Baked Cod with Caramelized Onions and Cherry Tomatoes-Baccalà al Forno

Baked Cod with Caramelized Onions and Cherry Tomatoes-Baccalà al Forno is a family favorite. The crunchy panko crumbs bring new life to this baked cod dish. After the crunchy bite from the topping, you will be delighted with the absolutely delicious flavor of the sweet caramelized onion and lemon flavors. A perfect addition to your Feast of Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve.

It’s not possible that summer is almost halfway over! I have to stay positive and focus on the rest of the hot and humid summer days and keep making fresh dishes like this baked cod with caramelized onions and cherry tomatoes.

Baked Cod with Caramelized Onions and Cherry Tomatoes-Baccalà al Forno

This is a dish I grew up eating in my Sicilian family. We called it baccalaru ‘o fornu -baked baccalà

I would eat fish more than once a week if my family wasn’t such big pasta and chicken fans. I have my stand-by salmon dishes and then there are the stand-by white fish dishes (like this cod dish!!). You have to try this cod. If you aren’t a big fan of fish in general, this dish may be the game changer for your weeknight dinner recipe. I swear it is really so easy to put together and you doesn’t break out that much of a sweat. If you are opposed to turning on the oven, I suppose you could even bake it in a grill safe casserole on the grill (or even in a cast iron grill).

I’m not that much of a grill master, so I will suffer with 20 minutes of a little heat in the kitchen when the results are this delightful! My kids just love the flavors and I really think it’s the caramelized onions and the lemon juice that make this fish dish possibly the most perfect summer dinner.

Super easy to put together!! You just have to prep the panko topping and set aside. Next up is to caramelize the onions while the oven is heating up. I lined my casserole with aluminum foil. You then layer on the onions and layer on the fish. Drizzle on a little olive oil and salt and pepper to the fish. Toss on the panko topping and the cherry tomatoes and pop in the oven and wait for the magic to happen.

Can I use another kind of fish?

Yes, you can replace the cod with any firm, white fish fillet. Haddock is a great choice. Also good for this recipe: grouper and even bass.

How can you tell that the cod is cooked?

Use a fork to test the fish and it will flake easily when cooked. Make sure you cook 10 minutes for each inch of the fish thickness (which is 2.5cm).

Print Recipe

BAKED COD WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND CHERRY TOMATOES-BACCALÀ AL FORNO

The crunchy panko crumbs bring new life to this baked cod dish. After the crunchy bite from the topping, you will be delighted with the absolutely delicious flavor of the sweet caramelized onion and lemon flavors.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: fish

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Savoring Italy

Ingredients

• 2 lbs cod fillets or haddock
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large lemon
• 1 medium onion halved and sliced thin
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 5 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes chopped in half
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a skillet, saute the onion in 1 teaspoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of butter until they are caramelized.
• In a medium sized bowl, combine the panko crumbs with 3 teaspoons of chopped parsley and 1 teaspoon of melted butter, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and the juice of half the lemon.
• Once the onions are ready, add salt and pepper.
• Add the lemon juice and the white wine to the onions and continue to cook for 1 minute.
• Spread the onion and lemon mixture into a large casserole.
• Place the fish on top of the onions, drizzle on a teaspoon of the olive oil and season the fish with salt and pepper.
• Divide the crumb topping evenly over the fish and sprinkle with the rest of the parsley and toss on the cherry tomatoes.
• Bake for about 20 minutes until fish is cooked through and the crumbs are nicely browned.