Baked Cod Arguiñano Style: Easy Recipe with Potatoes and Vegetables

Arguiñano and baked cod: less is more

Baked cod is one of those dishes that Karlos Arguiñano has prepared countless times on his show, and the reason is simple: it's the perfect demonstration that cooking well doesn't mean cooking complicated. Good produce, a correct technique, and the oven does the rest.

The charm of this recipe lies in the vegetable base. Thinly sliced potatoes absorb the cod's juices during cooking, the onion adds sweetness, and the peppers provide color and aroma. Everything cooks at once, in the same dish, creating a complete meal where each ingredient has exchanged flavors with the others.

This version is inspired by Karlos Arguiñano's style, adapted to use premium Icelandic cod loins. At Bacalalo, since 1990 at Mercat del Ninot in Barcelona, we select thick loins ideal for baking: firm, clean-tasting, and with the perfect proportion of flesh and gelatin.

Ingredients for baked cod (4 servings)

For the loins

• 4 Icelandic cod loins (200-250 g each, desalted)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Flake salt and black pepper

For the vegetable base

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced 3-4 mm thick
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced into rings
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 glass white wine (150 ml)
• 200 ml fish stock (or water)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Preparing the potato and vegetable base

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) with top and bottom heat. The key to baked cod is that the vegetable base is partially cooked before adding the fish.

Step 1: Assemble the base

Grease a large oven dish with olive oil. Arrange the potato slices in an even layer at the bottom, slightly overlapping them like fish scales. Season with salt and pepper.

On top of the potatoes, distribute the onion rings, pepper strips, and sliced garlic. Place the bay leaf. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil — Arguiñano always says that "olive oil is not an expense, it's an investment."

Step 2: Pre-bake the base

Pour the white wine and fish stock over the vegetables. The liquid should almost reach halfway up the potatoes. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.

This step is crucial: if you add the cod from the beginning, it will dry out while the potatoes are cooking. The vegetable base needs more cooking time than the fish.

Baking the cod: timings and temperature

Step 3: Add the loins

Remove the dish from the oven and take off the aluminum foil. Place the cod loins on the vegetable base, skin side up. Brush the skin with olive oil and season with flake salt.

If you want extra crispy skin — a touch Arguiñano particularly appreciates — turn on the oven grill and place the dish on the top rack for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking.

Step 4: Bake the cod

Return the dish to the oven uncovered for 12-15 minutes at 200°C (390°F). The cod will be ready when the flesh flakes easily when gently pressed with a fork but is still juicy in the center.

Golden rule: Cod continues to cook outside the oven with residual heat. It's better to take it out a little early than to overcook it. A 200g loin needs about 12 minutes; a 250g one, about 15.

Step 5: Rest

Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. The juices redistribute, and the cod finishes settling. Drizzle with a final thread of raw extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.

Arguiñano's tips for perfect baked cod

• Pre-bake the potatoes: This is the most important trick. Potatoes need 25-30 minutes, cod only 12-15. If you put them in at the same time, the cod will dry out while the potatoes cook.
• Thin potato slices: Cut them 3-4 mm thick with a mandoline or sharp knife. Thick slices won't cook in time and will remain raw inside.
• Fish stock: If you don't have homemade stock, use quality fish stock or even water with a stock cube. The liquid prevents the potatoes from drying out and creates a natural sauce when mixed with the juices.
• White wine: Adds acidity and complexity to the base. It evaporates during cooking, leaving only the flavor. If you don't want to use alcohol, substitute it with diluted lemon juice.
• Skin side up: By placing the cod skin side up, the skin toasts and becomes crispy while the flesh remains protected and juicy on the moist bed of vegetables.
• Don't move the cod: Once placed on the vegetables, don't touch it. Every time you move the loin, you lose temperature and break the structure of the flesh.
• Finishing with raw olive oil: A drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil before serving adds a fresh aroma and shine to the dish. Arguiñano calls it "the essential final touch."

Garnishes and accompaniments

Baked cod with potatoes is already a complete meal, but if you want to add something extra:

• Green salad: A green leaf salad with lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the dish
• Crusty bread: For dipping in the juices at the bottom of the dish — the best part
• Roasted piquillo peppers: If you haven't included them in the base, they're perfect as a side garnish
• White asparagus: They combine particularly well with cod and the white wine in the sauce

For an exceptional result, the quality of the cod is fundamental. Bacalalo's Icelandic cod loins have the firm texture and gelatin point that the oven needs to produce a juicy and flavorful result, without the dryness that ruins so many baked cod dishes.

Frequently asked questions