Cod au Gratin is a classic dish on the east coast of Canada, & one of my favourite traditional Newfoundland recipes. This one is gluten free!
Note: This recipe was first posted on my original blog, Celebration Generation, on January 28, 2012. It was transferred over to this blog - existing comments and all - on 3/16/2021, and updated on 3/21/2023.
Cod au Gratin is a traditional Newfoundland dish, and it’s one I indulged in every chance I got while living there.
It’s been a long time, but I can still tell you exactly where my first cheesy bite of cod occurred - Velma’s Place, on Water St.
The restaurant may not be around anymore, but the memories sure are - I can even picture the table I was at, location in the restaurant, and the view out onto the street.
It was raining that evening, and that meal in that moment was just *perfect*.
... and that was almost 25 years ago. I guess you could say it made an impression!
Homemade Cod Au Gratin
Anyway, generally speaking, the traditional recipe consists of cod, Béchamel sauce, and melted cheese / bread crumbs on top... but - of course - I started bastardizing it the first time I made it.
Over time, the Béchamel sauce became a hearty cheese sauce.
I've made this with dill, with asparagus, with bacon, and with other seafood involved.
It's just one of those recipes that I make by "feel", and I've never written down measurements or anything as I've gone. Til now.
I’ve finally measured everything and come up with a single favourite recipe for making cod au gratin, and I actually follow it (at least loosely!) every time I make it, now.
It doesn’t take much time to make - a few minutes of prep, a quick sauce, then toss it in the oven.
I usually make it in a square baking pan, but for an easy-yet-fancy dinner option, it also works well in ramekins, as pictured.
Let’s get to it..
Need a low carb version of this recipe? Check out my Keto Cod au Gratin!
Ingredients
This cod au gratin recipe mostly uses simple ingredients, you should be able to find them - or substitutes - in most larger grocery stores.
Some notes for you:
Cod Fish
Generally, I like to use cod loins when I can get them, but cod fillets work as well.
I just prefer the nice big chunks of cod that I get from the loins, over the thinner pieces that come from fish fillets.
You can use fresh cod or frozen, just be sure to thaw and thoroughly drain the fish, when using frozen.
No cod? No problem - you can make this recipe with your favourite white fish - just be sure it’s boneless!
Potato Chips
I like to crumble up a small bag of plain potato chips for the crusty topping, but crumbled corn chips or pork rinds also work.
If you’d like to use bread crumbs, Panko Crumbs, or even Gluten Free Panko Bread Crumbs, just toss them with a little olive oil or melted butter, before scattering them over the cheese.
Dry White Wine
The alcohol cooks off in the sauce, but if you’d like to skip the wine entirely, use the same amount of chicken broth, vegetable broth, or seafood stock.
When I use broth instead of wine, I’ll usually add a good squeeze of lemon juice, just to boost the acidity a little and brighten the flavour a bit.
Summer Savory
Summer Savoury is an herb that’s popular in certain regions of Canada - especially in Newfoundland.
You may have seen it in some of my recipes, it’s a nice addition to things like Tourtiere, French Canadian Pea Soup, Cod Cheeks & Dressing,Hearty Beef Stew (and my Keto Beef Stew!), Replica Swiss Chalet Sauce and my Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup.
It’s a great herb, and it’s a big part of what gives this dish its iconic flavour.
IMHO Mt Scio brand is the best. In Canada, you can sometimes find it at Sobeys, and usually find it in Newfoundland shops across the country.
Barring that, I think Penzey’s sells it, and you can usually find Summer Savory on Amazon.
Corn Starch
I’ll usually use Corn Starch , but Potato Starch is a good substitute - use the same amount.
Everything Else
Cheddar Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Small Onion
Butter
Garlic Cloves
Dijon Mustard
Salt & ground black pepper
... I just don’t really have anything else to add, for these last few ingredients!
Cod au Gratin Variations
This is a good base cod au gratin recipe- there's a lot more going on in it than the basic, traditional recipe - but that's how I like it.
My version of cod au gratin uses a lot of my favorite flavors to combine with fish - wine, mustard, garlic, onions, savoury.
That said, there are all kinds of different ways to personalize it to your own tastes - Part of what makes this such a great recipe is how customizable it is.
Feel free to add or substitute items as you like! A few suggestions:
Use dried Dill Weed, or Dried Thyme instead of savoury.
Add some more seasonings if you like. White pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, lemon zest, etc.
Add some veggies and convince yourself it's healthy! (I like asparagus or broccoli).
Change the cheese. Provolone, gouda, or Monterey Jack are other good options, for example.
Garnish with some fresh parsley or green onion if you like.
Just have fun with it!
How to Make Cod Au Gratin
The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, here is the pictorial walk through.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C).
Cut fresh cod into 1" pieces, arrange as a single layer in an 8x8" baking dish.
Alternately, you can divide them between 4-6 individual ramekins. Set aside.
Note: If you’re using frozen cod, it’s easiest to cut when still partially frozen.
I’ll chop it and put it in the pan - or a large bowl - to continue thawing. Once thawed, drain off the water, blot dry with a paper towel, and continue from there.
The amount of water that comes off frozen cod is WILD. I'll usually use a little bit more fish when using frozen, to make up for it.
Measure cornstarch or potato starch into the pot, cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
Add Dijon, whisking until well incorporated.
Add milk, once again whisking until smooth. Heat until mixture starts to thicken.
Once sauce mixture starts to thicken, turn heat down to medium-low heat. Add half of the Parmesan and a small handful of the cheddar to the white sauce, stirring until thick, melted, and smooth.
Season with summer savory, salt and pepper, to taste.
Scatter cheddar cheese across the top of the fish mixture, then remaining Parmesan.
Spread crumbled potato chips on top.
Serve hot.
Leftovers
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or so.
Best reheated in the microwave.
More Gluten Free Seafood & Fish Recipes
Looking for more tasty, gluten-free recipes for seafood? I've got you covered!
Ahi Tuna Crudo
Gluten Free Crab Cakes
Gluten-Free Fish Fingers & Custard
Gluten Free Seafood Crepes
Gluten-Free Fish & Chips
Honey Ginger Shrimp salad
Gluten Free Tempura
Ahi Tuna Nachos
Basic Seafood Risotto
Sushi Bake
Low Country Boil
Cashew Crusted Halibut with Mango Salsa
Almond Crusted Halibut with Lemon Dill Sauce
Curried Shrimp Spring Rolls
Spicy Tuna Maki Rolls
Pepper Crusted Tuna with Wasabi Cream Sauce
Seafood Mousse
Tuna Mango Poke
Chicken, Shrimp, & Sausage Jambalaya
Keto Jambalaya
Keto Fish Cakes
Seared Tuna Salad
Smoked Salmon Canapes
Chirashi Bowls
Spinach Feta Salmon Pinwheels
Hot Smoked Sockeye Salmon
Keto Coconut Shrimp
Gluten Free Coconut Shrimp
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Traditional Newfoundland Cod Au Gratin [Gluten Free]
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Fresh Boneless Cod Loins*
- ¼ cup Butter
- ½ Small Onion finely chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves pressed or minced
- ¼ cup Corn Starch Or Potato Starch if needed
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- ¼ cup Dry White Wine
- 2 ¼ cups Milk
- ⅔ cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 2 teaspoon Dried Summer Savoury
- Salt & pepper
- 1 Small bag Plain Potato Chips crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Cut cod into 1" pieces, arrange in an 8x8" baking pan. Alternately, you can divide them between 4-6 individual ramekins. Set aside.
- In a medium sauce pan, melt butter. Add onion and garlic and cook - stirring frequently - until onions are tender and translucent. Add corn starch to the pot, cook for another minute, stirring frequently. Add Dijon, whisking until well incorporated.
- Carefully add wine to pot, whisking until smooth. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking frequently. Add milk, once again whisking until smooth. Heat until mixture starts to thicken.
- Once sauce mixture starts to thicken, add half of the Parmesan and a small handful of the cheddar, stirring until thick, melted, and smooth. Add savoury, season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Pour sauce over fish, stirring to coat and distribute evenly.
- Scatter cheddar cheese across the top of the fish mixture, then remaining Parmesan. Spread crumbled potato chips on top
- Bake – uncovered- for about 35 (individual ramekins) - 50 minutes (8x8 pan), or until fish is cooked through, and sauce is bubbly.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Original Post
This weekend - and the past few weeks - is/has been a big push to get out post-tornado kitchen reconstruction DONE.
Well, not quite done-done ... we won't have the lumber for the cabinet faces and doors for a while, and those will take some serious time to make ... but functional.
I haven't had a functional kitchen since we bought this house, a year ago. The kitchen, as we bought it, was only barely functional - you may have seen the "before" pictures and description on twitter.
Don't worry, I'll be posting the awful "befores" when I can finally post the "afters"!
This weekend is all about building the cabinetry to surround the slide-in oven, which has been free-standing since we moved in.
I'm not being facetious there, either. We've been discussing all of the great foods I haven't been able to make in a long time, as well as the recipes I've been mentally designing ever since losing my kitchen. All of this takeout food... ugh.
So, we went to the store to pick up groceries for the first couple of meals I'll be able to make, and I used one of my new counters - and my freshly-installed sink area! - to make Cod au Gratin on Friday night.
Aw yeah!
Can you make the sauce in advance? I'd like to make enough sauce to cook over a period of 4 night's dinners. There's only 2 people in our family, so I'd like to bake 2 fillets a night, pour some of the sauce over it and bake. Then repeat for the extra night's dinners without having to make the sauce every night. I was thinking I could warm back up in the microwave. Thanks.
Definitely! Just keep it in the fridge and warm it up slightly to spoon over the next night's fish.
The whole dish reheats really, really well though! We'll usually make a baking pan worth of it and live off it a few days.
If it doesn't NEED to be gluten free/keto, can one substitute corn starch for the potato starch?
Yes, but use slightly less, more like a little more than 2 Tbsp
Thank you! It sounds delicious, and I live in a small town, seemingly with no potato starch.
I made the recipe, but I didn't have enough fish. So I substituted the difference with potatoes. It was great. Thank you.
Can air fryer be used?
I've never tried - if you do, let me know how it goes!
Marie, I usually just leave a Pinterest note (basically for myself), but after making this, I have to thank you for sharing this fantastic recipe!
The only mistake I made was 1/2’ing the ingredients as there are only two of us! I am not a real fan of cod so I decided to try hake (from Nova Scotia!) which the seafood market suggested. I found a big difference…or maybe it was just your recipe? This was so easy and delicious. I did sub oregano for the savory as I didn’t have any, as well as adding extra milk although I probably didn’t need to. This is definitely a keeper and will be making it often. (Btw…we don’t have a gluten sensitivity) YUM! Thanks again
This sounds so yummy. Where do I buy summer savoury? Heard it’s delicious, and great in stews as well. I live in Alberta and can’t find it in our stores. Thanks for your help.
Do you have a Sobeys? They usually have it, here in Ontario. Otherwise, I know there's a bunch of Newfoundlanders in AB, and where there are pockets of Newfoundlanders, there's usually a store for "back home" stuff to cater to them.
If THAT doesn't work, Amazon!
re you able to substitute lake erie walley for the cod?
Probably, but it would be a different finished texture.
This was really good. I didn’t have enough regular milk so I used undiluted canned milk, this made it really creamy. I also had some fresh mushrooms that I sautéed with my onions and garlic, Everything else was done the same. Will make again, thank you.
I made this last night. I prepared ahead of time and put in ramekins in the refrigerator until
I was ready to cook. I put cheese and onion crisps (GF) on top. I baked for 40 minutes
It was absolutely delicious! Next time I would add some veggies and possible, some cooked potatoes
great idea!!!
Please can you tell me if this freezes ok?
Thanks
I haven't tried, but I would image it would at least freeze well before cooking.
What sides would you serve with this dish. Haven’t made it yet but plan to this week. Making my meal plan.
Usually just a simple green veggie, asparagus or broccoli usually.
I just made this last night.... Easy and delish!!! The only thing I may change is that I would cut the sauce in half.... I felt it was very saucy... But so YUMMY!!
Made this. Quite good. Your recipe now in my favorites folder. Thanks
I'm so excited to find a recipe that uses summer savory. I'm from Alabama No one has heard of it here. Somehow my dad got a jar of it 'bout 40 yrs ago. I've been using it in fresh summer veggies ever since. Great flavor. Thanks so much
I'm from AL also. I love summer savory also. What's so funny is my dad also gave me my first jar of summer savory. It's not that easy to find. I can only get it online.
I would serve this with creamy garlic mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce
As a desert dweller, I'm not very good at cooking fish. Marie's recipes are always so good and her instructions clear, I thought I'd give it a try. Wow, it was incredible! The family ate the whole dish and asked me to make it again. Another fantastic recipe, and now I have at least one good fish recipe to use, thank you!!
7 / 02 / 2024 Made this for tea for me and my son and OMG I was bloody delicious 😋😋 I didn’t have any Dried Summer Savoury so I used some thyme, oregano and marjoram with cracked black pepper and sea salt I also seasoned the fish with sea salt and pepper before adding the sauce. I didn’t all the butter stated in the recipe and I used low fat cheddar as I’m trying to keep my cholesterol down I topped it with Ritz crackers mixed with olive oil and oh my goodness it came out absolutely amazing I served it with broccoli and cauliflower I kept some sauce back and poured that over the veg. Thank you for sharing your recipe I’ll definitely be making this again 😋😋
Can you please tell me what size ramekins you used?
You know, I don't actually know what size they are.
I usually make it in a pan, it just doesn't photograph as well!
If I could give this recipe 10 stars I would, easy to throw together, the taste is AMAZING!! I added diced mushrooms with the onions and garlic but thats the only change that I made. Thank you so much everyone for your comments ( helped me decide to make this recipe ) and thank so much Marie for the wonderful recipe.
I will say, I kind of went off the seat of my pants so to say. I cut it down to fit in one ramkin, because it was just for me! I had cod, and shrimp.and it was one of the most delicious fish meals I have eaten! I did add some broccoli. Sooooo good! Thank you!
OMG! This was so delish! Since my husband passed it’s hard to find recipes for one. It was a little dry, I think I didn’t add enough milk. This would be delish with shrimp too!
Marie: Thank you for sharing this incredibly tasty and easy fish recipe - both my husband and I agreed it must be added to our Top 10 list of favs! I did not have milk so I substituted 1 1/2 cup Half-in-Half and 3/4 cup Chicken Broth. I can’t wait to make this again!
Made this tonight. Family loved it. Used individual casserole dishes & it was perfect portion size. Used panko instead of potato chips because that’s what I had. Will definitely be making again.
This is easily one of my favorites. It always comes out wonderful and gets rave reviews when I serve it.
Going to make this dish as it looks delicious. Can I leave out the wine? I have never bought wine so can I substitute something else.
Thank you for sharing so many tasty dishes with us.
Deirdre
The sauce was delish although I didn’t follow the recipe to a t
I halved the recipe and used chicken broth instead of wine. I didn’t have summer savory so I used thyme and some Old Bay seasoning. Also, because I wanted an all in one dish I added some diced canned potatoes and corn. It’s just me so I ate half and froze half for later. Delicious.
tried this recipe twice now, the first time i didn't modify in anyway and it was amazing but this time around i used salmon instead of cod, reduced the cooking time to 30 minutes and added mushrooms/zucchini, it turned out amazing with the sauce! 10/10 recipe
I made this and it was very good. Next time I may try shrimp instead of Cod but either way I will be making this again. Great recipe. Thanks
I’m planning on using whole pieces of cod? What do you think?
It would work, but it's not going to taste quit as good, as the sauce won't has as much surface area to coat.