Baked Cod With Buttery Cracker Topping

By Sarah DiGregorio

Updated January 26, 2022

  • Sang An for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
4(2,233)
Comments
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Baked, stuffed fish is an old-school restaurant staple in New England; covered in lemony, butter-soaked cracker crumbs, it’s a wonderful way to eat mild white fish like cod or haddock. The dish has a long history and relies on two ingredients New Englanders have in abundance: fresh seafood and crackers, which are descended from sailors’ hardtack. Fannie Farmer’s 1896 “Boston Cooking-School Cook Book” has a recipe for cracker-stuffed halibut, seasoned with butter, salt, pepper and onion juice. Some modern versions use saltines, others use butter crackers like Ritz, and many enrich the crackers with crab meat. This recipe is an easy weeknight variation: Instead of rolling the fish up around the stuffing, which requires long, thin filets, it is generously covered in the stuffing and roasted until the cracker topping is toasted and the fish flakes.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings 

  • 4 ounces butter-flavored crackers, such as Ritz (about 1½ sleeves; 1½ cups crushed)

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 

  • ¼ cup minced fresh chives

  • ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley

  • ½ lemon, zest and juice, plus more lemon wedges for serving

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 4 (6- to 8-ounce) fillets of cod, haddock, halibut or other white fish

  • Coarse kosher salt and black pepper 

  • Sweet paprika, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

21 grams carbs; 137 milligrams cholesterol; 476 calories; 7 grams monosaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 25 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 609 milligrams sodium; 43 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the crackers in a medium bowl and use your hand to crush them until they are finely crushed. (Some coarser bits are OK.) Add 4 tablespoons of the melted butter, the chives, parsley, lemon zest and onion and garlic powders, and stir to evenly combine, making sure to moisten all the crumbs.

  2. Step 2

    Put the fish fillets in a large, ovenproof skillet. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon butter over the fish and turn to coat. Season the fish on all sides with salt and pepper. Mound the cracker mixture on top of the fish, covering it. (Some cracker crumbs will fall off the fish.)

  3. Step 3

    Roast in the oven for 10 to 16 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Plan for about 10 minutes per inch; the fish should flake easily, and the juices should be bubbly around the edges. Squeeze the lemon juice over the top. Sprinkle with paprika, and serve with extra lemon wedges on the side.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
2,233 user ratings
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Comments

CFXK

Growing up in Boston, I had no idea that cod could be served in any other way.

Karen B

Memories of Friday night dinners in the 60’s and early 70’s. Mom only used frozen rectangles of flounder, but the buttered cracker crumbs, they were the real treat.

Carolyn

Fantastic - made the topping with crushed Club crackers and extra lemon zest. Choice of fish was Chilean Sea Bass, which elevated the whole thing - simply scrumptious with a salad and a glass of dry Riesling.

Ann

I add a "bit" of sherry to the crackers with the butter, and parsley. Delicious.

Chin

I had some whole wheat Ritz left from a party, and this was the perfect way to use it up! Surprisingly delicious. I used mostly olive oil instead of butter too, and also made a quick lemon Greek yogurt on the side with grated fresh garlic.

ThatGirlAnna

I made this with less butter and panko to be healthier. Perfect since recipe that pairs well with a bit of tartar sauce. Will make again.

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