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Bon Appétit

Cod With Soy-Caramelized Onions and Potatoes

4.4

(44)

A cod fillet set on top of caramelized sliced potatoes sprinkled with green onions and chile flakes.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Plate by Meilen Ceramics 

Adding ginger and soy sauce to caramelized onions gives a bit of zingy punch and intrigue, creating a multidimensional meal that comes together in just one skillet. Covering the onions briefly during the beginning of the cooking process helps them break down more quickly—a baking sheet will work if you don’t have a lid!

Recipe information

  • Yield

    2 servings

Ingredients

3

Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2

medium onions, thinly sliced

Kosher salt

1

1" piece ginger, peeled, sliced into matchsticks or finely chopped

2

tsp. soy sauce

1

medium russet potato, scrubbed, sliced into ¼"-thick rounds

2

5–6-oz. cod, pollock, halibut, or other flaky white fish or salmon fillets

2

scallions, trimmed, thinly sliced

Furikake, shichimi togarashi, sesame seeds, mild red pepper flakes, or other fun sprinkly topping (for serving; optional)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onions, season with salt, and cover. Cook, uncovering and stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and just beginning to take on color, about 5 minutes. Uncover, add ginger, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are jammy and golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Stir in soy sauce. Transfer onion mixture to a plate and wipe out skillet.

    Step 2

    Pour remaining 1 Tbsp. oil into same skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Add potatoes in a single layer and season with salt. Cook, turning halfway through, until golden brown, 10–12 minutes.

    Step 3

    Spread onion mixture over potatoes, leaving a 1" border of potatoes without onion mixture. Season fish with salt and place on top of onion mixture. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until fish is opaque throughout and easily flakes apart, 10–12 minutes. Serve topped with scallions and furikake (if using).

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Reviews (44)

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  • The caramelized onions and ginger are the star of the show here, so don’t skimp when it says 2 full onions! I ended up adding some water to slow the cooking process and prevent them from burning after adding the ginger. I did cook additional potatoes in the pan after finishing the recipe as directed because I wanted extra. Served with broccoli. Very good.

    • Carmela

    • Chicago, IL

    • 2/8/2024

  • I roasted my potatoes in the oven and went about carmelizing the onions and ginger. It's a great way to save time, your pan, and get the potatoes cooked all the way thru. It's delicious, I've also added roasted broccoli the first time I made it. So good.

    • TWendy

    • Oregon

    • 5/25/2023

  • It was a little too much of a hodgepodge for me.

    • Anonymous

    • Los Angeles, CA

    • 5/24/2023

  • I dont know if the ginger and onions were suppose to cook covered or uncovered so I ended up burning my onions :(

    • Leena

    • Detroit, Mi

    • 12/6/2021

  • I am not impressed with this recipe. Not a repeat for sure.

    • Nerko

    • Westport, CT

    • 10/7/2021

  • We don't eat potatoes, so we substituted chopped cauliflower florets and the recipe was excellent. It has a subtle taste that works great with cod. We also used vidalia (sweet) onions and for appearance, topped with black sesame seeds along with the scallion slices. Appearance was good enough to serve company.

    • David O

    • Boston, MA

    • 7/8/2021

  • One of the best white fish dishes we've ever tasted, and will definitely make again. Potato slices became crispy on the underside and provide a layer between the heat and the fish, so the fish basically was steamed to tenderness

    • Anonymous

    • New York

    • 6/14/2021