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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish Recipes

    Traditional Newfoundland Cod au Gratin

    Published: May 16, 2016 Updated: May 15, 2020 / By: Dawn | Girl Heart Food 96 Comments

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    Close-up of a cooked cod au gratin casserole.

    Cod au Gratin is a traditional Newfoundland recipe with the star ingredient being, of course, cod! There’s a lovely béchamel, or white sauce, covering the fish. Then, it’s topped with cheese and breadcrumbs and oven baked until bubbly and golden brown. So comforting and delicious!

    Close-up of a cooked cod au gratin casserole.

    Hi friends!

    Sharing an iconic Newfoundland recipe with you today: cod au gratin!

    I just love sharing traditional Newfoundland recipes. Some of my favourites are salt cod fish cakes, boiled beans, crispy cod tongues and toutons (fried bread dough).

    So what’s this traditional Newfoundland cod au gratin recipe all about?

    Well, cod is the fish in Newfoundland. And cod au gratin is among the most popular traditional dishes of the province. You can find this recipe made at some time or another in practically everyone’s home in Newfoundland. It’s no wonder, it’s so comforting!

    My Mother-in-law gave me these beautiful frozen cod fillets and they went to good use in this dish. Au gratin anything is never a bad thing, is it? I mean, cheese covered whatever and baked? Sign me up! 

    I like to add dill and lemon to my recipe. Not everyone’s version of cod au gratin has dill, but I love to add it because seafood and dill go so well together. It’s definitely a classic combo. 

    Another little twist that I like to do (just to take it one step further) is to add lemon zest to the sauce. I find that the freshness of the lemon and dill really brighten the dish.

    Cod in a casserole dish with a fork and wooden spoon resting on top.

    How To Make Cod au Gratin

    Full details on how to make this traditional Newfoundland cod au gratin are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

    1. Place cod in a casserole dish, season with some salt and set aside.
    2. In a saucepan on the stovetop, cook onion in a a little olive oil until softened.
    3. Add butter to the onion and melt, then whisk in flour (the flour and butter, or roux, mixture helps thicken the sauce).
    4. Add milk to the roux, cook until thickened a little, and season with salt, pepper, lemon zest and dill.
    5. Pour sauce mixture over cod, mixing in, and then top with cheese and bread crumbs.
    6. Bake until bubbly and golden brown.
    7. Let cool slightly and garnish with additional dill.
    8. Serve and enjoy!
    Casserole dish of cod au gratin before being baked.
    Close-up of the top of baked cod au gratin with a spatula resting on it.

    Can I Make This Ahead of Time?

    Yep! Like most recipes, this is best enjoyed when it’s baked. However, it does reheat well. Keep in mind, though, it may be a little less moist if reheating.

    If you want to prep the recipe up to the point before baking, go right ahead! Properly store in an airtight container in the fridge a day ahead and bake the next day. You just may have to bake a little longer until heated through (as it was in the cold fridge).

    Close-up of a dish of traditional Newfoundland cod au gratin after some has been removed.

    What To Serve With Cod au Gratin

    • Lemon wedges for squeezing over the servings (so good).
    • Hot sauce dabbled over top for a little bit of spice is lovely.
    • Serve with a mixed green salad to really make this a substantial meal.
    • A thick slice of homemade bread. My favourite? Bread slathered in butter and drizzled with molasses. Trust me. It works with the cod au gratin.
    Large rectangular casserole dish of baked cod au gratin.

    Can This Recipe Be Served as an Appetizer?

    Yes! Cod au gratin works as an appetizer as part of a multi-course meal. Of course, it’s substantial enough to easily be a meal in itself.

    For this recipe, I made in one big dish. However, for presentation purposes it really looks nice cooked and served in little individual dishes.

    This recipe yields about 4 servings for dinner or 6 appetizer servings. 

    Portion of cod au gratin and a lemon wedge on a plate with a fork resting on the plate.

    Tips and Variations for Making This Cod au Gratin Recipe

    • You can use either frozen or fresh cod fillets. As mentioned, if using frozen cod fillets, pre-cook a little to  get rid of excess moisture. I find that cod, when frozen, releases a lot of moisture when cooked. By pre-cooking the cod, it gets rid of excess moisture so that lovely creamy béchamel sauce you have made doesn’t get watered down. If you are using fresh cod, you don’t have to pre-cook before baking the cod au gratin.
    • Croissant bread crumbs or regular bread crumbs work in this recipe (regular bread crumbs are more traditional).
    • Want an even richer sauce? Use equal parts milk and half-and-half (or cream) instead of all milk. 
    • Dill was used in this cod au gratin and it works so lovely with the fish. If you’d rather not use it, you can omit. Another yummy herb is thyme.
    • Let the cod au gratin cool for a little after it’s baked before digging in. This gives things a chance to cool down a bit and set.
    Forkful of cod au gratin.

    Hope you love this cod au gratin recipe as much as we do!

    If you make this traditional Newfoundland cod au gratin recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!

    White casserole dish of cod au gratin next to a lemon.

    Traditional Newfoundland Cod au Gratin

    Dawn | Girl Heart Food
    Cod au gratin is a traditional Newfoundland recipe with the star ingredient being, of course, cod!  There's a lovely béchamel, or white sauce, covering the fish. Then it's topped with cheese and breadcrumbs and oven baked until bubbly and brown. So comforting and delicious!
    4.92 from 12 votes
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 55 mins
    Cooling time 20 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 25 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Newfoundland
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 653 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    • 1.5 pounds cod fillets (boneless and skinless), cut into bite-sized pieces (about 3 large fillets)
    • 1.5 cups milk, use 2 cups if you want things more saucy
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 yellow onion, peeled and minced
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1.25 teaspoons salt, divided
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest, reserve lemon for wedges (4) for later
    • 1 ¾ teaspoons dried dill (dill weed), divided (use less if you want less of a dill taste)
    • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
    • 1 croissant, made into bread crumbs (or 1 cup bread crumbs)

    Instructions

    • In a small saucepan on the stovetop, heat milk over low heat just to warm through (the milk will be used shortly for the sauce). Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit at this point, too. Place cod in a casserole dish (about 8-inch x 11-inch or something similar) and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Set aside until you make the sauce. See "Notes" below if using cod fillets that have been previously frozen, as in my case.
    • Meanwhile, in another saucepan on the stovetop, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
    • To onion, add butter; melt. Add flour and stir to form a paste. Cook, stirring often, for about 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly add milk to this (½ cup at a time), whisking after each addition until thickened about 3 to 4 minutes or so. Sauce mixture should coat the back of a spoon. Mixture will be thick.
    • To sauce mixture, add remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, black pepper, lemon zest and 1.5 teaspoons of dill (you can use less, if you prefer). Stir to combine. Pour sauce mixture over cod, coating all fish. Stir to ensure mixture is incorporated well.
    • Add cheese and croissant crumbs (or regular bread crumbs) on top of sauced fish mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
    • Once done, sprinkle remaining ¼ teaspoon of dried dill over top. Let cool about 20 to 30 minutes before serving (don't skip this; it allows things to settle). Serve with lemon wedges (if desired). Enjoy!

    Notes

    If you are using frozen cod fillets (like I did), I recommend thawing and precooking a little to remove excess moisture. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place cod fillets in baking dish and cook for about 25 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven, drain any excess liquid and tear othe pieces of cod a little to break up. Continue with the recipe. This is not necessary, but I find that it works well because you don’t want the sauce to be watered down and runny.  
    More recipe tips in body of post above.

    Nutrition (estimate only)

    Nutrition Facts
    Traditional Newfoundland Cod au Gratin
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    653
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    41
    g
    63
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    23
    g
    144
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    181
    mg
    60
    %
    Sodium
     
    1279
    mg
    56
    %
    Potassium
     
    950
    mg
    27
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    21
    g
    7
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    8
    g
    9
    %
    Protein
     
    50
    g
    100
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1264
    IU
    25
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    6
    mg
    7
    %
    Calcium
     
    561
    mg
    56
    %
    Iron
     
    2
    mg
    11
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Based on 1 serving.
    Nutrition information provided is an estimate only.

    Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

    Keyword Newfoundland recipe, seafood au gratin

    Tried this recipe?

    If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!

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    Hi, I'm Dawn! Welcome to Girl Heart Food, a food blog that's all about easy comfort food recipes (especially cheesy recipes) that'll satisfy your taste buds and make your belly happy. Have a look around and find something that'll inspire you to get into the kitchen and whip up something delicious to enjoy today!

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