Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Cod

I love meals that can be made on a sheet pan and served without fuss. Make this recipe for sheet pan lemon pepper cod for a delicious fish dinner that can be ready in minutes. Healthy and delicious, this dish is a crowd-pleaser.

It doesn’t hurt that it’s absolutely beautiful too. All those colours make your plate look pretty impressive!

Top half of the image contains fish and recipe ingredients in a freezer bag. The bottom half of the image shows fish spread out on a sheet pan, cooked and ready to eat. In the middle, the image says Freezer Meal Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Cod.

Fifteen to twenty minutes is all it takes to serve your family an incredible meal with fish and veggies over rice. You can use frozen rice or minute rice to keep it fast and convenient. If you love the idea of twenty minute meals baked on a sheet pan, be sure to check out our Freezer Meals 101 Club for lots of options. I personally also love the Red Pepper Glazed Salmon.

Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Cod Recipe

Ingredients for the Freezer Bag

  • 4 cod fillets
  • 1 cup frozen green beans
  • 1/4 cup Kalamata, olives, pitted, drained, and sliced.
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste

Day of Cooking Ingredients

  • 1 cup baby tomatoes

How to Make Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Cod

Assembly Instructions

  1. Place the fresh or frozen fish fillets in a large resealable freezer bag.
  2. Add the green beans, Kalamata olives, olive oil, and seasonings. 
  3. Gently mix in the bag to combine.
  4. Remove the excess air, seal, and freeze.
Cod and other ingredients are in a freezer quality bag.

Cooking Instructions

  1. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the bag contents as well as the baby tomatoes.
  3. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Ingredients for this recipe (Cod, green beans, olives, and tomatoes) are spread out on a sheet pan, baked and ready to eat.

How can I tell when my fish is cooked?

According to the USDA, the minimum temperature for food safety with fish is 145ºF. You can check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer if you are unsure. You can also check for doneness by testing if the fish can be flaked with a fork easily.

What kind of fish is cod? How does it taste?

A simple white fish, cod is a saltwater fish with a mild flavor and dense, flaky, white flesh. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids and used for food or the production of cod liver oil.

Can I use any tomatoes for this recipe?

The most ideal tomato for this sheet pan dinner is baby tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or grape tomatoes. If you can’t find those and want to use a slicing tomato, try Roma tomatoes, which are a dryer tomato and create less mess. Most other tomatoes would be too messy for this dish.

Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Cod Recipe Ideas

You can substitute any white fish for the cod, such as snapper, basa, or tilapia. You could even use salmon.

Capers would be a nice touch for this recipe. Drain the capers and add them to the sheet pan before baking. A caper is the immature fruit of a caper bush that is pickled and used as an ingredient, seasoning, or garnish. They are found in jars in the same section as olives in your grocery store.

A drizzled lemon pepper sauce would be so beautiful on this cod. Make this sauce with a roux, heavy cream, and chicken broth. Add lemon pepper seasoning and lemon juice after you take the thickened sauce off the heat. Whisk and drizzle it on your plate.

Instead of green beans, you could use asparagus or broccoli in your freezer bag. Rinse and trim the asparagus and cut the white ends off. Then cut it diagonally into 1-2″ lengths. The thinner the asparagus the better. For broccoli, rinse and trim off the leaves. Cut the broccoli into individual florets, and cut larger florets in half or thirds. Blanch fresh broccoli in boiling water for three minutes before freezing it. Alternatively, you can take the easy route and buy already prepped and frozen broccoli or asparagus.

Serve with lemon wedges or slices to squeeze over the Lemon Pepper Cod at the table if desired. It will brighten up the fish and add some acidity to cut through the richness of the fat. You can also bump the lemon flavor by adding grated lemon peel to each plate.

A collage image shows the finished dish served over rice close-up and large. Three smaller images line the right side, including the ingredients in a freezer bag, the ingredients on a sheet pan, and a plated view of the finished lemon pepper cod.

How do I store Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Cod

Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to two days in an airtight container and reheat in the microwave for one or two minutes. Fish can also be reheated in a skillet and should be hot throughout. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure food safety.

Freeze leftovers in individual servings over rice for quick and easy microwaveable meals to take to work or school for lunch. You might like putting the rice on top of the fish because it will steam as the microwave heats it.

What to serve with Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Cod

Serve the fish over rice, risotto, quinoa, spaghetti or linguini noodles, or a salad. Add a side of roasted asparagus or Brussels sprouts if you want more vegetables. A bright, acidic salad such as vinaigrette would be a nice touch. Hot crusty bread works great with this dish and dinner rolls would also work.

Lemon Pepper Cod on a plate with a slice of lemon on top, served over rice on a black plate.

Other Sheet Pan Dinners You Can Make Ahead:

Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Cod
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Servings: 4
Calories: 801 kcal
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Freezer Bag
  • 4 cod fillets
  • 1 cup frozen green beans
  • 1/4 cup kalamata olives
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Ingredients for the Day of Cooking
  • 1 cup baby tomatoes
Instructions
Assembly Instructions
  1. Place the fresh or frozen fish fillets in a large resealable freezer bag.

  2. Add the green beans, Kalamata olives, olive oil, and seasonings. 

  3. Gently mix in the bag to combine.

  4. Remove the excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking Instructions
  1. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the bag contents as well as the baby tomatoes.

  3. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork.