Description
Bacalhau com Natas is a classic Portuguese comfort food made with tender shredded cod, creamy béchamel sauce, potatoes, and baked until golden and bubbling. This authentic oven-baked cod casserole is rich, flavorful, and perfect for festive gatherings or cozy family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 250 g boiled potatoes, cubed
- 250 g cooked and shredded cod (desalted)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 300 ml béchamel sauce
- 100 ml cooking cream
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Lightly fry the boiled potato cubes until golden. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, sauté onion, garlic, and bay leaf until soft and fragrant.
- Add shredded cod and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring gently.
- Remove bay leaf and combine cod mixture with potatoes.
- In a large bowl, mix béchamel sauce, cooking cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Add the cod and potato mixture into the sauce and stir until well coated.
- Transfer everything to a greased baking dish.
- Top evenly with grated mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Make sure the cod is properly soaked and desalted before cooking. For extra flavor, use freshly grated nutmeg. You can substitute mozzarella with traditional Portuguese cheese for a more authentic taste.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Portuguese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: bacalhau com natas, portuguese cod with cream, codfish gratin, creamy cod casserole, portuguese comfort food