Cobia is a nutrient-rich seafood with firm and delicious meat, highly favored by many families. But have you ever wondered what is delicious to cook with cobia so that the whole family can enjoy its natural sweet flavor, making it attractive and free from any fishy smell? From braised, grilled, and fried dishes to hotpots or salads, cobia can be transformed into dishes that are both easy to prepare and retain their full nutritional value.
In this article, Ola Squid will suggest delicious recipes to help make your family meals more diverse and appealing!
1. What is delicious to cook with cobia?
Below are the top 16 delicious dishes made from cobia such as spicy and sour hotpot, sour soup, braised cobia, crispy fried, grilled with chili salt, etc., ensuring they are tasty, nutritious, and easy to make at home that you should not miss:
1.1. Spicy and sour cobia hotpot
Ingredients for spicy and sour cobia hotpot:
- Cobia: 1 kg
- Fresh rice vermicelli: 1 kg
- Vegetables: culantro, basil, rice paddy herb, water spinach, water hyacinth, water mimosa, shredded banana blossom (according to preference), lime juice.
- Straw mushrooms: 100 g
- 2 pieces of pineapple, 1 lime
- 2 – 3 tomatoes and 2 – 3 lemongrass stalks
- Rock sugar, salt, seasoning powder, satay sauce
- Minced shallots, garlic, ginger
How to make spicy and sour cobia hotpot:
- Step 1: First, clean the cobia and cut it into bite-sized chunks. Mince the shallots, garlic, and ginger. Finely chop the white part of the lemongrass and cut the leaves into sections. Slice the pineapple into bite-sized pieces, cut the tomatoes into wedges, and wash the vegetables, then drain.
- Step 2: Then, sauté the shallots, garlic, and minced lemongrass along with the lemongrass sections. Add the straw mushrooms and stir for about 2 minutes, then add the pineapple and tomatoes and sauté gently for another 2 – 3 minutes.
- Step 3: Next, add 1.5 liters of filtered water to the pot and pour the sautéed mixture in to cook together. Season with sugar, salt, seasoning powder, satay, and the juice of half a lime. Boil for 5 minutes, then add the fish and cook for about 15 minutes until the fish is cooked. Note: you should season before adding the fish so it retains its sweetness and doesn’t smell fishy.
- Step 4: Transfer the hotpot to a serving pot and eat with fresh vermicelli and various vegetables. The hotpot broth has a balanced spicy and sour taste, the fish meat is soft and sweet, and the thick skin is chewy and fatty; eating it while hot is even more attractive.

1.2. Cobia hotpot with sour bamboo shoots
Ingredients needed:
- 500 g cobia
- 500 g pork bones, 300 g sour bamboo shoots
- Hotpot vegetables: 200 g (water lily, yellow velvetleaf, shredded banana blossom, water spinach, water celery)
- 20 g rice paddy herb, 20 g bean sprouts
- 3 tomatoes, 8 lemongrass stalks
- 150 g tamarind, 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 kg fresh rice vermicelli
- 1 tablespoon shrimp satay, 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- Sugar, fish sauce, salt, seasoning powder, pepper
Steps to cook cobia hotpot with sour bamboo shoots:
- Step 1: When you buy the cobia, wash it, let it drain, and cut it into bite-sized chunks. Then, marinate the fish with ½ tablespoon sugar, ½ tablespoon seasoning powder, and 1 tablespoon fish sauce, mix well, and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- Step 2: Blanch the pork bones in boiling water for 1 – 2 minutes, then wash them clean. Wash the vegetables, bamboo shoots, tomatoes, and bean sprouts, and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Mince the garlic and lemongrass; cut the remaining 4 lemongrass stalks into sections. Soak the tamarind in hot water, then strain for the juice.
- Step 3: Next, boil 1.5 liters of water, add the pork bones and lemongrass sections, and simmer for 45 minutes over medium heat until the bones are tender and the broth is sweet.
- Step 4: Sauté the minced garlic and lemongrass with a little oil, then set half of it aside in a bowl. Then, add the fish and 1 tablespoon of satay to the pan, fry for about 10 minutes until the fish is firm, then remove and drain.
- Step 5: Briefly sauté the tomatoes in the pan used for the fish for about 3 minutes, then pour them into the bone broth along with the tamarind juice. Next, add the sour bamboo shoots, rice paddy herb, and season with sugar, salt, seasoning powder, and pepper. Boil for 10 – 15 minutes, then add the fish and the sautéed garlic and lemongrass, stirring well. Finally, add the hotpot vegetables and cook for 7 – 10 minutes to complete.

See more: What is delicious to cook with goby fish? 10+ ways to cook delicious goby dishes
1.3. Cobia head hotpot with yellow velvetleaf
Prepare ingredients to make the hotpot:
- Cobia head: 800 g
- Yellow velvetleaf: 200 g
- Side vegetables: rice paddy herb, culantro
- Tomatoes, pineapple
- Minced chili, minced lemongrass, sugar, salt, MSG, seasoning powder, vinegar, fish sauce
How to make cobia head hotpot with yellow velvetleaf:
- Step 1: After purchasing the cobia head, wash it, cut it in half, and soak it in vinegar to remove sliminess and the fishy smell. Cut the yellow velvetleaf, rice paddy herb, culantro, and lemongrass into bite-sized sections, cut the tomatoes into wedges, and the pineapple into fans.
- Step 2: Sauté the minced lemongrass, then add the chili, vinegar, seasoning powder, sugar, fish sauce, and salt, stirring until combined.
- Step 3: Next, mix the fish head with seasoning powder, rice vinegar, and ½ of the sautéed seasoning mixture, letting it marinate for about 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Step 4: After that, sauté the remaining lemongrass, add the fish, and sauté briefly until firm. Add 2 liters of water and the remaining seasoning mixture, and cook for about 15 minutes. When the fish is just cooked through, drop the tomatoes and pineapple in, stir gently, and turn off the heat. Cobia head hotpot with yellow velvetleaf has a moderately spicy and sour broth, delicious and not fishy.

1.4. Grilled cobia with mayonnaise sauce
Ingredients to prepare:
- 250 g cobia fillet
- 2 large potatoes
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons sweetened fresh milk
- 2 tablespoons white wine, 1 tablespoon cashew oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 10 g chili powder and 10 g minced ginger
- 20 g dried oregano leaves, 10 g Paprika powder
Instructions on how to process grilled cobia with mayonnaise sauce
- Step 1: First, wash the cobia fillet to remove any remaining blood, rub gently with grain salt, then rinse and drain. Cut into slices about 1.5 cm thick, marinate with seasoning powder, MSG, chili powder, ginger, white wine, cashew oil, lime juice, and fish sauce for about 20 minutes for the fish to absorb the seasonings.
- Step 2: Peel the potatoes and soak them in diluted salt water to avoid browning. Cut one potato into 2 cm thick wedges, steam the other briefly, and mash it to mix into the mayonnaise sauce.
- Step 3: Next, mix the fresh milk, mayonnaise with the mashed potatoes, Paprika powder, oregano leaves, and sugar, then blend until smooth. Add a bit of sauce to the fish before grilling to help the fish meat stay fatty and soft.
- Step 4: Then line the mold with foil, arrange the cobia, spread the sliced potatoes on top, and sprinkle some oregano leaves. Grill at 170°C for 10 minutes, then pour the remaining mayonnaise sauce over the fish and grill for another 5 minutes to create a rich, fragrant, lightly golden sauce layer. Grilled cobia with mayonnaise sauce is soft, sweet, and fragrant thanks to the sauce combined with potatoes and the scent of oregano.

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1.5. Cobia sour soup with pineapple
Ingredients needed:
- 200 g cobia (about 2 slices)
- 1/2 pineapple, 3 tomatoes
- 2 chilies, 3 shallots
- A few herbs
- 50 g okra, some tamarind
- Cooking oil, salt, seasoning powder, pepper, sugar, fish sauce
How to make cobia sour soup with pineapple
- Step 1: Wash the cobia, drain, and marinate with pepper, seasoning powder, and fish sauce for about 3 minutes for the fish to absorb the flavor. Cut the tomatoes into wedges, peel the pineapple, remove the eyes, and slice into bite-sized pieces. Cut the okra into sections, slice the chilies, wash the herbs and cut into 1 cm sections. Peel the shallots and mince them.
- Step 2: Next, sauté the shallots in a bit of hot cooking oil, then add the tomatoes and fish and stir well. Add boiling water to the pot, continue to add the pineapple, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the okra and chili, seasoning to taste.
- Step 3: Finally, gradually add the tamarind to create a mild sourness, then add the herbs and cook for another 2 minutes before turning off the heat. The soup has eye-catching colors, is delicious and rich, and is suitable to be eaten with white rice.

1.6. Cobia soup with piper lolot leaves
Ingredients:
- 500 g cobia
- 15 – 20 piper lolot leaves
- A little vinegar, 2 limes (or 2-3 tablespoons of fermented cold rice)
- 1 horn chili, 1 piece of ginger
- Salt, fish sauce, MSG, seasoning powder
How to prepare cobia soup with piper lolot leaves:
- Step 1: When you buy the fish, clean it, removing the gills, guts, and bile. Then, blanch the fish in hot water for about 30 seconds to scrape off the white slime layer, and cut the fins and tail. Rub the fish with vinegar and grain salt for 1-2 minutes, then wash it clean to remove the fishy smell.
- Step 2: Peel the ginger, slice it thinly, and then julienne. Diagonally slice the horn chili, wash the piper lolot leaves, and finely chop them. Squeeze the lime juice from the ripe fruits.
- Step 3: Next, boil 1.5-2 liters of water, then add the ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes to release the aroma, and season with fish sauce, seasoning powder, and MSG. When the water boils again, add the cobia and the lime juice, and re-season to taste. When the fish is firm, add the piper lolot leaves and chili, cooking until the fish skin is slightly cracked, meaning it is cooked. Finally, ladle the soup into a bowl to enjoy with white rice while still hot.

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1.7. Cobia sour soup with bamboo shoots
Ingredients:
- 1 cobia head
- 300 g sour bamboo shoots, 300 g tomatoes
- 200 g celery
- 3 shallots, 5 chilies
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- Salt, sugar, MSG, pepper
How to cook cobia sour soup with sour bamboo shoots:
- Step 1: After buying the fish, wash it, rub gently with salt and vinegar to deodorize the fishy smell. Then rinse with clean water, drain, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Step 2: Next, mix the fish with pepper, fish sauce, sugar, and MSG, marinate for about 15-20 minutes for the seasonings to penetrate the fish meat.
- Step 3: Peel the shallots and garlic then mince them, and cut the tomatoes into wedges. Remove the old parts of the celery, wash, and cut into sections. Wash the sour bamboo shoots, blanch briefly for 10-15 minutes, rinse with water, then drain and shred into bite-sized fibers.
- Step 4: Then, sauté half of the shallots and garlic with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, add the tomatoes and stir until they release color. Continue to add the sour bamboo shoots, season with fish sauce and sugar, stir for 3-5 minutes, then turn off the heat.
- Step 5: Sauté the remaining shallots and garlic, then add the fish and stir for about 3-5 minutes until firm. Add the tomato and sour bamboo shoot mixture to the pot with the fish, add 2 liters of boiling water and whole chilies. Season with salt, sugar, and fish sauce to taste. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the celery and cook a bit more to release the aroma before turning off the heat.

1.8. Cobia porridge with seaweed
Ingredients for cobia porridge with seaweed:
- Cobia: 25 g (about half a slice)
- Plain rice: 40 g
- Dried seaweed: 20 g
- Shallot: 1 bulb
- Cooking oil: 4 teaspoons
- Common spices: salt, pepper, seasoning powder
How to cook cobia porridge with seaweed:
- Step 1: When you buy the cobia, wash it and drain. Soak the seaweed in water for 5 minutes to soften, then chop it finely. Peel the shallot and mince it.
- Step 2: Wash the rice and put it into a rice cooker with 400 ml of water, cook until the porridge is tender. Meanwhile, sauté the minced shallot with 3 teaspoons of cooking oil, add the seaweed and stir briefly to reduce the fishy smell. Then, pour the porridge into the pan, season with salt and seasoning powder, and cook for another 5 minutes until the seaweed is soft.
- Step 3: Next, mix the cobia with minced shallot, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Steam the fish for about 20 minutes until cooked, then use a fork to mash it finely. Ladle the porridge into a bowl, add the mashed fish, and stir well. Cobia seaweed porridge is smooth, lightly fragrant, with a natural sweet taste, ensuring the baby will love it.

1.9. Crispy fried cobia with lemon sauce
Ingredients
- 300g cobia fillet
- 100g crispy frying powder
- 1 yellow lemon
- A little mint
- Mayonnaise sauce
- 50g lettuce, 1 cucumber, 1 tomato
- Fish sauce, pepper, cooking oil,…
How to make crispy fried cobia with lemon sauce
- Wash the cobia fillet, drain it, and cut it into slices about 1 cm thick. Marinate the fish with lemon juice and pepper to deodorize the fishy smell and help the fish meat absorb the flavor.
- Cut the tomato into wedges, remove the seeds, and shred it. Slice the cucumber thinly. Wash the lettuce and mint, and drain. Grate the yellow lemon zest and squeeze for the juice.
- Next, mix the filtered water, lemon juice, fish sauce, and mayonnaise. Add a little grated lemon zest to increase the aroma and stir until the mixture is combined.
- Then, mix 50g of crispy frying powder with 100ml of water to make a wet batter. Coat the fish in this mixture and then coat it with the remaining dry powder. Fry the fish in hot oil until golden brown on both sides, then remove and drain the oil. Finally, arrange the vegetables on a plate, place the fried fish on top, and drizzle with lemon sauce.

1.10. Crispy fried cobia with plum sauce
Ingredients to prepare:
- 300g cobia fillet
- 100g plum sauce
- Ginger, garlic, shallot, 10g of each
- 100g crispy frying powder
- 10g green onion, 10g mint
- Seasoning powder, sugar, fish sauce, chili, chili powder, 10g of each
- 20g lime juice, 20g onion and garlic juice
- 100ml water, 100ml cooking oil
How to process crispy fried cobia with plum sauce
- First, wash the cobia and cut it into slices about 1 cm thick. Marinate the fish with lime juice and onion and garlic juice for a few minutes to create fragrance and reduce the fishy smell.
- Next, dilute the plum sauce with water so that when cooking it easily blends into the fish. Sauté the garlic and shallot, then add the sauce mixture and season with fish sauce, sugar, and seasoning powder. Cook until the sauce thickens, then turn off the heat, and sprinkle some chili powder to increase the flavor.
- Then, coat the fish evenly in crispy frying powder. Heat the oil, add the ginger and mint and fry briefly to create aroma, then add the fish and fry until golden brown and crispy for 3-4 minutes. The fish is golden brown and crispy, lightly infused with a sour, salty, and sweet taste from the sauce layer, eaten with fried ginger and mint.

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1.11. Cobia braised in clay pot
Ingredients
- 400g cobia cut into rounds
- 200g pork belly
- Coconut water
- Shallot, garlic, green onion, chili
- Salt, sugar, pepper, seasoning powder, fish sauce, cooking oil
How to cook cobia braised in clay pot:
- When you buy the cobia, wash it with diluted salt water. Slice the pork belly thinly and marinate lightly with fish sauce. Peel the shallot and garlic, and crush them finely to use for marinating and sautéing.
- Then, marinate the cobia with salt, pepper, sugar, MSG along with the crushed shallot and garlic mixture, and let it sit for about 2 hours for the fish to absorb the flavor.
- Next, heat the pot, add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and 2 tablespoons of sugar to make a caramel color until it turns dark brown. Add the pork belly and stir until firm, then place the fish on top and season with more fish sauce, salt, sugar, pepper, and a bit of cooking oil.
- When the fish is just cooked through, add coconut water to make the braised dish fragrant, fatty, and rich. Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes until the sauce thickens. Finally, add chili and green onion on top, drizzle with a little oil to make the fish shiny and beautiful, then turn off the heat.

1.12. Cobia braised with pork belly
Ingredients
- 2 chunks of cobia
- 2 chilies
- 100g pork belly
- 5-6 crushed green onion bulbs
- 5 boiled quail eggs (optional)
- Coloring sauce, fish sauce, MSG, honey, pepper, seasoning powder, chili powder
How to make cobia braised with pork belly
- When you buy the cobia, wash it and the pork belly, then cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Put the fish, meat, and chili in a bowl, add the coloring sauce, fish sauce, pepper, MSG, seasoning powder, chili powder, and a little honey. If you like, add quail eggs, then mix well and marinate for about 30 minutes to absorb the seasonings.
- Then, put all the marinated fish and meat into the pot, place the green onion bulbs on top, and then braise over low heat for about 30 minutes. When the braising liquid thickens and the fish and meat are tender, it is finished.

1.13. Cobia braised with pepper
Ingredients needed:
- 2 slices of cobia (about 150g)
- Minced shallot, green onion
- 2 chilies
- Fish sauce, coloring sauce
- Cooking oil, salt, pepper, sugar, MSG
How to make cobia braised with pepper:
- First, wash the fish several times to clean the blood and sliminess. Rub lightly with salt to deodorize the fishy smell and rinse again. Cut the fish into bite-sized pieces so that they easily absorb the seasonings when braised.
- Then, mix the fish with minced shallot, minced chili, fish sauce, coloring sauce, sugar, pepper, MSG, and cooking oil. Arrange the fish in an earthenware pot and marinate for about 15 minutes.
- Next, cook the fish pot over high heat until it boils, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the braising liquid thickens. Finally, sprinkle green onion, chopped chili, and a bit of pepper on top before turning off the heat. Cobia braised with pepper has a natural sweet taste and firm meat, blending with the fragrant and lightly spicy pepper smell.

1.14. Grilled cobia with chili salt
Ingredients
- 300g cobia
- 3 horn chilies
- 1 garlic bulb, 2 shallots
- Mint
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG, 1 teaspoon grain salt
- 2 tablespoons chili sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1/3 tablespoon sugar
- Air fryer, blender, foil,…
How to make grilled cobia with chili salt
- Wash the cobia, rub with grain salt to deodorize the fishy smell and drain. Pick and wash the mint. Blend the horn chilies, shallots, and garlic with grain salt, MSG, chili sauce, and oyster sauce to make a marinating sauce.
- Next, coat each slice of fish evenly with the sauce and marinate for about 30 minutes to absorb the seasonings.
- Then line the air fryer with foil, lightly brush with oil, and place the fish inside. Grill for the 1st time at 200°C for 15 minutes. Continue to flip the fish, brush with more sauce and a little oil, then grill for the 2nd time for 7 minutes at 200°C until golden and crispy.
- While waiting for the fish to grill, put the remaining sauce in a pan and cook with a little sugar for about 2-3 minutes until it thickens; now you have a bowl of delicious fish dipping sauce.

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1.15. Fried cobia with tomato sauce
Ingredients
- 500g cobia
- 3-4 tomatoes
- 2-3 green onion stalks
- 1 shallot
- Fish sauce, sugar, cooking oil, seasoning powder, salt, pepper, MSG, chili powder
How to make fried cobia with tomato sauce
- Wash the cobia, then remove the scales and internal organs, taking care not to break the bile to avoid a bitter taste. Rub the fish with grain salt or lemon to deodorize the fishy smell. Wash the tomatoes, remove the skin, and cut into wedges. Mince the shallot and cut the green onions into sections.
- Then, heat the pan with oil, fry the fish until golden brown on both sides, then remove and drain the oil.
- Sauté the minced shallot and green onion bulbs. Add the tomatoes and stir for about 4-5 minutes, then add a bowl of water so the sauce isn’t too thick. Season with fish sauce, pepper, sugar, and MSG to taste, and simmer over low heat until the tomatoes are soft and thickened.
- Next, put the fried fish into the tomato sauce pan, let it cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes so the sauce coats the fish evenly. Finally, add the green onions, mix gently, and turn off the heat.

1.16. Fried cobia with fish sauce
Ingredients
- 500g cobia cut into rounds
- Rice washing water
- Minced garlic, minced shallot, green onion bulbs, minced chili
- Yellow sugar, pepper, seasoning powder, MSG, fish sauce, cooking oil
How to make fried cobia with fish sauce:
- After buying the cobia, soak it in rice washing water for about 5 minutes to deodorize the fishy smell, then rinse and drain. You can also replace it with salt water, crushed ginger, or white wine if you wish.
- Next, marinate the fish with garlic, shallot, chili, yellow sugar, seasoning powder, MSG, pepper, and fish sauce. Turn both sides and let it absorb for about 20 minutes.
- Then heat the oil and put the fish in to fry until golden brown on both sides over low heat, then remove and drain the oil.
- Sauté the garlic, shallot, chili, and green onion bulbs, then add the fish marinating liquid, add more fish sauce and sugar, and cook until the sauce thickens. Put the fish in and simmer gently so the sauce coats it evenly.

2. Notes on pre-processing and choosing cobia
To prepare delicious and authentic dishes, you can refer to these tips for buying cobia:
- Prioritize fresh or live fish: Shiny skin, clear eyes, bright red gills, and elastic meat.
- Firm fish body, not soft: When pressed with a finger, the meat springs back and leaves no dent.
- Clean skin and tight anus: Smooth skin, not brownish-black; anus tightly closed, with no fluid leaking out.
How to pre-process cobia without it being fishy:
- Step 1: Clean the guts and gills: Remove gills, internal organs, and stagnant blood because these parts cause the fishy smell.
- Step 2: De-slime the fish skin: Rub with grain salt, lime juice, or white wine to clean the mucous layer and deodorize.
- Step 3: Rinse with cold water after cleaning to help the fish meat maintain its firmness.
- Step 4: Cut into chunks and marinate with deodorizing ingredients: Depending on the dish, you can use ginger, lemongrass, chili, galangal, or pepper when marinating to increase fragrance and reduce the fishy smell.
Above are nutritious and attractive suggestions for dishes made from cobia. We hope this has helped you answer the question “what is delicious to cook with cobia” and gave you more ideas for your family meals. Besides fresh fish, don’t forget that premium dried seafood like whole dried squid is also a perfect ingredient for quick and flavorful snacks or hearty meals. To discover more unique seafood recipes, authentic processing secrets, and other useful culinary articles, don’t forget to visit Ola Squid’s Blog right now!

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