German Baked Fish au Gratin – Oma's überbackener Fisch mit Kase

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

Published: August 12, 2009, Updated: May 21, 2025

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Baked Fish au Gratin served with Salzkartoffeln and mixed veggies.

Baked Fish au Gratin is a favorite German dinner. The French "au Gratin" sounds more elegant than the German "Überbackener Fisch mit Kase", so that's the way it's known, even in Germany.

It's "überbacken" meaning, "baked over" so the cheese melts and browns.

German Emmentaler cheese is the traditional cheese used for this dish. If you can't find this, just use your favorite cheese (Swiss works well). 

Baking fish with tomatoes and cheese makes this a tasty party dish when you're wanting German food. This is one of several easy oven baked fish recipes that are simple to prepare.

Use your favorite fish fillet (or whatever is on sale.) Instead of dry white wine, you can use broth.

Don't Like The fishy Smell?

The dish pictured below is made with sole. Even my husband, who's not too fond of fish, took seconds the first time I served this.

Baked Fish au Gratin -- German-style! Such an easy meal to make just like oma!

He likes it that the house doesn't smell like fish - and the flavor is very mild.

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Do make sure that your fillets don't have any bones.

Nothing is worse than coming across some fish bones when eating something like this.

Depending on how juicy the tomatoes are, you'll find a fair bit of liquid in the bottom.

I just ignore it, although it does taste nice when poured over potatoes. I seasoned it with extra freshly ground pepper.

This tastes best when served piping hot with boiled new potatoes and a green salad.

Ready to make this baked fish?

Print Recipe

German Baked Fish au Gratin – Oma's Überbackener Fisch mit Kase

Baked Fish au Gratin is a favorite German dinner. The French "au Gratin" sounds more elegant than the German "Überbackener Fisch mit Kase", so that's the way it's known, even in Germany.

It's "überbacken" meaning, "baked over" so the cheese melts and browns.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Bake Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings:

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 8 tomatoes, sliced
  
• salt
  
• 4 fish fillets (approx. 1¾ pounds)
  
• ⅓ cup tomato paste or thick tomato sauce
  
• ⅓ cup dry white wine or broth
  
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
  
• ⅓ cup finely chopped onion
  
• ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
  
• ⅓ cup grated Emmentaler cheese
  
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
   
2. Butter a large shallow baking dish.
   
3. Arrange tomato slices and fish alternately in baking dish. Sprinkle with salt.
   
4. In a small bowl, mix tomato paste, wine, parsley, and onion. Season to taste with salt.
   
5. Pour over fish and tomatoes.
   
6. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and cheese on top. Dot with butter.
   
7. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until tender.

Notes/Hints:

• German Emmentaler cheese is the traditional cheese used for this dish. If you can't find this, just use your favorite cheese (Swiss works well).
  

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.