Air Fryer Cod

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Even though my oven baked cod, pan fried cod, and grilled cod are tasty and simple, this air fryer cod is probably the easiest of all my cod recipes — and certainly the fastest. Since it cooks so quickly and uses basic ingredients, it’s one of those busy weeknight staples I keep in my back pocket. Making cod in the air fryer will save your evening when you need a last-minute healthy dinner without much prep or cleanup. And it doesn’t get any easier.

Why You’ll Love My Air Fryer Cod Recipe

• Mild, lemony garlic flavor – Cod has a pretty mild taste and is not too “fishy”, making it a great option if you’re on the fence about seafood. But the fresh lemon and my simple spice blend prevent the neutral flavor from being boring.
• Tender, flaky texture – Cod fillets can be a little meaty, which isn’t my favorite texture for fish — I’ll take moist and flaky any day! Luckily, cooking cod in the air fryer is one of the best ways to get those delicate, tender flakes. This little appliance locks in moisture so well.
• Simple ingredients – All you need is the cod fish, olive oil, a lemon, and some spices. No flour, breadcrumbs, or specialty ingredients!
• Quick and easy – Air fryer cod is ready in just 15 minutes, including the prep and cooking times. It doesn’t leave me with a bunch of dishes to clean up afterward, either. Win-win!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my air fryer cod recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Cod Fillets – I prefer wild-caught cod fish, but you can use any variety. Look for fillets that are about 6 ounces each and similar in thickness, so that they cook at the same rate. My air fryer cod recipe also works with other types of white fish, such as haddock, flounder, red snapper, sole, or halibut.
• Lemon – You’ll need a fresh lemon (not bottled lemon juice), because my recipe uses the zest as well as the juice. While you could use just one or the other, the flavor is best using both!
• Olive Oil – You can also use a different neutral cooking oil, such as avocado oil. Sometimes I even use butter for extra flavor — it doesn’t burn with the short cook time here.
• Spices – I use common staples you probably have on hand, too: paprika, garlic powder, optional cayenne pepper (for a little heat), sea salt, and black pepper. If you like a bolder flavor, try my blackened seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or just use store-bought Old Bay seasoning instead.

How To Cook Cod In The Air Fryer

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Mix the seasonings. In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and cayenne.
2. Mix the oil and lemon. In a second bowl, stir together the olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest.

3. Season the fish. Pat the fillets dry and brush them with the olive oil mixture. Sprinkle the seasoning on both sides.
4. Air fry. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place the cod in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry until the fish is golden brown on top and flakes easily with a fork. I garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges for serving. Don’t miss my tips below for extra moist results!

My Recipe Tips

• Choose thick fillets if you can. I recommend thicker ones for most cod recipes, because they don’t dry out as easily. You can use either whole fillets or cod loins. I’ve done both, but prefer to make air fryer cod using loins, because they are generally thicker and higher quality.
• Cook times can vary depending on thickness. If you get a few pieces of fish that are different thicknesses, the thinner pieces will be done closer to 7-8 minutes. You can remove those when done and leave the thicker pieces in a few more minutes if needed.
• For moist, flaky results, use a meat thermometer. You can use my time estimate of 8-10 minutes to air fry cod, but I’m very particular about not drying out my fish, so I always use this meat thermometer. The fish turns out extra moist and flaky if I remove it at an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F, rather than the 145 degrees F that is often recommended.
• You can cook frozen cod in the air fryer, too. To do this, air fry for 3-4 minutes first until thawed, then add the oil, lemon, and seasonings, and continue air frying for the usual amount of time, until nice and flaky. It usually takes 12-15 minutes total for me.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheat: To retain its moist, flaky texture, I highly recommend reheating the cod in the air fryer again, this time at 350 degrees F. It takes only 2-3 minutes to warm up.
• Freeze: You can freeze the fish for up to 3 months, though it doesn’t taste quite as good as fresh after thawing.

Serving Suggestions

Since my air fryer cod recipe uses common spices, it goes with almost any side dish! Try one (or more) of these:

• Asparagus – My favorite pairing for fish! Choose from my roasted asparagus (my most popular version), sauteed asparagus, grilled asparagus (perfect for summer), bacon wrapped asparagus, or make my air fryer asparagus for an entire meal in the same appliance.
• Air Fryer Veggies – If asparagus isn’t your thing, you can toss mixed vegetables in the air fryer to use up whatever you have on hand. But you can also choose just one veggie — my air fryer broccoli or air fryer zucchini both pair well with fish.
• Potatoes – My kids always ask for my air fryer potatoes with this main dish. You can also opt for Instant Pot baked potatoes or a baked sweet potato if you plan ahead. Need a lighter swap? I’ve got options like fried radishes, roasted rutabaga (the texture is a lot like potatoes), or loaded cauliflower casserole.
• Salads – For a fresh, light meal, I like to serve air fryer cod with a salad. Try my creamy cucumber salad, fruity spring mix salad, or summery strawberry spinach salad — or choose from one of my other healthy salad recipes!
• Sauces – Not required, but a sauce does take the fish up a notch! Simple lemon butter sauce is my weakness, but tartar sauce also tastes great (I have a recipe for sugar-free tartar sauce too, if you need it).
• Fish Tacos – Flake the cod with a fork and stuff into your favorite tortillas with some taco slaw, avocado, and fresh cilantro. So good!

More Air Fryer Seafood Recipes

Fish and seafood already cook quickly, so the air fryer gets them ready lightning fast! Here are some of my other seafood dishes made in my fave appliance:

Air Fryer Salmon

Air Fryer Shrimp

Air Fryer Lobster

Air Fryer Tilapia

My Tools For This Recipe

• Air Fryer – This is the one I have. It has a customizable touch screen, and my favorite part is the dishwasher-safe roomy basket!
• Basting Brush – For brushing on the lemon oil mixture. This one won’t leave bristles on your food, unlike traditional brushes.

Recipe Card

4.85 from 45 votes

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Air Fryer Cod (Easy 15-Minute Dinner)

Enjoy a light dinner with this flaky, moist air fryer cod recipe in 15 minutes, using simple ingredients like olive oil, lemon, and spices.

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Total: 15 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from Wholesome Yum

Servings: 4 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 4 6-oz Cod fillets ▢
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice (freshly squeezed, from 1/2 a lemon) ▢
• 1 tsp Lemon zest (from 1 lemon) ▢
• 2 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• 1 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 3/4 tsp Paprika ▢
• 1/2 tsp Garlic powder ▢
• 1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper (optional) ▢
• Cooking spray ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).

2. Pat each fish fillet dry with paper towels.

3. In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and cayenne. Set aside.

4. In a separate small bowl, stir together olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest.

5. Brush each cod fillet with the olive oil/lemon mixture (on both sides). Sprinkle seasoning on both sides and pat gently (so it sticks to the fish).

6. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place the cod in the air fryer basket (do not crowd the basket, cook in batches if necessary). Cook for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown on top and 140-145 degrees F (60-63 degrees C) in the center of the largest fillet.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

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Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cod fillet

Nutrition info does not include cayenne pepper or cooking spray.

📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Healthy Air Fryer Bundle!

Nutrition Facts

Amounts per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 203

Fat 8g

Protein 30.5g

Total Carbs 1g

Net Carbs 0.7g

Fiber 0.3g

Sugar 0.3g

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.

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