Air fryer cod
Flaky cod under a crisp, golden garlic-herb crust in about 10 minutes, with a squeeze of lemon and nothing to deep-fry.
- 20 min total
- 10 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 2
- About $4.83 a serving
- 260 calories
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 2 cod fillets, about 6 oz each, thawed if frozen
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 lemon, zested, then cut into wedges
From your pantry
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Each serving has about 260 calories, 32 g protein, 13 g carbs and 9 g fat, and costs about $4.83 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No cod fillets? Tilapia fillets work.
- No fresh parsley? Cilantro works.
- No lemons? Limes work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Timer: 3 min
the panko with the oil, garlic powder, parsley and lemon .
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Zest. Zest is the thin, colored outer layer of citrus peel, rubbed off on the smallest holes of a grater. It holds the fruit’s fragrant oils, so it adds bright flavor without the sourness of juice.
How you’ll know: You see bright flecks and smell citrus right away; stop when you reach the white layer, which is bitter.
the cod dry, with the salt and pepper and brush the tops with the mustard.
Pat dry. Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.
How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.
Season. Seasoning means adding salt, pepper or spices to bring out a food’s flavor. A little at a few stages tastes better than a lot all at the end.
How you’ll know: When you taste it, it tastes bright and like itself, not flat and not salty.
Dolly’s tip: The mustard is the glue for the crumbs, and it keeps the fish juicy.Press the panko onto the mustard side of each fillet in a thick layer.
Lay the cod in the basket crumb side up and air fry for 9 to 12 minutes, until and the thickest part flakes easily.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Timer: 10 min 30 sec
Dolly’s tip: No flipping. Turning it would knock the crust off.Food safety: Fish is done at 145°F, when the middle looks opaque and flakes apart easily with a fork.
Serve with the lemon wedges.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
