Creamy, one-skillet meals are always good to have in your meal plan during a round of Whole30. They make for easy cleanup, and they tend to be quicker when you’re ready to get food on a plate in a matter of minutes. That’s the case with this Creamy Tuscan-Style Cod. It’s a light and delicious recipe for two, and it provides flexibility in that you can swap in a variety of protein options. The sauce is where you really build the flavor.
While white fish (Mahi Mahi, tilapia, or sea bass) are favorites, a roasted chicken breast or even sauteed shrimp would work just as beautifully. Either way, you’ll be scooping up the extra sauce with a spoon!
Make It More of a Meal:
- Add extra veggies on the side. Try roasted cauliflower or a scoop of mashed potatoes to soak up the delicious gravy-like sauce.
- Double it up. You can stretch the sauce, especially if you add more veggies on the side for serving. Simply prepare an additional 1 or 2 fish filets to turn this meal for two into a meal for three or four. If you need to serve more than that, be sure to double-up on the rest of the ingredients.
Tips for Recipe Success:
- Use sun-dried tomatoes that come in a bag, not a jar packed in oil. These are commonly found near the pasta sauce at your grocery store. As always, check the labels for Whole30 compatibility.
- Keep a meat thermometer nearby to check the temperature of the fish. You want it to be 145 degrees F in the thickest part of the filet before serving.
- Add some extra heat. If you want to spice things up, add an additional pinch or two of red pepper flakes. They balance nicely with the natural sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 2 (5) oz cod filets
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 5 oz baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt divided
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 13.66 oz can of coconut milk
Instructions
- SEASON cod filets with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- ADD seasoned cod filets to skillet and cook for 4 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Set aside on a plate. Filets will finish cooking later.
- POUR remaining 1 tbsp olive oil into the skillet. Once heated, add diced onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until it becomes translucent. Add minced garlic and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- ADD in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and stir—season with remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes.
- WORK in batches to add chopped spinach and cook until spinach is wilted, for about 5 minutes total. Pour in canned coconut milk and stir to combine. Increase heat and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat to low.
- PLACE cod filets back into the skillet and cover the skillet. Let simmer until fish reaches an internal temperature of 145 °F. This will take about 4 to 6 minutes.
- SERVE each filet with several scoops of the Tuscan-style veggie mixture and enjoy!
