You'll love this impressive and easy recipe for poached cod in an aromatic tomato sauce flecked with fennel, chili flakes, garlic, shallots, and orange zest. The cod poaches in the broth to develop a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture without overcooking. Best of all, it requires just 15 minutes of prep time.

Have you ever poached seafood before? It might sound like an intimidating method for cooking fish, but it's actually quite straightforward!
You start by making a broth for your fish to swim in, submerge it in a flavorful liquid, and cook it gently to maintain a soft and pleasant texture. The result is a delicious cod recipe that's unique and special and one of my favorite quick weeknight meals.
Inspiration
Alison Roman came out with a really interesting tomato poached fish recipe a few years back, and I loved the idea of cooking the fish in the flavorful broth. It reminded me of my family's tomato and coconut fish curry, which has tomato, lots of spices, ginger, garlic, and coconut.
So, I thought, why not try to combine these two techniques?
I wanted to develop an Italian-inspired version with fennel seeds and orange. I love pairing citrus with seafood, like my roasted branzino, salmon crudo, or salmon pasta without cream.
What Makes This Recipe Special
- Poaching the fish or cooking it at a lower temperature keeps the structure of the meat intact while developing a soft and tender texture. This method dramatically reduces the risk of overcooking the fish.
- Garlic, shallots, fennel, chili flakes, orange zest, and a splash of white wine provide many aromatic notes that pair beautifully with a tomato-infused broth and white fish.
- A dollop of creamy yogurt and a sprinkling of fresh herbs help contrast the aromatic, acidic notes of the broth.
For more delicious fish recipes, try my salmon meuniere, poisson en papillote, or seared tuna salad.
What is Poaching?

Likely, you've heard of poaching before, and maybe you've even poached meat, like chicken or fish. But you may be wondering, what exactly IS poaching? And what's the difference between poaching and simmering?
Poaching is a cooking method in which a particular ingredient is submerged in a hot liquid. Poaching occurs at a lower temperature than simmering or boiling, which is especially useful for maintaining the structure of delicate ingredients like fish (aka less flaking, less falling apart).
Poaching typically occurs between 140°F -190°F (60°C -88°C), so there's a bit of a range. At the lowest range, the liquid is just beginning to heat up. The water bubbles are very small and are not even steaming yet.
I like to poach my fish for this recipe at the other end of the range, closer to a simmer, around 190°F to 200°F. The liquid has small bubbles, with a few tiny bubbles coming up to the surface and popping.
There should not be large bubbles at all, but the broth will be nice and steamy. I find this temperature cooks the fish relatively quickly without overcooking it.
Ingredient Notes

- Cod: You'll want to select relatively firm, thick cod fillets for this recipe. You can also use halibut or red snapper, too. The fish should be ⅓-inch to ½-inch thick so it's firm enough to stay together. Look for fresh, good-quality fish fillets from your supermarket or fishmonger.
- Orange: Use a lovely, juicy fruit for this fish, such as blood or Cara Cara orange.
- Fennel seeds: Fennel seeds add a savory sweetness to the broth. If you don't have fennel seeds, you can use fresh fennel. You can also omit this if you're not a fan!
- White wine: I tested this recipe with and without white wine, but the white wine version was declared the winner. I find that adding white wine helps cut the tomato flavor nicely.
For a full list of ingredients and their quantities, refer to the recipe card.
Working With Cod
- Cod has a very delicate texture that can flake apart easily, so make sure to use a sharp knife if you're slicing them up into fillets.
- Before cooking, pat the fish dry with paper towels.
- Thicker pieces of fish will cook more slowly than thinner ones, so try to select pieces of a similar thickness.
How to Make This Recipe

Step 1 - In a medium skillet over medium heat, saute the red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, orange zest, garlic, onion, and leeks in a bit of olive oil until they're nice and golden-brown and a little crispy.

Step 2 - Cook down the tomato paste until it transforms from bright red to brick red and the oil begins to separate. This can take a few minutes, so don't rush this! It's important the tomato paste cooks properly so that it has a robust, caramelized flavor instead of a bracing acidic taste.

Step 3 - Add the wine and orange juice and deglaze the pan. Scrape up any bits at the bottom with a wooden spoon, and let that reduce. Add the fish sauce (if using) and water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Step 4 - Reduce and simmer the broth until it's thickened slightly and, well, tastes good, about 10 - 15 minutes. Stir in the butter.
TIP: By tastes good, I mean it should be well-seasoned, tangy (but not too acidic), and aromatic. If it tastes a bit diluted or too acidic, continue simmering. Make sure to season it nicely with salt and pepper, because you want the fish to cook in a very flavorful broth.

Step 5 - Season cod with salt and black pepper. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, then carefully add the fish in a single layer. Make sure it's nicely submerged in the liquid. Over low heat, simmer, uncovered, until cooked through.

Step 6 - Use a spatula or slotted spoon to gently transfer the fish to shallow bowls for serving. Top with broth, a generous dollop of yogurt (if desired), lots of herbs, and a pinch of salt.
Make it a Meal
Serve this poached fish with crusty bread, like my fluffy focaccia, to sop up all the delicious liquid! It would also be great with orzo. I'd also recommend serving this with a kale caesar salad.
Tips & Tricks

- Season early and often: Season, season, season! You want to make sure your broth is super flavorful, so be sure to season when sauteeing the aromatics, simmering the broth, and cooking the fish. Salt really helps bring out the flavors of the dish!
- Be gentle with the fish: Use a spatula to carefully lower the fish into the pot and remove it from the pot. Fish is quite delicate, so be patient and gentle when handling.
- Use a narrower pot: To ensure the liquid fully submerges the fish, use a smaller (2 to 2.5 quart), narrower dutch oven or deep skillet. If the fish isn't fully covered, use a spoon to frequently spoon the liquid over the top of the fish to help it cook faster.
Recipe FAQs
Poaching fish can vary in time depending on the thickness of the fish, the temperature of the poaching liquid and your stove. In this recipe, I poach the fish at a low simmer (or higher poaching temperature), so it should take about 3 - 6 minutes.
But if your fish takes longer, don't fret! Note that the broth's residual heat will continue cooking the fish slightly.
1) Use a cooking thermometer to check if it's cooked by inserting the probe into the center of the thickest part of the fish. Cod should be around 130°F to 135°F (other fish may vary, so check the link to see what temperature works for you).
2) Use a fork to gently prod the center of the flesh; if it appear opaque and flakes easily, it's done. If it looks translucent and resists flaking, it needs more time.
Because the fish is so delicate, I would not recommend preparing it ahead of time. However, you can make the broth, cool it, and store in an airtight container 1 - 2 days in advance before cooking the fish in it!

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Happy eating! Love, KarishmaThis recipe has been tested by an in-house recipe tester.
Poached Cod in Spiced Tomato Sauce
Equipment
- 2.5-quart french oven, braiser, or dutch oven, To ensure the fish is properly submerged in liquid, choose a small dutch oven or braiser, or a narrower (9-inch or 10-inch) cast-iron skillet for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 small orange
- 1 leek, or 1 fennel bulb
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, use ½ teaspoon for a spicier sauce
- ¾ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- Salt and black pepper
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce, optional
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 (6-ounce) cod fillets, ideally about ⅓-inch to ½-inch thick | or halibut or red snapper
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or creme fraiche, for serving | optional, for a creamy texture
- A handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Crusty bread, for serving
Instructions
- Zest 1 small orange. Juice the orange into a small bowl and set aside. Remove the root and tough dark green parts of 1 leek. Halve the leek lengthwise, then thinly slice and soak in a bowl of water to remove dirt. Remove from the water and set aside.
- Cook the aromatics: Set a small dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ¾ teaspoon fennel seeds, and the orange zest. Once sizzling, stir in 4 garlic cloves, 1 small onion, and 1 leek.Saute for 5 - 7 minutes, or until the aromatics are golden-brown and crisp. Season with a pinch salt and pepper.
- Add the tomato paste: Reduce the heat to medium-low, then stir in 3 tablespoons tomato paste. Saute for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the tomato paste is a deep brick red color and the oil has separated.
- Reduce the wine and orange juice: Add ¼ cup dry white wine and the orange juice to the pan and stir to combine, scraping up any stuck bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes or until about half the liquid has reduced and the alcohol smell has dissipated.
- Simmer the broth: Add 1 teaspoon fish sauce (if using) and 1 ½ cups water. Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, and stir in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. At this point the mixture should have thickened slightly and taste aromatic and tomato-ey, but not too acidic or sharp (otherwise, continue simmering to develop the flavors). There may be a thin layer of oil on top of the sauce; this is normal! Season with salt and pepper.Note: Be generous here with the salt, as you want to make sure the broth is well-seasoned for the fish to cook in. Note that the sauce has several layers of acidity from the tomato paste, wine, and orange juice, so a generous pinch of salt will help balance and bring out the savory notes in the dish.
- While the sauce simmers, season 2 (6-ounce) cod fillets with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Cook the fish: Carefully add the fish to the pan and reduce the heat to a low simmer (there should be small bubbles all around the surface of the pan; if you see large, vigorous bubbles, reduce the heat). Simmer for 3 - 6 minutes until cooked through, meaning a fork inserted into the center of the fish will gently flake the meat without resistance.Note: The fish should mostly be submerged into the liquid, but if it's not, you can occasionally spoon some of the hot liquid over the top as you simmer it.
- Serve: Carefully remove fish from the pan with a spatula and divide amongst two serving bowls. Taste and season the broth once more, if needed, then spoon the sauce over the top of the fish. Dollop each bowl with 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or creme fraiche (if using). Garnish with A handful of flat-leaf parsley and serve immediately with a side of crusty bread.2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or creme fraiche, A handful of flat-leaf parsley, Crusty bread
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Anton V
This recipe was packed full with flavor while keeping everything balanced. The orange was a fun twist on poached fish, and the creme fraiche evened out the acidity of the citrus. I’m not a big fan of fennel bulb, so we just used seeds and it wasn’t overly fennel-y for my taste (if we used the bulb it probably would have been too much for me). Overall a super easy and quick dish, that elevates your dinner! We will definitely be making this again.