Description
This vibrant Turmeric Cod with Chickpea Traybake is a wholesome, flavorful one-pan meal that combines tender cod fillets with a spiced chickpea and spinach medley. The dish is infused with warming turmeric, fresh ginger, and a touch of chili flakes for mild heat, all baked together to create a comforting yet healthy dinner option perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
Chickpea Mixture
- 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tsp sunflower oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 15g ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 200ml hot chicken stock, made up with 1/2 stock cube
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp chili flakes
For the Cod
- 2 x 125g cod fillets
- 1 tsp ground turmeric (remaining from total 2 tsp)
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp chili flakes (remaining from total 1/2 – 1 tsp)
- Salt, a large pinch
- Freshly ground black pepper, a large pinch
Additional
- 200g frozen spinach
- 10g coriander, roughly chopped or a few whole leaves, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/Gas mark 6 to prepare for baking the traybake.
- Prepare the Chickpea Base: In a 20 x 30cm roasting tin, combine the drained chickpeas, sunflower oil, crushed garlic, finely chopped shallots, grated ginger, tomato purée, hot chicken stock, most of the turmeric, and most of the chili flakes. Stir everything together well, season generously with salt and pepper, then place in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbling and the liquid has reduced.
- Season the Cod: While the chickpea mixture bakes, pat the cod fillets dry with kitchen paper. On a shallow plate, mix the remaining turmeric, chili flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Press each cod fillet into this spice blend to fully coat the surface.
- Add Cod and Spinach to Traybake: Remove the roasting tin from the oven once the chickpeas are cooked. Nestle the seasoned cod fillets and frozen spinach into the chickpea mixture carefully.
- Continue Baking: Return the tin to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Then, gently stir the spinach into the chickpeas and cod, ensuring it’s well distributed. Return the traybake to the oven for a final 5 minutes, or until the cod is opaque and cooked through.
- Serve: Spoon portions into serving bowls and scatter with fresh coriander leaves for a bright finish. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- For a vegan option, substitute chicken stock with vegetable stock and use a plant-based protein instead of cod.
- If preferred, fresh spinach can be used in place of frozen; add it in the last 5 minutes of cooking to avoid overcooking.
- Adjust chili flakes according to your heat preference, starting with less if unsure.
- This dish pairs well with crusty bread or steamed rice to soak up the flavorful sauce.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and gently reheated in the oven or stovetop.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: turmeric cod, chickpea traybake, baked cod recipe, healthy fish dinner, one-pan meal, gluten free dinner, easy seafood recipe
