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Fish, European

Bacalhau com natas with green salad

Bacalhau com natas is a Portuguese gratin made with salt cod, potatoes, and cream, served with a green salad. It serves 4, takes 65 minutes, stays easy to make, and costs €3.40 per serving. The key to success is properly desalting the cod, poaching it in milk, and getting a golden crust in the oven.

A creamy Portuguese cod gratin just like they make it back home, with potatoes, onions, and a green salad to balance things out.

Bacalhau com natas with green salad
Total time
1 h 05
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.40
Calories per person
540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Bacalhau com natas plays on contrast, the cod keeps a little bite, the potatoes turn soft, and the cream coats everything without drowning out the fish. The slowly cooked onions add quiet sweetness, and the melted cheese on top forms a crust that changes texture with every bite. It's a dish that warms you up without feeling heavy, thanks to the green salad served alongside.

This is the kind of gratin to plan for a Sunday or a weeknight when you have a bit of time, since it takes several steps before it goes in the oven. Kids usually like it, as the cod loses its strong flavor once desalted and mixed with cream. Mon Chou suggests it in fall and winter, when you want a comforting dish to share as a family.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Desalted salt cod 500 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 800 g
  • Onions 2
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Green salad 1

Dairy

  • Heavy cream 40 cl
  • Milk 10 cl
  • Shredded cheese 60 g

Pantry

  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Wine vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Fish, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Boil the potatoes in water, peel them, and cut them into slices. 20 min

    Let them cool a bit, they slice cleanly without crumbling.

  2. Flake the desalted cod, remove any bones, and poach it in hot milk for five minutes before draining. 5 min

    The milk further softens the saltiness of the cod.

  3. Cook the sliced onions and garlic gently in olive oil until soft. 12 min

    Cook over low heat, the onions caramelize slightly.

  4. Mix the cream with nutmeg and pepper, then layer the dish with potatoes, onions, and cod, drizzling with cream between layers.

    Don't add salt, the cod provides all the salt you need.

  5. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 200°C until nicely golden. Season the salad and serve. 25 min

    Let it rest a few minutes so the gratin holds together when sliced.

Our tips to get it right

  • Check that the cod is fully desalted before cooking, otherwise the dish will taste too salty even though you never add salt.
  • Cut the potatoes into even slices about half a centimeter thick for even cooking and a clean layered look.
  • Use a wide baking dish rather than a deep one so every portion gets its share of golden crust.

The variations

  • Swap part of the shredded cheese for parmesan for a sharper flavor once it's baked.
  • For a quicker version, use precooked vacuum packed potatoes and skip the boiling step.
  • Add black olives on top before baking for a version closer to some Portuguese family recipes.

What to serve it with

  • Green salad with vinaigrette
  • Portuguese bread or crusty bread
  • Glass of dry white wine

Storage

Bacalhau com natas keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well once assembled, before the final baking step. Reheat it in the oven rather than the microwave to get that crust back.

Questions about this dish

Can you make bacalhau com natas ahead of time?

Yes, you can layer the dish the day before and keep it in the fridge. Bake it the next day, adding a few extra minutes since it's going in cold.

Can you use fresh cod instead of salt cod?

Yes, but you lose the dish's signature flavor that comes from desalting. If you use fresh cod, lightly salt the cream, something you never do with salt cod.

Does bacalhau com natas freeze well?

Yes, it freezes well once assembled, before the final bake. Thaw it in the fridge, then bake it directly, allowing extra time to heat through fully.

How do you know if the cod is desalted enough?

Taste a small raw piece after desalting, it should taste like fish without being overly salty. Poaching it in hot milk during cooking softens any remaining salt.

How long does it take to make a bacalhau com natas with green salad?

Count 1 h 05 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a bacalhau com natas with green salad?

About 540 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a bacalhau com natas with green salad cost?

About €3.40 per serving, or €13.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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