Baked Cod with Cherry Tomatoes and Olives

Cod is one of the leanest fish you can eat — barely 80 calories per 100g with 18g of protein. Baking it in a tray with tomatoes and olives requires almost no effort and produces a restaurant-quality result. This is a dinner for when you want something light, clean, and actually enjoyable.

Ingredients

• 2 thick cod fillets (approx. 180g each)
• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 12 black olives, halved
• 1 tbsp capers, drained
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Fresh basil or parsley to serve
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. In a baking dish, combine the cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, garlic, olive oil, and chilli flakes. Toss together.
3. Place the cod fillets on top of the tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Squeeze over the lemon juice.
5. Bake for 18–20 minutes until the cod flakes easily with a fork.
6. Scatter over fresh basil or parsley and serve directly from the dish.

Nutrition Notes

Cod is exceptionally low in fat but provides a solid 18g of protein per 100g. The olives and olive oil contribute monounsaturated fats. This dish comes in under 350 calories, making it ideal for a low-calorie dinner day.