This is the easiest and most delicious recipe for panko crusted cod! The creme fraiche sauce melts into the cod as it bakes, making the fish moist and flavorful while the panko breadcrumbs give the fish a crunchy topping. Additional creme fraiche sauce is served on the side, adding rich flavor with lemon, dill and Dijon mustard.
I'm often tempted to buy cod, tilapia or other types of white fish but then I get home from the grocery store and wonder, what should I do with this fish?
Finally, I have a cod recipe that my whole family loves and it's really easy to make!
Panko crusted cod with creme fraiche sauce has a moist, perfectly cooked texture and a crunchy exterior.
The creme fraiche sauce is kind of like tartar sauce for grown-ups. It's creamy and lemony with a kick from mustard and fresh dill. First, some of the sauce is spread over the fish before it bakes. Then, there's plenty of leftover creme fraiche sauce to spoon over the cooked cod. Yum!
Ingredients
Creme Fraiche Sauce for Fish
To make creme fraiche sauce for fish, whisk together creme fraiche, stone ground or Dijon mustard, lemon and fresh dill. That's it!
Some of the sauce is spread over the fish before it bakes and the rest is spooned over the cooked fish. The flavor is rich and creamy with bright lemon flavor, fresh dill and a kick from Dijon (or stone ground) mustard.
The creme fraiche melts into the fish as it bakes, insuring that the fish will be moist and flavorful instead of dry or bland. It's almost impossible to overcook this fish!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cover sheet-pans with foil. Set racks over the foil (this is optional, but if air is able to circulate under the fish it cooks more evenly and has a nicer texture). Pat the fish dry with paper towels.
Step 2: Toast the panko in a skillet with olive oil, for about 4 minutes. As the panko toasts, season with a light sprinkle of salt.
Step 3: Make the creme fraiche sauce. Mix together creme fraiche, dill, lemon juice, mustard and salt.
Step 4: Brush a light layer of creme fraiche sauce over the fish.
Step 5: Pat an even layer of toasted panko over the fish.
Step 6: Bake the panko crusted cod at 425F for about 12 minutes.
Serve the fish with creme fraiche mustard sauce on the side.
Frequently Asked Recipe Questions
Creme fraiche is cultured cream. It's very rich and creamy and has a consistency that's similar to sour cream.
Buy creme fraiche that doesn’t have any added stabilizers or thickeners. The only ingredient should be cultured cream. It will taste better and melt better into the fish. My favorite brand is Bellwether Farms. Creme fraiche is sold in the refrigerated dairy aisle, sometimes near the cheese and sometimes near the sour cream.
You can also use creme fraiche to make My Favorite Cheesy Lasagna and BLT chicken salad with creme fraiche salad dressing.
Creme fraiche has a higher fat content and is richer than sour cream. It often has a flavor that is less tangy than sour cream. Unlike sour cream, creme fraiche won't curdle in hot sauces or soups.
Thin fillets of cod, tilapia, snapper or other white fish all work well in this recipe. "White fish" is simply a category of mild-flavored fish that's usually more affordable.
I haven't tried gluten-free panko for this recipe. If you do, let me know! I can say, however, that Rice crumbs don’t work as well as panko does. The rice crumbs don’t brown and don’t have as much flavor. However, I've read about finely ground Rice Chex cereal being a good gluten-free substitute for panko. Has anyone tried it? Let me know!
Panko is crunchy Japanese breadcrumbs. I find that they make a crunchier topping than regular breadcrumbs. You can find panko in most grocery stores.
Either will work fine for this recipe.
The creme fraiche sauce is really delicious, but you can actually use mayonnaise instead. Just spread a light layer of mayo over the fish then top with the toasted panko. The mayo helps keeps the fish moist and flavorful and also helps the panko stick to the fish.
More Fish and Seafood Recipes You'll Love
📖 Recipe
Panko Crusted Cod with Creme Fraiche Sauce
This is the easiest and most delicious recipe for panko crusted cod! The creme fraiche sauce melts into the cod as it bakes, making the fish moist and flavorful while the panko breadcrumbs give the fish a crunchy topping. Additional creme fraiche sauce is served on the side, adding rich, lemony flavor.
The creme fraiche sauce also pairs really well with potatoes and asparagus, perfect sides for this meal!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 12
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Fish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 pounds thin fillets of cod (or tilapia or any other type of white fish)
- 1 ¼ cups panko
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup (about 7.5 oz) creme fraiche
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill (or parsley)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons Dijon or stone-ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Cover one or two sheet-pans with foil. Set racks over the foil (this is optional, but if air is able to circulate under the fish it cooks more evenly and has a nicer texture).
- Pat the fish dry with paper towels and set it on the sheet-pans. Set aside.
- In a wide skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the panko and stir well to coat the panko. If the panko seems dry add another drizzle of oil. Toast until lightly browned, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. As the panko toasts, season with a light sprinkle of salt.
- In a small bowl, mix together the creme fraiche, dill, lemon juice, mustard and salt.
- Spread a light layer of the creme fraiche sauce evenly over the top of each fish fillet (be careful not to dip a spoon back into the creme fraiche that has touched the raw fish).
- Use a spoon to lightly pat and spread panko over the fish, evenly covering the fillets.
- Bake for about 12 minutes, until the fish easily flakes apart with a fork.
- Serve the baked cod with panko with the leftover creme fraiche mustard sauce on the side.
Notes
Make sure to only buy creme fraiche that doesn’t have any added stabilizers or thickeners. The only ingredient should be cultured cream. It will taste better and melt better into the fish.
If the fish fillets are thicker, you might have to bake them slightly longer than 12 minutes.
If you're cooking only 1 pound of fish, you can use slightly less panko but keep the ingredient amounts for the creme fraiche sauce the same. You'll just end up with a little bit more leftover sauce, which is also delicious spooned over potatoes and vegetables like asparagus.
The creme fraiche sauce is really delicious, but you can actually skip the creme fraiche sauce and just use mayonnaise instead. Just spread a light layer of mayo over the fish then top with the toasted panko. The mayo helps keeps the fish moist and flavorful and also helps the panko stick to the fish.
Wanda
I love cod, it's my favourite white fish and treat when available. Saving this recipe to try later!
Jen
This was such a fresh change from our usual dinner routine. My kids had fun trying the mustard sauce vs tartar sauce and giving their opinion. It was delicious!
Traci
The panko topping wins me over every time. This is a keeper…thanks for sharing!
Jenny
I love panko too! It makes everything taste better!
Agnieszka
I'm always looking for new fish recipes and this one sounds amazing! I love the creme fraiche trick!
Jenny
It really does help the fish stay moist, even if it's overcooked a little bit. Glad you like the recipe!
Jess
I love the texture added to the cod from the crunchy topping!