Baked Cod with Ritz Cracker Topping

Baked white fish, such as cod, haddock, scrod, hake or bass, baked with a buttery Ritz cracker crust.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

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Updated July 11, 2021
Elise Bauer
Baked Cod with Ritz Cracker Topping
Elise Bauer

Once when I was six years old, visiting my aunt and uncle in Washington D.C., I ate an entire box of Ritz crackers.

They are banned from my house for the very reason that I still find them impossible to resist. Banned with the exception of this cod recipe.

We never had anything like those crackers at home, so buttery, so delicious. And once I started, I couldn't stop eating them.

Baked Cod With Ritz Crackers - A Perfect Match

Have you ever had white fish, baked with a Ritz cracker topping? It's such a standard in New England that you'll even find a Ritz cracker and butter mixture already packaged in plastic containers for sale at fish markets.

Ritz Crackers for Baked Cod Topping
Elise Bauer

How to Bake Cod

Baked cod is one of the easiest things to make. All you have to do is put the cod fillets in a baking pan, smother them with the topping, and bake for about 20 minutes, depending on thickness. Add a little lemon and parsley and you're done.

And the taste? Like lobster—infused with butter.

Can you use a different cracker? I don't think so. You can, of course, but it just won't taste the same.

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Baked Cod with Ritz Cracker Topping

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

Any white, lean fish will work with this recipe. In New England, cod, haddock, pollock and hake are traditional, but walleye, catfish, bass, snapper, Pacific rock cod, striped bass or Gulf Coast redfish will all work.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds skinless cod fillets

  • Salt

  • 1 sleeve Ritz crackers (about 34 crackers)

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • Lemon and parsley for garnish, optional

Method

  1. Prepare oven, baking pan, fish:

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a small baking pan or casserole pan with butter or a little oil. Rinse off the fish fillets with cold water, pat dry. Use long nose pliers to remove any pin bones from the fillets.

    Removing bones from Cod Fillet for Baked Cod
    Elise Bauer
    How to bake cod - removing pin bones with pliers prior to baking
    Elise Bauer
  2. Place fillets in bottom of dish:

    If you want, cut the fillets into large serving pieces. Place the fillets at the bottom of the pan, sprinkle with salt.

    Buttering baking dish for baked cod recipe
    Elise Bauer
    Cod filets in baking dish for baked cod recipe
    Elise Bauer
  3. Top fish with Ritz Cracker butter mixture:

    Melt the butter. Crush the Ritz crackers and place in a bowl; they should look like coarse breadcrumbs. Mix the melted butter with the breadcrumbs. Pack the crumb mixture over the top and sides of the fish fillets.

    Rolling pin over bag of ritz crackers for baked cod topping
    Elise Bauer
    Cod Fillets covered in Ritz crackers in baking dish for baked cod recipe
    Elise Bauer
  4. Bake:

    Place in the 350°F oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily. (Thin fillets may take less time, very thick fillets may take longer.)

    Baked Cod with Browned Ritz Cracker topping
    Elise Bauer
    Serve:

    Serve the fish with lemon and parsley.

Links:

Baked Fish with Pine Nut, Parmesan and Basil Crust - from Kayln's Kitchen

Baked Cod with Ritz Cracker Topping
Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
362 Calories
17g Fat
14g Carbs
36g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 362
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Cholesterol 109mg 36%
Sodium 386mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 36g
Vitamin C 2mg 8%
Calcium 52mg 4%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 399mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.