This Chinese-style steamed cod fish is a celebration of delicate flavors and beautiful simplicity. Tender, flaky cod fillets are gently steamed and finished with a fragrant ginger-scallion oil that sizzles as it hits the fish—turning an easy weeknight dinner into something truly special. With just 6 ingredients and no need for a steamer, this dish is fresh, healthy, and ready in under 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Dish
- Minimal Ingredients, Maximum Flavor: Just cod, ginger, scallions, oil, chili, and coconut aminos or soy sauce.
- No Steamer Needed: Use parchment paper to steam fish in the oven or air fryer.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: Make pouches ahead of time and freeze—cook straight from frozen.
- Healthy and Dietary Friendly: Naturally gluten-free, Whole30, low-carb, and Paleo-friendly.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cod fillets: Use boneless, skinless white fish fillets like cod, halibut, or sea bass.
- Fresh ginger: Thinly julienned for bold flavor and aroma.
- Scallions: Thinly sliced and added both before and after cooking.
- Fresh chili (optional): Adds a pop of color and heat.
- Neutral oil: Avocado oil or light olive oil works well for drizzling and sizzling.
- Coconut aminos or light soy sauce: Adds a salty, umami-rich layer to the dish.
How to Steam Fish Without a Steamer
1. Wrap En Papillote (in parchment):
- Pat your fish fillet dry with paper towels.
- Fold a large piece of parchment paper in half.
- Place the fish near the crease, then top with ginger, scallions, and optional chili.
- Fold the paper over the fish and pleat the edges tightly to form a sealed half-moon packet.
- Twist the final tip to fully secure the envelope.
2. Steam in Oven or Air Fryer:
- Oven: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 12–15 minutes depending on thickness.
- Air Fryer: Cook at 375°F (190°C) for 10–12 minutes.
The fish will steam gently in its own juices and emerge moist and flaky.
The Sizzling Finish (Don’t Skip This!)
This is where the magic happens.
- Heat a couple of tablespoons of neutral oil until shimmering hot.
- Carefully open the parchment packet and drizzle the hot oil directly over the fish, ginger, and scallions.
- You’ll hear the sizzle as the aromatics release their flavor and fragrance—this quick flash-cooking step elevates the dish to restaurant quality.
Drizzle with coconut aminos or soy sauce just before serving.
Meal Prep Tips
- Assemble parchment pouches and freeze flat in zip-top bags.
- To cook from frozen, add 4–5 extra minutes to your oven or air fryer time.
- You can prep multiple packets at once—great for easy weeknight dinners or quick lunches.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this steamed cod with:
- Garlicky Chinese Broccoli
- Sautéed Cabbage or Swiss Chard
- Steamed Jasmine Rice or Cauliflower Rice
Final Thoughts
This Chinese Steamed Cod with Ginger Scallion Sauce is proof that simple ingredients, when treated with care, can yield extraordinary results. It’s light but deeply flavorful, with silky fish, bright aromatics, and that sizzling hot oil to tie it all together. Whether you’re new to Chinese cooking or just looking for a fresh and easy fish recipe, this dish is a keeper.
Chinese Steamed Cod Fish
This Chinese-style steamed cod fish is a celebration of delicate flavors and beautiful simplicity.
Ingredients
- 1 lb cod fish fillets, boneless and skinless, about 1-inch thick
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos or 1 tbsp gluten-free tamari
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
- 3 scallion bulbs, chopped
- 0.8 oz Fresno or serrano red chilies, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 4 tbsp avocado oil
Instructions
- Slice the cod into two equal pieces, about half a pound each. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Fold one piece of parchment paper in half and place one fillet in the center, closer to the fold. Repeat with the second fillet and the other piece of parchment.
- Season each fillet with ¼ tsp salt, 1 tbsp coconut aminos, and 1 tsp sesame oil.
- To make a parchment pouch, fold the paper over to cover the fish. Starting at one end of the crease, fold and pleat the edges diagonally around the fish, forming a sealed half-moon shape.
- Twist and fold the end to secure it completely.
- Air fryer method: Place one pouch inside the air fryer basket. Lightly press it down so the paper doesn’t burn. Air fry at 300°F for 15 minutes.
- Test doneness with a skewer—it should slide in easily. If not, cook for 5 more minutes. For fillets thinner than 1 inch, reduce cook time by 5 minutes.
- Oven method: Place both pouches on a baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on fillet thickness. The fish should be tender and flaky.
- While the fish cooks, finely chop the ginger, scallions, and chili. Divide them into two portions.
- About 5 minutes before the fish is ready, heat the avocado oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for around 5 minutes. Keep the lid slightly ajar to let steam escape.
- Remove the cooked fish from the air fryer or oven. Let the pouches rest for 3 minutes. Then carefully cut open each one with kitchen scissors—watch out for hot steam.
- Top each fillet with the chopped aromatics and a pinch of salt.
- Slowly pour half of the hot oil over each fillet and its toppings. Serve right away.
Notes
- This method also works with other white fish like halibut, bass, or tilapia. If your fillets are thinner than 1 inch, reduce cook time by about 5 minutes.
- The exact cooking time can vary depending on the type and thickness of the fish.
Nutrition Information
Yield
2Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 575Total Fat 35gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 28gCholesterol 213mgSodium 1616mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 2gSugar 5gProtein 56g
Easy Shrimp Recipes.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although allchickenrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
