fish recipe with Ritz crackers combines a mild white fish baked with a crunchy butter cracker and herb topping making the perfect Ritz Cracker Oven-Baked Cod.

Baked Cod fish with Ritz Crackers

Baked cod fish with Ritz crackers make a super fast weeknight meal that’s also guest-worthy if you need something special to serve.

As a matter of fact, I’ve been adding quite a few new fish recipes to our repertoire of late.

We love cod because it is super duper mild in flavor. Even your “I don’t like fish” friends will be charmed by cod.

You just gotta get ONE bite into their mouths.

You can’t beat this economical frozen fish you can find in about any grocery store.

Ingredients to make Ritz Cracker Oven Baked Cod

• Boneless, skinless cod fillets
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepepr
• Butter crackers (such as Club Crackers or Ritz Crackers)
• Panko
• Fresh Italian parsley (may substitute dried parsley)
• Fresh garlic
• Lemon zest
• Lemon juice
• Butter

How to Make Butter Cracker Oven-Baked

Gather all the recipe ingredients together, both for the cod fillets and for the butter cracker topping.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Drizzle the olive oil into an 8×11 baking dish; tilt the dish so the oil coats the entire bottom.

Place the cod fillets into the oil in the baking dish.

Turn the fillets to coat both sides oil. Season each fillet with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bake the fillets, uncovered, on the center rack of the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

While the fish bakes, make the butter cracker topping by combining the crushed garlic, cracker crumbs, panko bread crumbs, parsley, salt, and lemon zest in a small bowl.

Drizzle with butter and combine until all the ingredients are nicely moistened.

Remove the fish from the oven.

Then squeeze the lemon juice over the fillets.

Using your fingertips, pat a small portion of the prepared butter cracker topping on top of each fillet, pressing down gently so the topping will adhere a bit.

Bake, the fish, uncovered, on the center rack of the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the fish is fully cooked and fork-tender at the center of the fillet.

You will also notice that the fillets (where you can see them around the edges) are no longer opaque but much more white in color – this is another indicator that the fillets are fully cooked.

The fillets are fully cooked when the inserted fork will give easily to pressure when gently twisted. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, once more.

Serve the fish at once, alongside your favorite mixed greens salad and a potato or vegetable side dish. Delicious and such an easy weeknight meal!

What type of fish is Cod?

Cod is a saltwater fish that is typically sold in boneless fillets.

Cod belongs to the Gadidae family, along with monkfish and haddock.

What does cod taste like?

Cod is a very tender and flaky fish that has a mild and slightly sweet flavor. Even people who “don’t like fish” wind up enjoying cod.

Cod is the most non-fishy fish you will ever eat.

Where should I purchase cod?

If your area has a local fish market, it’s the best resource for super fresh fish of any kind.

Cod should be easy to find since it is such a popular fish.

If you don’t have a fish market in your area (we sure don’t!), your next best bet is the frozen fish section at your favorite grocery.

Here, you will find frozen cod fillets and many other fish varieties.

Does cod cook quickly in the oven?

Because cod is a very tender and flaky fish, it will cook very quickly in the oven.

Baking cod in the oven is as easy as falling off a log, truly.

Why is the cod baked uncovered in this recipe?

We want the butter cracker topping to be more on the crunchy side once it’s baked, we cook the cod uncovered.

If you cooked the fish with this topping in a covered pan, the topping would steam, keeping it from becoming crispy on top.

How do I know when oven-baked fish is done?

You will know it’s fully cooked when it turns from opaque to white in color, and when tested at the center of the fillet, it nearly falls apart when you insert a fork and give a gentle twist.

This works no matter which cooking method you use to cook cod (or nearly ANY type of fish).

What is a good side dish to serve alongside baked cod?

We really enjoy potato side dishes alongside our baked cod. Smashed Garlic Potatoes are kind of an unusual and tasty side dish, as are Baked Yum Yum Potato Wedges.

Heck, because we are such big sweet potato fans, I often make 5-Ingredient Creamy Au Gratin Sweet Potatoes. And if your family is big into potato salads, you might want to give Grandma Lucille’s Warm German Potato Salad with Bacon a try too – it’s a keeper recipe!

More Favorite Recipes to Enjoy

Baja Fish Tacos with Sweet Potato Hash has graced our table more than once recently, as well as Fish Tacos with Fresh Cucumber Salsa – so yummy. I adore me some fish tacos!

And, if you have an air fryer, you may really enjoy Air Fryer Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa and Air Fryer Crispy Fish with Dill Tartar Sauce.

Oh, and don’t forget Air Fryer Frozen Fish with Parmesan Crumbles. Did you realize you can cook frozen fish fillets in just minutes in your air fryer? True story.