Lean in, I’m about to let you in on one of my 30-minute dinner secrets – frozen cod filets. With a stockpile of pacific cod in the freezer, I can come up with so many mouth-watering, 30-minute meals, like my latest: Easy One-Dish Cilantro Coconut Cream Cod with Zucchini 

Creamy coconut milk makes an excellent sauce for this easy cod recipe; it coats the fish and zucchini nicely and also keeps the recipe dairy-free and paleo-friendly, if those are dietary needs. When choosing your coconut milk, keep these things in mind: 1) Do NOT use watery coconut milk from a carton (like the drinking kind); 2) get the full-fat coconut milk/cream from a can (skip the “lite” (usually find mine on the Asian food aisle) and 3) make sure you aren’t getting sweet coconut cream with added sugar that is meant for making pies and drinks, that would be really gross in this cilantro cod recipe.

Pacific Cod is just an all-around awesome lean white fish that I’ve Mild almost slightly sweet flavor, flakey but holds up to baking.  I get mine shipped frozen at the peak of freshness from Sitka Salmon Shares – they do monthly boxes of the most amazing wild fish and seafood from the Pacific.  It’s a fisherman’s co-op that responsibly catches the best stuff, with eco-ethical values. If interested, my discount code saves $25 on most first orders – use Sitka discount code: FITFORK

This easy fish recipe only takes 30 minutes from start to finish, and only uses the blender and a single baking dish or skillet. I did use my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer Spiralizer Attachment for the zucchini to be fancy (lol), but normally I would just slice the squash crosswise in ¼” discs.  The remainder of the ingredient list for Cilantro Coconut Cream Cod is simple, wholesome and straightforward, no hard-to-find ingredients.  

Plus, if you don’t have time to thaw the frozen cod – NO WORRIES, it’s also a from frozen fish recipe! Just place frozen filets on top of the zucchini and add 10 more minutes to the cook time!

My husband and kids like to eat this Cilantro Coconut Fish with rice or pasta to sop up the amazing sauce! For a lower-carb option, go with quinoa or cauliflower rice – or even eat “as-is” because, the side dish of zucchini is built right in, after all!

The one dish fish meal is naturally gluten-free, and also suitable for Paleo, dairy-free and lower-carb diets.  (If you prepare w/o zucchini, the recipe goes from14.7 g net carb per serving to 8.7g net carb – full nutrition details for this cod zucchini dish in recipe card).

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5 from 5 votes

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Easy One-Dish Cilantro Coconut Cream Cod

This "one dish fish meal" is ready from prep to plate in 30 minutes and features Pacific cod, coconut cream and cilantro to make a delicious creamy sauce that cooks up at the same time with zucchini! Suitable for Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free and lower carb diets.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. approx. zucchini
• 13.5 oz. can full fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large bunch cilantro
• 1 lb. Pacific cod filets from Sitka Salmon Shares, thawed or frozen*
• ½ large avocado chopped
• ¼ cup diced red onion

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
2. Cut ends off washed zucchini and use spiralizer, preferably with a “thicker” cut blade. Or, instead of spiralizing, simply slice zucchini crosswise in ¼” slices. Set aside.
3. Add coconut milk, garlic, onion powder and salt to blender.
4. Wash cilantro, shake dry, add to blender. Note: chop most of bottom stem off, but allow leaves to remain on remainder of stalk.
5. Blend until a smooth sauce is created. Set aside.
6. Add zucchini to oven-proof skillet or baking dish with approximate 2-quart capacity.
7. Lay cod filets on top of zucchini and pour blender sauce over top to cover everything.
8. Bake at 375F degrees for approximately 25 minutes, or until sauce bubbling and fish tender and flakey.
9. Remove from oven and top with chopped avocado and diced red onion.
10. Pairs nicely with rice or quinoa to help sop up the sauce.
11. *Recipe can be made with still frozen cod filets. Add approximately 10 minutes to cooking time.

Recipe Notes

Made As Written, with Zucchini:              Made WITHOUT Zucchini: