Air Fryer Cod With Herb Crust On Lemony Butter Beans
In this Air Fryer Cod recipe, I show you just how easy it is to cook cod or any other white fish in your air fryer. You’ll love this herby, crispy gratin with deliciously light, flaky fish over lemony beans. Let’s hear it for a yummy, no fuss one pot dinner – one that you can have on the table in 30 minutes!
This is another great dinner option for this time of year, as the evenings are still quite cold. It’s a deeply satisfying dish that will fill you up, but without leaving you feeling heavy. And if you love fish, we have a host of seafood recipes for you to try. Oh – and there’s also this quick, easy, and yummy Air Fryer Salmon in a Warm Spring Salad.
For the Love of Cod
The UK certainly loves its fish & chips. So much so, in fact, that fish and chips were one of the very few foods that were never rationed during World War II. His Majesty’s government believed that preserving this comfort meal during a time of distress was a means of boosting morale among the people.
While the corner chippy will never lose its appeal, (with more than 10,500 fish & chip shops in the UK) there are healthier DIY alternatives too. So, if occasionally you’d like to forego the takeaways in favour of a home-cooked meal, this air fryer cod with a deliciously light herbed crust over lemony beans is distinctly moreish.
Why Cod? Well, it’s a great source of protein that’s naturally low in fat, so a great choice for those wanting to reduce their fat intake. And it’s rich in iodine – important for healthy thyroid function, as well as providing abundant selenium and vitamin B12.
Remember, when choosing your fillet of cod, be sure to choose a nice thick, middle cut that’s been sustainably sourced. A useful resource is the Good Fish Guide by the Marine Conservation Society.
No Need to Flounder
A lot of people are a little nervous at the thought of cooking decent fish at home, so if you’re feeling out of your depth – relax. This is a super easy recipe that I’ve tested thoroughly to ensure you can follow it step-by-step and get the same delicious results at home.
We’ve All Bean There
Beans may not be everyone’s idea of fine dining, but prepared properly they offer a surprisingly versatile alternative to heavy starches. We’ve used butter beans, but you can use beans of your choice like Cannellini beans, White Navy beans, Great Northern beans or even Borlotti beans. The beans are flavourful without being overpowering, thanks to the combination of lemon, garlic, parsley and vegetable stock. A perfect addition to the deliciously herbed crumbed fish!
Air Fryer Cod for the Win
If you’re relatively new to cooking fish in an air fryer, the most obvious question might be: how do I know when my cod is perfectly cooked? Here’s how:
- Gently twist your fork and pull up some of the fish. If it flakes easily, without resistance, the fish is done and ready to eat.
- Alternatively, you can use a meat thermometer: Place the probe into the thickest part of the fish fillet. Once it reads 63C your fish is cooked perfectly!
Is It a Great Catch?
Did you try out this easy Air Fryer Cod recipe? I’d love to hear your take on it – and I’d be super grateful if you’d leave me a rating.
You might also like this One Pan Roasted Cod, One Pan Chicken & Rice, or this simple Air Fryer Tomato Soup.
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Also, check out the recipe video!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this gluten-free?
Instead of regular or panko crumbs, you can use gluten-free crumbs or chopped almonds for an absolutely delicious gluten-free alternative.!
Must I use Cod?
Not at all. This recipe works well with cod, but it also works well with other white fish like bass, grouper, halibut, and hake. Cod fillets are quite thick though, so if you use thinner fillets, be sire to adjust the cook time for the fish.
Could I cook this in my oven?
You could – but an air fryer offers you more precision, quicker cooking time (so less drying out of food), and a significantly better flavour.
Air Fryer Cod With Herb Crust On Lemony Butter Beans
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
Description
In this Air Fryer Cod recipe, I show you just how easy it is to cook cod or any other white fish in your air fryer. You’ll love this herby, crispy gratin with deliciously light, flaky fish over lemony beans. Let’s hear it for a yummy, no-fuss one-pot dinner – one that you can have on the table in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup Panko
- 400g Butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 Cod fillets
- 2 Tbsp mayo
- 7g Parsley
- 2 Tbsp sour cream or creme fraiche
- 1 large Whole lemon (or 2 small)
- 1 Garlic clove
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 3 Tbsp parmesan
To garnish:
- chopped parsley as needed
- drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
- Start by finely chopping the parsley and zesting the lemon. In a bowl combine half the chopped parsley, along with half the lemon zest, breadcrumbs and parmesan. Add a touch of oil to coat the crumbles lightly, and stir well to combine.
- Pat the fish dry with a paper towel. Smear the top with mayonnaise. Then, dip the fish, mayonnaise side down, into the breadcrumb mixture, pressing lightly to coat the fish well in the crumb.
- To make the beans, finely grate a clove of garlic into a high-sided roasting dish or casserole suitably sized for your air fryer basket. Add in the rinsed beans, remaining lemon zest, sour cream or crème fraiche and stock. Mix the ingredients together, and then place the dish into the air fryer basket. Select bake (you can also use the air fry setting if your model doesn’t have a bake function) and cook at 175°C for 12 minutes, until the beans are bubbling.
If cooking this dish in the oven, preheat the oven to 190°C on fan/convection. Add the creamy beans and bake for 12- 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced by about 1/3 and the beans are a little golden on top. Proceed with the next steps as directed. - Open the air fryer basket. Stir the remaining parsley through the creamy beans, and then season the beans to taste with a pinch of salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice (about 5-10ml depending on your preference).
- Nestle the fish, crumb side up, on top of the beans. Scatter any remaining herby crumbs over the fish and beans and roast for another 10-15 minutes at 170 C or until the crumbs are golden and the fish is cooked through.
If cooking this dish in the oven, return the beans and cod to the oven and cook until the cod is easy flaked when the flesh is pressed and the crumbs are golden, about 12-18 minutes (all ovens run at slightly different temps, so check as you go) - Once cooked, spoon the beans onto serving plates, top with your crispy fish, then garnish with more chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil if you like. Serve immediately
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Mains, Fish Dishes
- Method: Air Fryer
Nutrition
- Calories: 979.95kcal
- Sugar: 18.52g
- Sodium: 464.61mg
- Fat: 17.63g
- Saturated Fat: 4.14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.71g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 135.62g
- Fiber: 38.89g
- Protein: 73.72g
- Cholesterol: 78.13mg
5 Responses
You know it’s good if it gets transferred into my recipe binder😄 Replaced crumb on the fish with sesame seeds and dill.
honoured to make it into your binder Julie!
So healthy my and delicious!
This was amaizing! My boy of 1 loved it sooo much aswell!! A true bit of sunshine in this cold dutch winter!
So glad you enjoyed it!