One Pan Baked Cod and Noodles in Coconut Broth

This one pan baked cod and noodles is one of those wonderfully simple dinners that feels far more impressive than the effort involved.

Flaky cod fillets sit on top of noodles and tender broccoli, all cooked together in a rich coconut broth flavoured with garlic, fish sauce and turmeric. Everything bakes in a single dish, which means minimal washing up and a dinner that largely cooks itself.

Recipes like this are exactly why I love one pan cooking. If you enjoy easy dinners where everything cooks together in one dish, you might also like my collection of one pan dinners here – it’s full of simple recipes designed for relaxed weeknight cooking.

This blog is all about easy weeknight dinners, and this cod noodle dish fits perfectly into that idea: a complete meal with protein, vegetables and carbs that you can assemble in minutes.

The coconut broth (the real star of the dish)

While the cod is delicious, the coconut broth is really what makes this recipe special.

It’s rich and full of flavour thanks to a handful of simple ingredients:

• coconut milk
• garlic
• fish sauce
• palm sugar
• turmeric

Together they create a broth that’s slightly sweet, deeply savoury and incredibly comforting. As the noodles cook they absorb some of the broth, which means every bite becomes packed with flavour. It’s the sort of sauce you’ll want to drink at the end of the meal!

Ingredients and Substitutions

This recipe uses simple ingredients, and most of them are easy to adapt depending on what you have available.

• Coconut milk – Full fat coconut milk gives the broth richness and depth. You can use light coconut milk if you prefer, but the flavour will be slightly less creamy.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic adds warmth and savoury flavour to the broth. If you like things punchy, adding an extra clove works well.
• Fish sauce – Fish sauce brings saltiness and umami to the dish. If you don’t have it, you could substitute soy sauce or tamari though fish sauce does give the most authentic flavour.
• Palm sugar – Palm sugar adds gentle sweetness that balances the savoury broth. Light brown sugar works perfectly well as a substitute.
• Turmeric – Turmeric adds colour and a subtle earthy flavour. You could also add grated ginger, a little chilli or lemongrass if you want a slightly different flavour profile.
• Noodles – Any dried noodles work well here. Good options include rice noodles, ramen noodles (without the seasoning sachet), dried udon noodles or medium egg noodles. Breaking the noodles into shorter lengths helps them cook evenly in the broth.
• Cod – Cod fillets work beautifully because they bake gently and flake easily. Other fish that would work well include haddock, pollock or hake. Just make sure the fillets are similar in thickness so they cook evenly.
• Broccoli – Tenderstem broccoli is ideal because it cooks quickly. You could also use purple sprouting broccoli, green beans, pak choi or sugar snap peas – or a mixture of all of these!

Tips for perfectly cooked cod and noodles

This recipe is very forgiving, but a few small tips make it even better.

1. Make sure the noodles are covered. The noodles need to be mostly submerged in liquid so they cook properly. If the liquid doesn’t quite cover them, add a splash more water.
2. Break the noodles first. Breaking the noodles into smaller pieces helps them cook evenly and makes the dish easier to eat.
3. Don’t overcook the cod. Cod cooks quite quickly in the oven. Around 20–25 minutes total cooking time is usually perfect. The fish should flake easily with a fork but still look moist.
4. Add herbs at the end. Fresh coriander should be added towards the end of cooking so it keeps its fresh flavour.

More easy one pan dinners

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like:

• One Pan Smoked Sausage Tray Bake
• One Pan Chicken and Vegetable Tray Bake
• One Pot Bacon and Lentil Pasta

Or explore the full collection of easy one pan dinners here, all designed to make weeknight cooking simple and satisfying.