This baked cod with creamy mushroom and leek orzo is a simple yet elegant dish, packed with delicate fish, earthy mushrooms, and velvety orzo. Perfect for cosy dinners or entertaining guests.
I found the recipe on the BBC Good Food website after searching for ‘mushroom and leek’ on the website. I already had everything on the ingredient list except the crème fraiche so added that to my next online food shopping delivery.
I’ve seen quite a few recipes that combine fish with mushrooms and it’s always something I’ve turned my nose up at…in my mind it just doesn’t make sense!! However, I decided it was time to give it a try…and honestly, it's delicious. The end result is lovely baked cod with a hint of lemon and thyme. The orzo cooked in the stock along with the mushroom and leeks and then a hint of lemon at the end from the zest and the creaminess from a small amount of crème fraiche is seriously yum. Definitely a recipe to make over and over again!
Tips
- Alternative fish - haddock, halibut or sea bass are good substitutes.
- Alternative protein - swap out the cod for pan fried or roast chicken.
- This baked cod with creamy mushroom and leek orzo recipe is easily halved if you're cooking for 2.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You can prep the orzo base ahead, but bake the cod fresh to avoid it drying out.
Yes - but make sure it’s fully thawed and patted dry before cooking to avoid excess moisture.
Yes - use plant-based cream like oat or soy.
Use risotto rice (arborio), pearl barley, or even small pasta like ditalini, noting that cooking times will vary.
Not by default, but you can make it gluten-free by using gluten-free orzo or rice.
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How to make this Baked Cod with Creamy Mushroom and Leek Orzo
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cod loin fillets (total weight approx. 650g)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested and sliced
- half a small bunch of thyme
- 2 leeks, sliced and washed to remove any dirt
- 200g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
- 300g orzo
- 500ml fish or vegetable stock (made using a stock cube or pot)
- 2 tbsp reduced fat crème fraiche
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip the flour into a bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dip each cod fillet into the flour until evenly coated. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat and fry the cod on each side for 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a roasting tin with the lemon slices on top and nestled in the thyme. Bake for 10 minutes.
- While the fish is baking in the oven, heat the remaining oil over a medium to high heat in a large saucepan and fry the leeks and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Add the orzo and stock, and cook on a fast simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender (Note: you want the stock to be absorbed, but not completely so that orzo ends up dry. If halving the recipe, you may need more than 250ml of stock, so make the full amount just in case). Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the crème fraiche and lemon zest. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Serve the orzo with the baked cod fillets and roasted lemon slices on top.
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Baked Cod with Creamy Mushroom and Leek Orzo
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cod loin fillets (total weight approx. 650g)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon zested and sliced
- half a small bunch of thyme
- 2 leeks sliced and washed to remove any dirt
- 200 g (7.1 oz) chestnut mushrooms sliced
- 300 g (10.6 oz) orzo
- 500 ml (2 cups) fish or vegetable stock (made using a stock cube or pot)
- 2 tbsp reduced fat crème fraiche
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip the flour into a bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dip each cod fillet into the flour until evenly coated. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat and fry the cod on each side for 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a roasting tin with the lemon slices on top and nestled in the thyme. Bake for 10 minutes.
- While the fish is baking in the oven, heat the remaining oil over a medium to high heat in a large saucepan and fry the leeks and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Add the orzo and stock, and cook on a fast simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender (Note: you want the stock to be absorbed, but not completely so that orzo ends up dry. If halving the recipe, you may need more than 250ml of stock, so make the full amount just in case). Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the crème fraiche and lemon zest. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Serve the orzo with the baked cod fillets and roasted lemon slices on top.
Notes
- Alternative fish - haddock, halibut or sea bass are good substitutes.
- Alternative protein - swap out the cod for pan fried or roast chicken.
- This baked cod with creamy mushroom and leek orzo recipe is easily halved if you're cooking for 2.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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