Pasta with Cod
Pasta with cod pairs flaky white fish with a light, lemony cream sauce and plenty of parsley. Chunks of cod are fried for a few minutes, set aside while the sauce is made in the same pan, then folded back in with the pasta. It serves two and is ready in 25 minutes, with the sauce taking no longer than the pasta takes to boil.
- Total
- 25 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 2
- Per serving
- 620kcal
Keeping pasta with cod juicy
Cod dries out quickly, so the fish is only half-cooked when it comes out of the pan and finishes with the pasta and sauce. A short, hot fry gives the outside some colour, and a gentle toss at the end finishes the centre. Pat the fillets very dry first, because a damp surface steams in the pan rather than browning.
Fresh lemon zest and juice cut through the cream. The juice goes in at the end, off the heat, so the sauce stays smooth. Adding a handful of baby spinach with the pasta is an easy way to include some greens.
Preparing pasta with cod
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Start the pasta Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for the time on the packet. Scoop out a mugful of the cooking water just before draining, then drain the pasta.
- Fry the cod While the pasta cooks, pat the cod dry with kitchen paper, cut it into 3cm chunks and season with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in the frying pan over a medium heat and fry the cod for on each side, until golden. Transfer to a plate. It will not be fully cooked yet.
- Make the sauce Add the garlic to the same pan and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the cream, add the lemon zest and simmer gently for , until slightly thickened. Do not let it boil hard.
- Combine Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Add the pasta, the cod and any juices, then toss gently for over a low heat until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. Add a splash of the pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Serve Stir through the parsley and serve straight away with the lemon wedges.
Serving and variations
A crisp green salad or some steamed tenderstem broccoli is all it needs on the side. For a one-pan version, one-pot pasta with cod cooks everything together. For other fish suppers with the same quick method, try pasta with prawns and white wine sauce.
It is best eaten straight away. Fish pasta does not reheat well, so cook only what you need.
Common problems and fixes for pasta with Cod
- The cod breaks into tiny pieces.
- Cut the chunks no smaller than 3cm, turn them only once and toss the pasta through gently with a spoon rather than stirring hard.
- The cream sauce curdles.
- Single cream can split if it boils or meets lemon juice over a high heat. Keep the cream at a gentle simmer and stir in the lemon juice off the heat.
- The fish is dry.
- The pieces were fried for too long. Two minutes per side is enough, because they finish cooking when tossed with the hot pasta and sauce.
- The sauce is too thick or too thin.
- Loosen it with a splash of the starchy pasta water, or simmer it for a minute longer before adding the pasta if it is thin.
Frequently asked questions about pasta with Cod
Can I use frozen cod?
Yes. Defrost it fully in the fridge overnight, drain it well and pat dry with kitchen paper before frying, or it will steam instead of browning.
What can I use instead of cod?
Haddock, pollock, hake or coley all work, as long as the fillets are similar in thickness. Salmon or smoked haddock give a stronger flavour.
What can I use instead of single cream?
Crème fraîche or double cream both work. Double cream gives a richer sauce, so use 75ml and a splash more pasta water.
How do I know the cod is cooked?
It turns opaque and flakes easily when pressed with a fork. If it is still translucent in the centre, toss it for a minute more over a low heat.
How did you like the recipe?
4.8 / 5 · 54 ratings
