Air Fryer Pesto Cod

Air fryer pesto cod is an easy way to add a lot of flavor to a meal! The air fried pesto cod cooks quickly and only needs a few simple ingredients.

Are you a pesto fan? I'm going to guess YES! if you wound up here on this post. I am. I just love the brightness of it. The flavor. The basil.

Something about pesto just makes me think of Italy and summer. Warm days and relaxed vibes.

And pesto pairs wonderfully with flaky white fish like this cod. The pesto just adds so much flavor! You can use jarred pesto or homemade pesto. Just use your favorite!

When made in the air fryer, this recipe only takes 15 minutes. 5 minutes to preheat the air fryer and prep the cod and then 8-10 minutes to cook the cod. So easy.

Ingredients

• Cod fillet
• Pesto
• Garlic powder
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

How to make air fryer pesto cod

Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes.

While air fryer preheats, pat the cod dry with paper towels. Drizzle olive oil over cod, season with salt and pepper, and then rub into all sides of the cod.

Sprinkle garlic powder over the top of the cod. Add pesto to the top of the cod, and then smooth out to cover the top. It may look like a lot, but the cod has a very mild flavor, and pesto gives a great flavor to the cod!

Add the cod to your air fryer.

Cook for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees F. Cook time will depend on thickness of your cod.

Plate, and enjoy!

Recipe tips

• All air fryers cook differently. Cook time may depend on the thickness of cod.
• Use your favorite pesto for this recipe, whether it be homemade or jarred.
• This recipe serves 1 as written, but can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled to serve more.

How to customize

If you want to add a bit of spice to the pesto cod, you can simply add some red pepper flakes or season the cod with a pinch of cayenne pepper before cooking.

You can also add other seasonings like smoked paprika or chili powder. Get creative or keep it simple!

What to serve with the pesto cod

The cod is delicious served with air fryer asparagus, air fryer parmesan carrots, or air fryer roasted potatoes.

I also love serving with some peri peri rice or an arugula salad.

Can you use frozen cod?

Yes, but I recommend thawing the cod completely before using in this recipe. I often get frozen cod fillets and thaw them to use in recipes. That allows me to cook a single serving, like in this recipe.

More air fryer pesto recipes

• Air fryer pesto shrimp
• Air fryer pesto salmon
• Air fryer pesto garlic bread
• Air fryer pesto potatoes

Air fryer cod recipes

• Air fryer cod
• Air fryer blackened cod
• Air fryer panko cod
• Frozen cod in the air fryer
• Air fryer miso cod
• Air fryer chili lime cod