The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Co(C36H44N4)]·2C7H5NO3, is composed of one half of the complex, arranged about an inversion center, and a complete 2-nitrobenzaldehyde (NBA) molecule. The structure consists of columns that contain interleaved molecules of NBA and [CoII(OEP)] (OEP is 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphyrin), which are stacked along the a axis. The CoII atom is involved in a π interaction with the ring of the NBA molecule with a centroid–metal distance of 3.508 (6) Å. There is an intramolecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bond in the NBA molecule.