Ninja Foodi cod is flaky and flavorful, and wonderfully easy to make! This simple air fryer recipe features a combination of butter, garlic, capers and lemon for an undeniably delicious seafood dish.
The 5-in-1 Ninja Foodi is a fantastic countertop appliance for nearly all of your cooking needs! From steaming to air frying, pressure cooking and more, there is little that it can't do.
This Ninja Foodi cod recipe uses the air fryer to cook healthy fish fillets that are slightly crisp on the outside with fork-flaky meat. It is a melt-in-your-mouth dish that tastes light and luxurious, but is terrifically quick and easy to make in under 20 minutes!
To get the most beautiful textures with delicious taste, we coat the fillets in a combination of melted butter with minced garlic, capers, paprika and oregano. These simple ingredients create a luscious buttery sauce with the perfect balance of earthy, salty, smoky, and savory flavors.
The codfish is cooked in the basket directly on slices of fresh lemon for a bright pop of acid that brings everything together. Mere minutes later you have a refined, nutritious, and utterly satisfying entree. This recipe is a winner for adding a tasty flair to busy weeknights, romantic date nights, or any special celebration!
Recipe ingredients
Cod fillets. Fresh, or frozen and thawed. Pat the fillets dry thoroughly with a clean towel before preparing.
Paprika. Smoky and vibrant, this spice adds deep umami flavor to the fairly mild fish.
Oregano. An earthy spice that mellows the other flavors.
Capers. Perfectly salty with a brine-y taste that really makes this a standout seafood dish.
Garlic cloves. An essential aromatic for many of the best savory recipes.
Butter. Adds richness to the otherwise light cod.
Lemon. This is a classic ingredient to pair with seafood as the acid brightens the entire dish.
How to make Ninja Foodi cod
Get you fish fillets ready for cooking. If cod us frozen, you will need to thaw it first. Leave frozen cod fillets in the fridge overnight or just on the counter for an hour or so. If fillets are small they will thaw quick.
Pat dry fish with paper towels. Grab a lemon and slice it. Place slices in the air fryer basket. Melt butter in a small bowl and add paprika, oregano, capers and minced or finely chopped garlic. Mix well.
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Cover cod fillets with the seasoning mixture (reserve some for later) and place on top of lemon slices in Air Crisp basket. Lemon will prevent fish from sticking and will add extra flavor.
Cook Ninja Foodi cod for about 12 minutes. Fish internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees for a fully cooked fish. Brush more butter seasoning mixture on top before serving.
Variations
- Make this Ninja Foodi cod recipe using any air fryer. Cook time is the same, but be mindful of whether your appliance typically runs more hot or slightly cooler.
- Customize the flavors of the dish and use your choice of spices. Try Old Bay or lemon pepper seasoning, Cajun spices, or any seafood seasoning blend you like! You might want to skip the capers, however.
- Speaking of - feel free to omit the capers if you aren't a fan. You might add a pinch more salt if you still want a saltier flavor.
- To make this a dairy-free recipe use your favorite vegan butter alternative.
- Use this recipe to air fry other white fish! It works wonderfully with haddock, pollock, or tilapia.
Frequently asked questions
The thick, flaky meat has a mildly sweet flavor with a clean finish. Cod is considered to be a "not fishy"-tasting fish. It beautifully takes on the taste of other ingredients, so in this recipe you get lots of delicious salty, smoky, bright and buttery flavors.
Yes, it is very healthy! The fish is known as a superfood for its many health benefits. It is a great source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and B vitamins. Cod is also low in fat and calories, and is a low-mercury fish.
Keep food from sticking to the Ninja Foodi basket by lining with parchment paper. But be sure to place the square of parchment in the basket after the air fryer has preheated. A loose piece of paper with nothing holding it down will blow all around and likely catch fire in the fryer.
For tender, lightly crisp fish be sure to not crowd the basket. So give each fillet a bit of space! It is also key to cook Ninja Foodi cod at the right temp: I suggest regularly checking your appliance with an oven-safe thermometer to ensure everything is registering properly.
Side dishes
I like to keep it healthy ans make quinoa, green salad or roasted vegetables. My favorite are brussels sprouts, steamed broccoli, asparagus or roasted zucchini.
To make the dish more filling add white rice, cilantro lime rice, mashed or boiled potatoes or even pasta!
Leftovers
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge in the air tight container for up to 3 days. Fish is not getting any better when stored for longer time so eat it quick.
- Reheat in the microwave on low heat until warm, about 1 minute. Or in the ninja foodi air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 2-3 minutes.
- Freeze in the freezer friendly container for 2-3 months.
Side dishes
- Air fryer haddock
- Air fryer pheasant
- Ninja creami chocolate ice cream
- Ninja Creami peach ice cream
- Air fryer corn in husk
- Air fryer frozen cod
- Ninja Foodi taco meat
- Ninja Foodi sweet potato
Hope you will like this Ninja Foodi cod recipe as much as we do. Please rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.
Ninja Foodi cod
Ninja Foodi cod is flaky and flavorful, and wonderfully easy to make! This simple air fryer recipe features a combination of butter, garlic, capers and lemon for an undeniably delicious seafood dish.
Ingredients
- 2 cod fillets
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon capers
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ lemon, sliced
Instructions
- Place lemon in the air fryer basket.
- Melt butter in a small bowl and add paprika, oregano, capers, and minced garlic in it. Stir.
- Place cod fillets on top of lemon. Pour the butter mixture on top of each fillet, reserving some for later.
- Cook at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.
- Brush more butter mixture on top before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 252Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 221mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 42g
Kim Curtis
I tried your recipe and loved the butter and flavoring topping but they were not done at 12 minutes. I I put them back in the air fryer at 375 again for eight more minutes and they were done but very dry. Would love to know why. Maybe next time I’ll try baking them instead of airfrying and see if the fillets keep their moisture. Would love some feedback.
Cathy
With using the Ninja foodi, which setting should be used. Air crisp? Bake/roast?