This Easy Cod Piccata in a creamy Picatta sauce makes a quick 30-minute dinner recipe your family will love. Creamy, a bit briny and so so good!
Cod Piccata Recipe
My good relationship with capers started as soon as I tried them for the first time. Briny, salty, juicy, a bit resembling pickled cucumbers and green olives but with quite a different taste. Along with anchovies and olives, capers are one of those ingredients that I'm willing to put in almost any recipe.
I hope you're a fan of them too because they are essential for balancing the creaminess of the Piccata sauce and bringing out a delicious taste of seared cod.
So today I'm sharing with you one of my favorite ways to use capers, actually lots of them.
...Famous Piccata Sauce
It has been invented in Italy and traditionally served with the veal recipes.
However nowadays, an increasing popularity gained another hearty and comforting dish which is Chicken In Piccata Sauce, which recipe ironically I'm not sharing today.
Piccata sauce is usually made with chicken broth, lemon juice and capers. For an extra creaminess you can add some cream, but even without it, the sauce is absolutely self-sufficient.
For today's recipe I chose Cod fish. I love cooking with Cod and always looking for new ways to prepare it.
Since Cod fish doesn't have much flavor (at least for me), it absolutely begs to be prepared in an aromatic sauce like Piccata. That's where Cod is going to really shine. Delicious Piccata sauce compliment the mild taste of the fish and infuse it with lots of flavor. Super yummy!
What Fish Is Also Good With Piccata Sauce?
- Sole
- Snapper
- Halibut
- Trout
- Tilapia
My favorite part about this recipe is that it can be put together in under 30 minutes and perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
Some time ago I've already shared with you one another quick Cod recipe - 15-Minute Seared Cod In Tomato-Caper Sauce. Ridiculously easy with just 5 ingredients required. You're gonna love it!
How to Make Cod Piccata
- Choose your cod. Cod is usually sold in individually portioned packets or in one big piece. If you buy the second version, just cut it to desired size pieces and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Simple dredging. I used flour and Parmesan for dredging. You can skip Parmesan if you want (but why wouldn't you?). Otherwise, dip Cod fillet into a flour-Parmesan mixture and cook in a preheated and oiled pan for 4-5 minutes on each side or until brown. At this point your fish is ready, so go ahead and transfer it to a plate while you make the sauce.
- Make Piccata sauce. Wipe off the pan with the paper towel and put it back on the stove. Add butter and once it melts, stir in garlic. Let it cook for no longer than 30 seconds. Now you can add heavy cream and broth and wait until the sauce starts to bubble. While the sauce is cooking up, quickly mix the corn starch with a bit of a sauce and pour it into the pan. Watch as Piccata sauce starts to thicken.
- Finishing up. Now, all you have to do is add capers, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Return fish back into the pan and enjoy a delicious and comforting seafood recipe that your family will be begging for seconds.
Can you eat cooked Cod the next day?
For maximum flavor I recommend consuming the fish on the same day. Nevertheless, if you have leftovers, it's totally okay to refrigerate for 3-4 days. And when you're ready to eat, just reheat Cod for 20-30 in the microwave or gently simmer in a skillet for a few minutes.
What to Serve with Cod?
I love serving rich and saucy recipes like this with rice or my Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes. It's your regular mashed potatoes recipe taken up a notch. Plus, it's really easy to make.
For a pop of color on a plate I recommend adding a simple salad like Marinated Raw Zucchini Salad or Georgian Mini Sweet Peppers And Zucchini Salad.
More Seafood Dinner Ideas
- Mussels Pasta With Fennel And Garlic
- Nicoise Salad With Smoked Salmon
- Sheet Pan Salmon Oreganata
- 15 Minutes Garlic Mussels In Sour Cream Sauce
- See all Seafood recipes
If you make this recipe, don't forget to snap a picture and post it on Instagram with a hashtag #lavenderandmacarons. I'd love to see your creations.
I'd love to connect with you on social media. Follow me on:
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Recipe
Cod Piccata
Ingredients
Click on the highlighted link to purchase the ingredients
- 1 ½ pound cod fillet
- â…“ c flour
- ¼ c Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 c chicken broth
- ½ c heavy cream
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- ¼ c capers
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt, pepper
- 2 tablespoon parsley chopped
Instructions
- Cut cod fillet to desired size pieces and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- In a medium shallow bowl combine flour and Parmesan cheese. Dip cod fillets into a flour-cheese mixture and shake off any excess flour.
- Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet and over medium heat. Place fillets in a skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until slightly browned. Transfer cooked fillets to a plate.
- In the same pan melt butter on a medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add heavy cream and chicken broth and wait until it bubbles.
- Meanwhile in a small bowl whisk together corn starch and 1 tablespoon of Piccata sauce. Add the corn starch mixture to the pan with the sauce and whisk until thickens.
- Add lemon juice, capers, season the sauce with salt and pepper.
- Add Cod back to the pan, simmer for another minute and remove from the heat.
- Sprinkle Cod Piccata with fresh parsley and serve immediately!
Video
Nutrition
Maureen says
I made this exactly as the recipe is. Absolutely delicious. First day of spring meal with baby potatoes and grilled asparagus!
Iryna says
Maureen, thank you so much for your comment and a 5-star rating! It sounds like you had a really delicious meal😊
Irene says
Hi:)
Could you bake the cod instead of pan frying it? If so, how would you do that- time and temperature?
Thank you!
Eileen says
Love this recipe. I have made it with several kinds of fish that we catch including red snapper and sheepshead. So so good!!
I serve with angel hair pasta and a tossed salad!
Iryna says
Eileen, thank you so much for your comment and a 5-star rating! I'm happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Sommer says
This recipe was amazing. I didn’t have cod so I used boneless skinless chicken thighs. Cooked them until golden brown. Served the dish over egg noodles with roasted rainbow carrots with pesto on the side. Everyone loved this. Will definitely make again.
Iryna says
Sommer, thank you so much for your comment and a 5-star rating! I'm happy you made this recipe work with a chicken and that everyone enjoyed the dish!
Adriana says
Ummm… what is picatta we are supposed to mix with the corn starch??
Iryna says
Hi Adriana! You mix the corn starch with a bit of a sauce from the pan (the one that consists of butter, heavy cream and broth). And then pour this corn starch mixture back into the pan. This will be your Piccata sauce. I hope I answered your question.
Nicky says
This was amazing !! Definitely make this again.
Iryna says
Nicky, thank you so much for your comment and a 5-star rating! I'm very glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Cynthia Moon says
I made this for dinner and it was easy and delicious! I will definitely be adding this recipe to my list of favorites.
Iryna says
Cynthia, thank you so much for your comment and a 5 star rating! I'm very glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Barbara says
Could use more lemon juice, but otherwise it’s awesome
Iryna says
Thank you for your comment Barbara! I'm very glad you liked the recipe!
Kulia says
I already would like to try! Looks amazing.
Iryna says
Thank you!:)
Neli Howard says
Oooh, this looks SO good! Would love to try this. Yum Yum Yum! I'm sure this is incredibly delicious! THANK YOU!
Iryna says
Thank you Neli!
Lily says
I would like to respectfully ask everyone to please not give star-ratings to recipes they have not yet tried. Many people (like me) use star ratings to indicate how many people actually tried the recipe and liked it, not how many people just think it "looks" like it might be good. (Thank you!)
Jenni says
These sound absolutely creamy and delicious! Great recipe!
Iryna says
Thanks Jenni!
Lauren @ Delicious Little Bites says
We never eat cod, which is weird because it's so good! Definitely going to pick some up and try this - I just bought capers last week and needed more ideas to use them 🙂
Iryna says
Thanks Lauren! This is one of my favorite recipes to use capers.
Claudia says
I love cod and this piccata is amazing I love the flavors and how delicious the cream looks on the cod.. Great Job Bravo!
Iryna says
Thank you Claudia! I appreciate it!
Jill says
Wow! Beautiful photos. I love chicken piccata so I'm sure I'd love your cod version. Pinning!
Iryna says
Thank you Jill! Chicken Piccata is one of my favorites too!