Seafood · ALWAYS FREE
Lemon-caper cod with leeks
Gently steamed cod rests on soft leeks and zucchini in lemony pan juices, with briny capers and fresh dill to finish.
Ingredients
Volumes are approximate. For baking, use a scale; Metric keeps the specified gram weights.
Let’s make it
- Place the sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water and swish to release grit. Lift them out into a colander, leaving the dirt behind, and drain well. Pat the cod dry and check carefully for pin bones.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep sauté pan with a lid over medium heat. Add the leeks and half the salt, cover and cook for 7–9 minutes, stirring several times, until softened without browning. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the zucchini, water and capers. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 3 minutes. Season the cod with the remaining salt and half the pepper, then arrange the four fillets in a single layer over the vegetables.
- Cover the pan and keep at a gentle simmer for 8–12 minutes, depending on thickness, until the fish is opaque, separates into flakes and reaches 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part of every fillet on a food thermometer. Keep simmering and check again if any fillet has not reached that temperature.
- Transfer the fish carefully to four shallow bowls. Stir lemon juice, zest, dill and the remaining pepper into the vegetables and pan juices. Divide the vegetables, capers and juices equally among the bowls, spooning some over each fillet. Serve promptly.
Estimated nutrition
Per serving · 1 of 4- Calories
- 318 kcal
- Protein
- 34.2 g
- Total carbohydrate
- 26.3 g
- Total fat
- 9 g
- Total sugars
- 8.6 g
Calculated from the listed ingredients and yield. Brands, draining, cooking and portioning can change the result. Not a laboratory analysis.
Calculation notes & sources
Estimated from listed ingredient amounts and identified food-composition profiles, divided by the stated number of servings. Not laboratory analysis or kitchen testing. The ingredient-sum method uses raw or cooked food profiles matching the ingredient state. Moisture gain/loss does not change the stated serving count. No general cooking/fermentation nutrient-retention factors are applied. Unless a discard/absorption blocker is listed, all measured pan fats and sauces are assumed consumed. Actual amounts left in pans, on utensils or during cooking can reduce intake. Optional additions are excluded when noted. Calories are kcal. Protein, total carbohydrate, total fat and total sugar are grams. Total carbohydrate includes fiber; these are not net carbs. No %DV or FDA-compliance claim. Null means unavailable, never zero. Sodium and fiber are omitted because retention, brands, rinsing and missing source rows make them less reliable here.
View the ingredient calculations · Source 1 · Source 2Why it’s in this collection
- High Protein: Protein-only lower-bound estimate from raw skinless Atlantic cod: 680 g × 17.81 g protein per 100 g ÷ 4 equal portions = 30.277 g, rounded down to 30.2 g per portion. Other ingredients are not counted. Raw ingredient weights match the USDA raw-food entry; all pan juices are divided among the portions. This is an estimate, not a full nutrition panel; food variation and substitutions change it. USDA reference · USDA reference · USDA reference
- Paleo: Every ingredient was screened against the site’s strict Paleo exclusions. No white potatoes, grains, legumes, dairy, added sugar, syrups or unverified sauces are included. The label describes ingredient compatibility, not a health outcome. Supporting reference
- Weight Loss Journey: One of four equal portions includes 250 g measured nonstarchy vegetables (600 g trimmed leeks + 400 g trimmed zucchini, divided by 4) and 170 g of the raw main protein, yielding an estimated protein-only minimum of 30.2 g. The recipe has no added sugar and is not deep-fried. Vegetable weights are raw, trimmed edible weights before cooking. This is portion-aware meal planning, not a calorie prescription or a promise of weight loss. Supporting reference · Supporting reference · Supporting reference · Supporting reference
- Mediterranean: Cod with leeks, zucchini, olive oil, garlic, salt-packed capers, lemon juice and zest, dill, salt, black pepper and water; the capers are specified as capers and salt only. Selected for the vegetable/legume/olive-oil-centered ingredient pattern, with any seafood, poultry or dairy shown explicitly above.
Required label checks: Use the stated capers-and-salt-only product, not a flavored caper sauce.
Supporting reference - Gluten-Free: Cod with leeks, zucchini, olive oil, garlic, salt-packed capers, lemon juice and zest, dill, salt, black pepper and water; the capers are specified as capers and salt only.
Required label checks: Use the stated capers-and-salt-only product, not a flavored caper sauce. Gluten-Free eligibility is conditional: choose gluten-free-labeled packaged the specified salt-packed capers and ground pepper; verify all other packaged ingredients and avoid gluten cross-contact during preparation.
Supporting reference - Dairy-Free: Cod with leeks, zucchini, olive oil, garlic, salt-packed capers, lemon juice and zest, dill, salt, black pepper and water; the capers are specified as capers and salt only.
Required label checks: Use the stated capers-and-salt-only product, not a flavored caper sauce.
Supporting reference
Calculations are estimates from the specified ingredients and portions. Brands, trimming, substitutions, and cooking losses change the result. This is recipe guidance, not individualized nutrition or medical advice.
Times are estimates. Images illustrate the dish; check ingredients and portions for your needs.
Use a food thermometer for meat, fish, and egg dishes. Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C). Safe cooking temperatures · USDA leftover guidance
