Perfect Grilled Cod

This grilled cod is bursting with flavor from homemade blackened seasoning! Cod is the fish you didn’t know you loved; here’s how to grill it.

Here’s the newest recipe you didn’t know you needed: Perfect Grilled Cod! This fish is bursting with flavor and one of our favorite things to come off of the grill this season. Perhaps grilled cod doesn’t sound like something to wax poetic about. But cover it in homemade blackened seasoning and it’s got massive savory and smoky notes, with a hint of underlying intrigue from cloves and allspice. Or, you can use our seafood seasoning to get the same flavors without the underlying heat. Here’s how to make magic on your grill with cod!

More with cod? Try this Pan Fried Cod, Baked Cod, Fish Tacos, or 15 Top Cod Recipes.

What does cod taste like?

Cod has a mild, pure flavor that’s not fishy at all. In fact, it’s even more mild than fish like salmon. Because of its delicate white meat and neutral flavor, it’s sometimes called “chicken of the sea” (though yes, that’s a brand of tuna, too). Cod is a great starter fish for people who don’t think they like fish. Another starter fish that’s not fishy? Grilled ahi tuna.

Ingredients for grilled cod

This healthy grilled cod recipe is very easy and requires just a handful of ingredients. You’ll need to make a homemade seasoning blend, but once you make it you’ll have it onhand for several more batches. Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:

• Cod fillets: you can use fresh or frozen. Wild caught is usually a sustainable option if you can find it!
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Homemade blackened seasoning or seafood seasoning

The best seasoning for cod…blackened seasoning

The very best seasoning for cod? Blackened seasoning. What is it? Blackening is a Cajun style way of cooking fish in a cast iron skillet with a seasoning blend. Every chef uses their own mix for blackened seasoning, so there’s no official definition. Most recipes have spices familiar to Cajun cuisine: paprika, garlic, onion, oregano, thyme, and of course, cayenne for the heat! The heat level in this seasoning blend is medium hot. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Smoked paprika or sweet paprika
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Oregano
• Celery seed
• Allspice
• Cloves
• Cayenne
• Salt and black pepper

Make up a big batch, and you’ll have enough for lots of grilled cod. Go How to Make Blackened Seasoning. Love spicy food? We’ve got an even spicier seasoning you can try. Use our Cajun Seasoning instead.

Can’t take the heat? Use seafood seasoning

Don’t want a spicy seasoning blend, we get it! This blackened seasoning has a bit of heat. But keep in mind: our 3 year old gobbled it up! He’s somewhat sensitive to spice, but didn’t seem to be in this case. If you prefer a milder option, we’ve got you covered. Try our seafood seasoning! It’s truly the best blend of flavors: a mix of savory, smoky and aromatic spices that makes for irresistible flavor.

Tips for how to grill cod

You can make grilled cod right on the grill grates: no foil required! It infuses the cod with smoky flavor and a crispy exterior. Here are our tips for how to grill cod:

• The temperature for grilled cod? Medium high heat, or 375 to 450 degrees. Medium high heat makes for a perfectly cooked piece of cod.
• Use indirect
• How long to cook grilled cod? 4 minutes skin side down, then 2 to 4 minutes skin side up! The best way to measure whether it’s done is using an internal thermometer. Stick it in the thickest part of the fish and it should read 130 degrees Fahrenheit. This should be right when the cod starts to flake when pulled with a fork.

Ways to prevent sticking to the grill!

Some people complain about grilled fish sticking to the grill. Here’s our advice: Don’t try to turn it too soon! When the cod is cooked just enough, it releases from the grill grates, making it easy to flip. But if you touch it before that time, it can stick and break apart. You don’t need to oil the grill grates. Just lightly oil the fish, and when cooking wait until the cod is easy to release (about 5 minutes). Then it’s easy to flip!

What to serve with grilled cod

There are so many fantastic ways to accessorize grilled cod to make it a healthy dinner! Here are some of our favorite ideas for making it into a tasty summer meal:

• Grilled Peppers and Onion or Grilled Zucchini and Squash Both of these grilled vegetable medleys would be colorful alongside.
• Grilled Okra Bring in a Cajun feel with grilled okra!
• Best Coleslaw Recipe There’s nothing better than coleslaw alongside grilled fish.
• Squash and Zucchini Casserole This homey casserole would be perfection right alongside.

This grilled cod recipe is…

Gluten-free, dairy-free and pescatarian.

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More grilled fish or seafood

Looking for more grilled fish & seafood recipes outside of this healthy grilled cod? Here’s a great place to start:

• Perfect Grilled Salmon or Grilled Tilapia Perfectly tender and flavored with a magic seasoning blend that takes it to new heights.
• Pesto Salmon Basil and salmon are the perfect pair!
• Grilled Fish Tacos or Quick Cod Fish Tacos Season the tender white fish with fajita seasoning, then top with pico de gallo and creamy sauce.
• Perfect Grilled Shrimp or Grilled Shrimp Skewers Perfectly seasoned and over the top good!
• Cajun Grilled Shrimp or Blackened Shrimp Covered in a homemade spice blend, they’re fast and easy to grill.
• Grilled Tuna Seared on the outside and tender on the inside! Full of savory flavor.
• Grilled Scallops Easy to grill and need minimal seasoning to taste irresistibly tender and savory.