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Almond Parmesan Crusted Low Carb Cod with garlicky spinach

This super easy 25 minute weeknight dinner recipe for Almond Parmesan Crusted Low Carb Cod with garlicky spinach is also gluten free, keto friendly, and extra flavorful!

As we slog through a cold and gray January (at least in my neck of the woods here!), let’s continue on with this month’s theme of easy, low carb, gluten free, keto friendly recipes to help some of you stick to your New Year’s Resolutions. Up today: Almond Parmesan Crusted Low Carb Cod with garlicky spinach, a simple all-in-one 25 minute weeknight dinner recipe.

bag of wild caught cod fillets from ALDI

Almond Parmesan crusted cod is an all ALDI recipe, inspired by this week’s sale on frozen wild-caught Alaskan cod. (Two pounds ran me just $8.99 at my store, which is a great price.) One bag netted us two family dinners — and, the fillets are individually wrapped, so no worries if you have a smaller family and want to open the bag and use them gradually over time.

plate of baked low carb cod with spinach

In our house, Middle School Guy was actually the biggest fan of this easy almond crusted cod recipe… although he says he’d prefer his sans spinach. Kids, I tell ya… 🙂 Don’t you listen to him, though, because the spinach really rounds out the complete dinner here and works so well together with the baked cod and its almond Parmesan topping.

Almond Parmesan Crusted Low Carb Cod with garlicky spinach

Ingredients

– for the cod

16 oz cod fillets, thawed, if frozen
1 Tbsp butter, melted
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Lime juice, to taste

– for the spinach

1/2 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz bag fresh spinach
1/2 tsp minced garlic, or more to taste (about one clove)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Splash of fresh lime juice

Directions

First, bake the cod:

Thaw cod, if frozen. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and melt the butter.

Place cod on the parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush with butter, then season with salt & pepper.

almond parmesan topping ingredients

Add almonds, Parmesan, and spices to a small food chopper or food processor. Pulse lightly to coarsely chop, until just crumbled and combined.

top the cod with almond parmesan mixture

Spread some of crumbled almond Parmesan mixture across the top of each piece of cod, press it in lightly, then add the rest of the almond Parmesan mixture so that each piece of fish is generously topped.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. (This will depend on thickness; reduce cooking time if you have thin fillets.)

While the fish is baking, saute your spinach:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for one minute. Add garlic and saute briefly, then add spinach. Season with crushed red pepper, sea salt, and black pepper, then squeeze in a splash of lime juice.

Saute over medium heat, stirring often, until spinach is wilted and dark green.

To serve:

Squeeze fresh lime juice over the baked cod, then serve the baked fish over a bed of garlicky sauteed spinach. Use additional lime wedges for garnish, if desired.

Note: This recipe makes a lot of topping — but as you eat the cod the topping also adds extra flavor to the spinach, so everything works together here. You can substitute a different firm white fish such as flounder or tilapia, but reduce cooking time if you are using thinner fillets and check for doneness at 10 minutes.

Simple Almond Crusted Cod is an easy weeknight dinner idea

low carb baked cod recipe

Just 25 minutes start to finish for this complete weeknight dinner — and, it’s low carb, gluten free, and keto friendly? What else could you really ask for in one recipe? The almond and Parmesan add lots of flavor to the slightly chewy cod, which pairs with the soft & garlicky spinach for a complementary contrast in both flavor and texture.

Be sure to add the fresh lime juice at the end to brighten up all of the flavors, too!

Almond Parmesan Crusted Low Carb Cod with garlicky spinach, printable recipe

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5 from 7 votes

Almond Parmesan Crusted Low Carb Cod with garlicky spinach

This super easy 25 minute weeknight dinner recipe for Almond Parmesan Crusted Low Carb Cod with garlicky spinach is also gluten free, keto friendly, and extra flavorful!
Course dinner
Keyword cod, fish, gluten free, keto, low carb, spinach, weeknight dinner
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

– for the cod

  • 16 oz cod fillets thawed, if frozen
  • 1 Tbsp butter melted
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
  • 1 tsp parsley
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • Lime juice to taste

– for the spinach

  • 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 8 oz bag fresh spinach
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic or more to taste (about one clove)
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Splash of fresh lime juice

Instructions

First, bake the cod:

  • Thaw cod, if frozen. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and melt the butter.
  • Place cod on the parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush with butter, then season with salt & pepper.
  • Add almonds, Parmesan, and spices to a small food chopper or food processor. Pulse lightly to coarsely chop, until just crumbled and combined.
  • Spread some of crumbled almond Parmesan mixture across the top of each piece of cod, press it in lightly, then add the rest of the almond Parmesan mixture so that each piece of fish is generously topped.
  • Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. (This will depend on thickness; reduce cooking time if you have thin fillets.)

While the fish is baking, saute your spinach:

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for one minute. Add garlic and saute briefly, then add spinach. 
  • Season with crushed red pepper, sea salt, and black pepper, then squeeze in a splash of lime juice.
  • Saute over medium heat, stirring often, until spinach is wilted and dark green.

To serve:

  • Squeeze fresh lime juice over the baked cod, then serve the baked fish over a bed of garlicky sauteed spinach. Use additional lime wedges for garnish, if desired.

Notes

This recipe makes a lot of topping — but as you eat the cod the topping also adds extra flavor to the spinach, so everything works together here. You can substitute a different firm white fish such as flounder or tilapia, but reduce cooking time if you are using thinner fillets and check for doneness at 10 minutes.

Recipes in the real world

weekly ALDI meal plans from Mashup Mom -- six complete dinners for four, $60 out the door! MashupMom.com, every Wednesday.

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Recipe Rating




Allan

Wednesday 11th of May 2022

DELICIOUS. Made this with exact recipe. Added rice. Such a great quick dinner for a busy schedule.

Suzanne

Saturday 26th of March 2022

Super quick, easy and delicious. The perfect recipe.

Anne Marie Riou

Thursday 11th of March 2021

Thank you for a killer recipe!! This is the best supper I've made in a long time, absolutely delicious! The only thing that I did that was outside of the recipe was to toast the almonds and to put the fillets in a nonstick ovenproof skillet instead of a parchment lined tray. Excellent results too, the juice from the fish made a little puddle around each fillet that turned a beautiful golden brown crust that was really tasty. Being that there are only two of us, I halved the recipe so I just ground the spices & almonds in my mortar & pestle, that too worked very well. Oh, yeah, I added a few toasted sesame seeds to the spinach too. My husband is not doing low carb so I made Basmati Rice for him and he said it went very well together. We will keep making this from now on, even if Im not doing Keto anymore.

rachel

Friday 12th of March 2021

So glad you enjoyed it! Toasting the almonds is a great idea.

Keith

Saturday 6th of March 2021

First time in a long time I have enjoyed fish. Thanks!

Valarie

Wednesday 20th of January 2021

Great very easy meal! Made it tonight & followed recipe exactly. Could not have been easier, will be making again. Our favorite local restaurant serves this exact dish over mashed potatoes what could be better!