Pollack gratin is the kind of dish that brings back memories of grandma’s Sunday dinner — but made on a weeknight, because the air fryer cuts the cooking time in half. The white, mild pollack is joined by thin potato slices, crisp leek and lightly boiled cauliflower under a blanket of creamy sauce and melted cheese. The result is a fish gratin with a golden top and juicy fish at the bottom — without the fish steam settling throughout the whole house, the way it easily does in the oven.
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Pollack is an underrated everyday fish: cheap, sustainable and with firm flesh that holds its shape in a gratin. When you cook it in the air fryer, you get a more concentrated crust on top and a shorter baking time than with classic oven baking.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents:
Why I love pollack gratin in the air fryer
The most important difference is the time. A traditional fish gratin takes 35-45 minutes in the oven, because the heat first has to work its way down through the layer of fish and vegetables. The air fryer hits the top directly with hot circulating air and shaves around 15 minutes off the baking time, while the cheese turns more evenly golden without dry edges.
What makes the air fryer better than the oven
The concentrated airflow has two advantages here: it quickly evaporates excess liquid from the vegetables, so the gratin doesn’t turn watery, and it gives a crispier crust on the surface. In my oven version there was always a bit of moisture under the cheese — in the air fryer version the sauce is perfectly set, and the top has crisped up.
My kitchen test of pollack gratin
I have tested the dish in my Cosori Dual Blaze at 180 °C for 22 minutes, and that is the sweet spot for a gratin with 600 g pollack fillets, half-cooked cauliflower and thin potato slices. The core temperature of the fish hit 60 °C at 20 minutes — perfect for white fish, where you want to keep it juicy. I have also tried 200 °C, but then the cheese burns before the potatoes are tender enough in the middle. 180 °C is the temperature that gives the most harmony between top and bottom.
Pre-boil the potato slices for 5 minutes before assembling the gratin — otherwise you risk al dente potatoes in a soft gratin.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The classic mistake is to put raw potato slices directly into the gratin — they never have time to become tender in 22 minutes, and you end up with a gratin where the cheese is golden while the bottom crunches. Pre-boil the slices for 5-7 minutes in lightly salted water. Another pitfall is putting wet, uncooked cauliflower straight in — it waters down the sauce. Break the florets into bite-size pieces and pre-boil them briefly for 3-4 minutes. The third mistake is too high heat: 200 °C sounds tempting, but it burns the cheese top before the gratin is heated through.
How to serve pollack gratin
The gratin is filling on its own, but it really comes into its own with something fresh and tangy on the side.
- A mixed green salad with lemon dressing
- Fresh parsley or dill sprinkled over before serving
- A glass of dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
- Crusty seeded or sourdough bread to mop up the sauce
Storage and reheating
Leftovers keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Reheat directly in the air fryer at 160 °C for 6-8 minutes — this gives a freshly crisp top without the rubbery result that a microwave typically delivers. Don’t freeze the gratin — the potatoes change texture and turn mealy after thawing.
Pollack gratin is one of those dishes that turns everyday fish into something special without requiring more than 30 minutes of work in total. Swap the pollack for cod or haddock if you like — the recipe works for all firm, white fish.
FAQ
Yes, the recipe works for all firm white fish. Cod, haddock and saithe are all good alternatives. The cooking time only changes marginally — check the core temperature at 60 °C.
Yes, both the potato slices and the cauliflower should be pre-cooked briefly. The potatoes for 5-7 minutes, the cauliflower for 3-4 minutes. Otherwise they won’t become tender before the cheese burns.
2 days in a sealed container. Reheat in the air fryer at 160 °C for 6-8 minutes to get the crispy top back.
Recipe
Pollack gratin in the air fryer
Cooking Guide
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Cost of the dish
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Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
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Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Ovnfast form (der passer i airfryer)
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Whisk
Shopping list
Ingredients
Fish and vegetables
- 600 g pollack fillet (skinless and boneless)
- 400 g potatoes (firm, such as fingerling or other waxy potatoes)
- 1 pcs leek (only the white and light green part)
- 300 g cauliflower (about half a cauliflower)
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
The cream
For the dish
- 1 tbsp butter (for brushing)
How to make it
Preparation
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C (fan).
- Brush an ovenproof dish that fits in your air fryer with 1 tbsp butter.
- Rinse 400 g potatoes and cut them into 2-3 mm thin slices. Use a mandoline for even thickness.
- Rinse 1 pcs leek thoroughly and cut it into fine rings.
- Divide 300 g cauliflower into small, even florets.
- Rinse 600 g pollack fillet, pat dry and cut into rough cubes of about 3 cm.
Assembling the gratin
- Place the potato slices in the bottom of the dish so they overlap slightly. Spread the leek rings and cauliflower florets on top.
- Distribute the fish cubes evenly between the vegetables and sprinkle 1 clove garlic (finely chopped) over the top.
- Pour the cream evenly over the fish and vegetables. Sprinkle 100 g grated cheese over the top.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Place the dish in the air fryer and bake at 180 °C (fan) for 22-25 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the potatoes are tender. Check with a fork whether the potatoes are cooked through.
- Let the gratin rest for 5 minutes, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve immediately.
Our notes for the recipe
Slice the potatoes as thinly as possible — ideally with a mandoline — so they become tender at the same time as the fish. If the cheese browns too soon, you can cover the gratin loosely with foil for the last few minutes. Variation:
You can replace the pollack with cod, saithe or another firm white fish. A pinch of nutmeg in the cream adds a subtle Nordic twist, and fresh sprigs of dill work well in place of parsley. Serving:
Serve with a fresh green salad with lemon vinaigrette and a good loaf of bread to soak up the cream. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two batches or use a smaller dish and halve the quantity.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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