Steamed Cod Fish with Basil Ratatouille
Fish & Seafood · Let’s Eat the World · Main Course · Provencal Recipes · TasteEasy to prepare, cod is a white fish with a mild flavour that is perfect to pair with bright, colourful vegetables. This dish is an excellent addition to some rice or pasta or great served on its own. We made a traditional Provencal ratatouille as a side dish, the recipe is below. Enjoy the bright, lively flavours that are perfect for a summer evening.
For more seafood recipes join one of our cooking classes in Paris, Uzès or online.

Cod Fish Steamed in Spinach Leaves and Ratatouille
This is a quick and easy way to enjoy cod, a light white fish that is made for pairing with colourful vegetables! Enjoy it with rice, pasta, or zucchini noodles for a lighter version. The white wine cream sauce is so full of flavour, you'll be sure to bookmark the page to make it again!
Ingredients
- 2 fillets Cod boneless and skinless
- 10 large spinach
For the Ratatouille:
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 small zucchini (courgette) green
- 1 small yellow zucchini (courgette) if no yellow, double green
- 1 small eggplant (aubergine)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 Red Bell Pepper
- 10 Basil Leaves
- 1 tbsp herbes de Provence or 1 tsp dry thyme and 1 tsp oregano
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tomatoes
For the White Wine Sauce:
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 shallot(s)
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/4 cup butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash and clean your vegetables.
- Peel garlic, shallots, and onion.
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, add olive oil, garlic, Herbes de Provence, and onion. Cook gently, stirring often, so there is no colouration.
- In the meantime, cut the pepper into 1/4 inch pieces, add it into the saucepan, and continue stirring and cooking for 4 to 5 minutes. Do the same with the eggplant and zucchini, then add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook covered over low heat for 20 minutes.
- Clean and de-nerve the spinach leaves. Boil a little bit of water with 1 tsp of sea salt, and blanch the spinach for 20 seconds. Drain and shock in ice water to keep them green. Remove from water and squeeze lightly to dry them up a little.
- Season the fish with salt and pepper, wrap each fillet with spinach leaves (5 each). Reserve in the fridge until ready to cook.
- Slice the basil leaves, add them to the ratatouille when cooked, stir well, and let infuse off of the heat.
- Mince the shallots and boil them with the wine in a saucepan until it has reduced to around 4 TBS, then add the cream, boil for 3 minutes and add butter, whisk well. Season with salt and pepper.
- Steam the fish for 4 to 5 minutes, or in the oven at 165ºC (320ºF) for 15 minutes with 2 tbsp of water in the pan covered with aluminum foil.
- Serve with hot ratatouille, place the fish on top, and cream sauce around. Use a few basil leaves as garnish.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Other Cod and Monkfish Recipes
Cod with Tapenade Crust and Rosé Braised Fennel
This recipe has a few steps. However, as long as you prepare the fennel and black olive tapenade in advance, the cod takes no time to cook.
Check out this recipe
Roast Cod with a Lemon & Parsley Crust & Stuffed Courgette Flowers
The key ingredient for this recipe is the cod, but the dish is really brought to life by the lemon, garlic and cheese that are added to the fish topping and the stuffing for the flowers.
Check out this recipe
Roast Cod with Ratatouille and Tomato Coulis
Classic Provençal Ratatouille is bright and fresh served with crispy crusted cod, our catch of the day, and topped with a creamy tomato coulis. Dinner is served!
Check out this recipe
Monkfish with cream of peas ''a la Francaise''
Who doesn't love a good pea soup? Smokey bacon and a piece of fish make this a great appetizer.
Check out this recipe
Mediterranean Fish with a Vegetable Tian
A main course that is simple to prepare along with and a vegetable side dish.
Check out this recipe
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken and a Zoom DinnerRelated Provence Articles
Eating My Way Through Provence My Favourite Restaurants in Les Alpilles
August 4, 2025
If you really want to get to know a place, start with what’s on the plate. During my recent trip through Provence, I followed my appetite across markets, bistros, and white-tablecloth restaurants — and each meal felt like a little window into the region’s soul. The food wasn’t just delicious; it was rooted. Honest. The …
Simple Seafood Dish Shrimp in a Sweet Paprika Sauce
July 28, 2025
During our trip to Paris, I created this easy seafood dish after a trip to the Les Halles market. I used three vendors: Poissonnerie Chez Miguel for the excellent shrimp — their array of seafood was so fresh and beautiful (with thanks for allowing me to use the photo above of the shrimp); I bought …
Summer Soup Gazpacho with Goat Cheese Recipe from Moulin Castelas
July 22, 2025
If you’d like to taste some of the best olive oil in Provence, look no further than the Moulin Castelas, situated just below the famous fortress of Les Baux-de-Provence. The olive mill and adjacent property are in the Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP) Vallée des Baux de Provence in the Alpilles. This recipe for a perfect …
Make Lavender and Honey Ice Cream this Summer
July 14, 2025
Who doesn’t love ice cream on a hot summer day? This recipe combines culinary lavender and honey into a delicious ice cream that will “transport” you to Provence with every bite. Thank you to ElsaLenthal.com for allowing us to republish this recipe. Artisan Creations with Lavender Elsa Lenthal started Fuseaux de Lavande de Provence in …
No Comment