The Ultimate 30-Minute Pepper and Salsa Cod (Easy & Healthy!)

Imagine a light, healthy, and stunningly flavorful fish dinner that’s ready in under 30 minutes with almost no effort. That, my friends, is the simple, vibrant magic of this Pepper and Salsa Cod. It’s a beautiful dish where tender, flaky cod fillets are baked in a bright and zesty orange-salsa sauce and topped with a colorful confetti of sweet bell peppers. This is, without a doubt, the easiest and most delicious way to prepare a healthy fish dinner.

I promise you, you will be amazed at how much flavor is packed into this simple dish. The cod becomes perfectly flaky, and the peppers steam to a perfect tender-crisp texture right on top of the fish. It’s a complete, all-in-one main course that feels both incredibly healthy and wonderfully satisfying. It’s a burst of sunshine on a plate, any time of year.

Get ready to discover your new favorite way to cook cod, a recipe that proves that healthy, elegant meals can be incredibly simple.

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Why This Salsa Cod is a Weeknight Wonder!

You are going to fall in love with how quickly this flavorful, healthy meal comes together. It’s a guaranteed winner for any busy night. Here’s why you have to make it:

• Ready in Under 30 Minutes: With just 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes in the oven, this is the ultimate fast and healthy meal for busy weeknights.
• Incredibly Moist and Flaky Fish: Baking the cod in the orange juice and salsa creates a steamy environment that ensures the fish is perfectly moist and tender, never dry.
• Packed with Bright, Zesty Flavor: The simple combination of orange juice and your favorite salsa creates a vibrant, flavorful sauce with zero extra effort.
• A Complete, Healthy Meal: This dish is light, low-calorie, and packed with protein and nutrients from the fish and colorful peppers.
• An Unexpectedly Elegant Holiday Option: Looking for a lighter main course for Thanksgiving or Christmas? This beautiful, colorful dish is a fantastic and impressive alternative to heavier fare.

Recipe Snapshot

Your Shopping List for This Vibrant Dish

This recipe uses a handful of simple, powerful ingredients to create its amazing flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:

→ For the Pepper and Salsa Cod

• 2 cod or haddock fillets → About 6 ounces each. Any firm white fish will work well here.
• 1 teaspoon olive oil → For brushing on the fish.
• ¼ teaspoon salt & a dash of pepper → To season the fish.
• ⅓ cup orange juice → The secret to the sweet and tangy sauce and for keeping the fish moist.
• ¼ cup salsa → Use your favorite store-bought or homemade salsa. A medium heat level is great here.
• ⅓ cup julienned green pepper & ⅓ cup julienned sweet red pepper → For a beautiful, colorful, and crunchy topping.
• Hot cooked rice → For serving and soaking up all the delicious pan sauce.

Let’s Get Baking! Your Step-by-Step Guide

Ready for the easiest fish dinner of your life? This comes together in just a few simple steps.

Part 1: Assemble the Dish

1. Prep the Oven and Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 11×7-inch (or similar size) baking dish.
2. Prep the Fish: Brush both sides of the cod fillets with olive oil and place them in your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle them evenly with salt and pepper.
3. Add the Sauce and Toppings: Pour the orange juice over the fish. Spoon the salsa evenly over the top of each fillet. Finally, scatter the julienned green and red peppers over the salsa.

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Part 2: Bake to Perfection

4. Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. This is key to trapping the steam and keeping the fish moist!
5. Bake and Serve: Bake for 17-20 minutes. The fish is done when it is opaque and just begins to flake easily when you test it with a fork. Serve the hot fish and peppers over a bed of fluffy rice, making sure to spoon plenty of the delicious pan sauce over everything.

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Easy Pepper and Salsa Cod

This Pepper and Salsa Cod is an incredibly easy, healthy, and flavorful 30-minute meal! Tender, flaky cod fillets are baked in a zesty orange-salsa sauce and topped with colorful peppers for a light and delicious dinner.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Fusion

Calories: 183

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cod or haddock fillets (6 ounces each)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash pepper
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1/3 cup julienned green pepper
• 1/3 cup julienned sweet red pepper
• as needed Hot cooked rice for serving

Equipment

• 11×7-in. baking dish
• Aluminum foil

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush both sides of fillets with oil and place them in a greased 11×7-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Pour the orange juice over the fish. Top each fillet with salsa, then scatter the julienned peppers over the top.
3. Cover the dish with foil and bake until the fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, about 17-20 minutes.
4. Serve hot with rice, spooning the pan sauce over everything.

Notes

Don’t Overcook: Fish cooks very quickly. Check for doneness at the 17-minute mark. It’s ready as soon as it’s opaque and flakes easily.

Covering is Key: Baking the cod covered creates a steamy environment that keeps the fish incredibly moist and tender.

Serve with Pan Sauce: All the flavorful liquid at the bottom of the dish is a delicious, light sauce. Be sure to spoon it over the fish and rice when serving.

WiseRecipes’ Top Tips for Perfect Baked Cod

These simple secrets will help you achieve flawless, flaky fish every single time.

1. Don’t Overcook the Fish! This is the number one rule for any fish recipe. Cod cooks very quickly. Start checking it at the 17-minute mark. The moment it turns from translucent to opaque and flakes easily with a fork, it’s done. Overcooked fish will be dry and rubbery.
2. Covering the Dish is Crucial. Baking the fish covered is what creates a steamy environment inside the dish. This gentle, moist heat is the secret to ensuring your cod is incredibly tender and never dries out.
3. Choose Your Favorite Salsa. The salsa provides a huge amount of the flavor in this dish, so use one you really love! A chunky, restaurant-style salsa with a medium heat level adds great texture and a nice little kick.
4. Julienne the Peppers. Taking a moment to cut the bell peppers into thin, matchstick-like strips (julienne) not only looks beautiful but also ensures they cook to a perfect, tender-crisp texture in the short baking time.
5. Don’t Waste the Pan Sauce! When you serve, be sure to spoon all of that delicious, flavorful liquid from the bottom of the baking dish over the fish and rice. It’s a fantastic, light, and healthy sauce that’s packed with flavor.

Keep It Fresh! Storing and Reheating

This dish is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers still make a delicious and healthy lunch.

• Refrigerator: Store leftover cod, peppers, and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• Reheating: The best way to reheat fish is gently. You can warm it in the microwave at a lower power setting in short intervals, or place it in a covered, oven-safe dish in a low-temperature oven (around 275°F) for about 10 minutes until just warmed through.

FAQs: Your Salsa Cod Questions, Answered!

What other kinds of fish can I use for this recipe?

This recipe is very versatile! It would work beautifully with any other firm, flaky white fish. Haddock, tilapia, halibut, or even pollock would all be excellent substitutes for the cod.

Can I add other vegetables?

Yes, absolutely. Thinly sliced onions or some corn kernels would be a delicious addition to the topping. Just be sure that any vegetables you add are cut small enough to cook through in the 20-minute baking time.

Can I make this on the stovetop?

You can! For a stovetop version, you would create a similar “en papillote” effect. Place each fillet on a large piece of parchment paper or foil. Top with the juice, salsa, and peppers, then fold the parchment/foil into a sealed packet. Place the packets in a skillet over medium heat, cover the skillet, and let them steam for about 10-15 minutes until the fish is cooked through.

How can I make this dish more kid-friendly?

To make it more appealing to kids, be sure to use a very mild salsa with no spice. You can also finely dice the peppers instead of julienning them, so they blend in more with the salsa topping.

Final Thoughts: Your New Favorite Healthy Dinner

There is such a wonderful sense of satisfaction that comes from creating a meal that is light, healthy, incredibly flavorful, and ridiculously easy. This Pepper and Salsa Cod is the perfect embodiment of that feeling. It’s a vibrant, delicious dish that proves that a healthy dinner can be quick, easy, and anything but boring. I hope it becomes a new staple in your weeknight dinner rotation. Enjoy!