Black Pepper Free Plantain-Crusted Cod
Crispy, golden, and genuinely impressive, this plantain-crusted cod brings serious texture and flavor without a single crack of the pepper mill. Green plantains are baked until firm and golden, then pulsed with coconut oil, turmeric, ginger, fresh herbs, and coconut aminos to create a coarse, savory crust that clings beautifully to each fillet. The result is something that feels far more restaurant-worthy than the ingredient list suggests. Skipping black pepper is often the trickiest part of seasoning fish — it shows up in spice blends, marinades, and pre-seasoned fillets constantly — but here the warmth comes entirely from turmeric and ginger, which do the job with real depth. A quick sear locks the crust in place before a short oven roast finishes the cod to flaky, tender perfection. Bright lemon and fresh parsley at the end keep everything light and lively. It's the kind of weeknight dinner that looks like you tried much harder than you actually did.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the fish
- 4 cod fillets (about 6 oz each), skin removed
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, for searing
For the crust
- 2 medium green plantains (about 12 oz total), peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
For serving
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
- fresh parsley, roughly chopped, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Set a wire rack over a baking sheet and set aside.
- 2
Spread the plantain rounds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet (without the rack) and bake for 12–15 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until dried out, firm, and lightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
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