Air Fryer Mediterranean Cod (Printable Version)

Flaky cod with Mediterranean vegetables and herbs, steamed in parchment in the air fryer for a fresh, low-carb main.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless, boneless cod fillets (about 5 oz each)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
03 - 1 small zucchini, cut into half-moons
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 8 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

→ Aromatics & Herbs

07 - 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1 lemon, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
12 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
13 - ½ tsp kosher salt
14 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Set the air fryer to 350°F (180°C) and allow it to come to temperature while you prepare the ingredients.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine the sliced bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, olives, garlic slices, chopped parsley, and dried oregano. Drizzle with half of the olive oil and the lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Toss gently until the vegetables are evenly coated.
03 - Tear 4 sheets of parchment paper, each approximately 12 x 16 inches. Lay them flat on your work surface.
04 - Place one cod fillet in the center of each parchment sheet. Season the top side lightly with salt and pepper.
05 - Spoon the dressed vegetable mixture evenly over each fillet. Arrange 2–3 lemon slices on top of each portion, then drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
06 - Fold the parchment paper over each fillet and crimp the edges tightly together, sealing to form secure en papillote packets. Ensure no gaps remain so steam stays trapped inside during cooking.
07 - Place the sealed parchment packets in the air fryer basket. Work in batches if they do not fit in a single layer without overcrowding.
08 - Cook for 13–15 minutes until the cod turns opaque throughout and flakes easily when pierced with a fork.
09 - Carefully open each packet at the table—watch for hot steam—and serve directly from the parchment or transfer to individual plates.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The parchment traps every drop of flavor so the fish comes out more tender than any restaurant version I have tried.
  • It genuinely takes thirty minutes from fridge to plate with almost nothing to clean up afterward.
  • You can swap the vegetables based on whatever is wilting in your crisper drawer and it still works beautifully.
02 -
  • Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket because the packets need hot air circulating around them to cook properly, so batch them if needed.
  • Check the cod at 13 minutes rather than 15 because once it overcooks there is no going back and it becomes rubbery.
  • Make sure the parchment edges are sealed tightly or the steam escapes and everything dries out instead of gently poaching.
03 -
  • Pat the cod fillets completely dry with paper towels before seasoning because excess moisture makes the parchment soggy and prevents proper steaming.
  • Let the vegetable mixture sit for five minutes after tossing with the dressing so the salt draws out some moisture and the flavors marry before cooking.

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