Pan-Seared Cod with Romesco Sauce and Toasted Almonds
Flaky cod fillets pan-seared to golden perfection, served with a vibrant roasted red pepper Romesco sauce accented by toasted almonds. This Spanish recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs cod fillets, olive oil, roasted red peppers for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces (6 oz each) cod fillets
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large, jarred or fresh roasted roasted red peppers
- 1/4 cup toasted almonds
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 2 tbsp ground almonds
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup water
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Instructions
- Step 1: In a food processor, combine 2 large roasted red peppers, 1/4 cup toasted almonds, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp sherry vinegar, 2 tbsp ground almonds, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 cup water. Pulse until a thick, slightly chunky Romesco sauce forms; set aside.
- Step 2: Pat dry 4 cod fillets (6 oz each) and season both sides with 1/2 tsp sea salt.
- Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cod fillets skin-side down and cook for 4 minutes until edges are golden and the fish easily releases from the pan.
- Step 4: Flip the fillets and cook for another 3 minutes until fish is opaque and flakes easily.
- Step 5: Remove fish to plates and spoon 3 tbsp Romesco sauce over each fillet. Drizzle the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil over the sauce and garnish with extra toasted almonds if desired.






