Baked Gefilte Fish Loaf

Gefilte fish is a traditional Jewish recipe that many people associate with Passover or the High Holidays.  However, it’s also an easy simple appetizer, great on your Shabbat table or a side dish to a quick meal. 

Gefilte fish, a staple in Jewish cuisine, originated in Eastern Europe. Traditionally, it consists of ground fish, often a mixture of carp, whitefish, and pike, mixed with onions, carrots, and various seasonings. This mixture is then shaped into balls or patties and poached in a broth. Over time, variations of gefilte fish recipes have emerged, adapting to different tastes and culinary preferences.

The word "gefilte" comes from the Yiddish word for "stuffed." Originally, gefilte fish was made by stuffing the seasoned fish mixture back into the fish skin.  I don’t know about you, but I’m glad we’re not stuffing fish skins anymore.

In our family we like to pair it with farfel muffins and simple charoset to round out your seder table in minutes. This recipe takes all the hard work that was making gefilte fish and erases it.  Using a frozen fish loaf and some simple seasonings, we never have to grind, mix or shape gefilte fish again!

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Ingredients

A few notes on the ingredients:

• Frozen gefilte fish loaf:  I like the Ungars brand the best, traditional, not the unsweetened.  However, while this recipe works best when using a frozen loaf of gefite fish, you could also prepare it with homemade gefilte fish.
• Seasoning mix: You can mix up the seasonings based on what you like, but I’ve found that this combination satisfies even the most skeptical fish eaters.

How to cook gefilte fish in the oven

To make things even simpler, here are step-by-step photos to help you every step of the way.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Unwrap the gefilte fish from the paper it's wrapped in.

Place the sliced onions on the bottom of your pan and then put the gefilte fish loaf on top. I find that using a disposable aluminum pan makes clean up really easy!

You want the onions to be the base of the pan so that the bottom of your fish doesn't burn while cooking. You'll also add a ton of flavor from the cooked onions in your finished dish.

Drizzle the olive oil over the gefilte fish and then season with the spices and rub them into the fish. To keep your hands clean, wear a rubber glove and rub the olive oil and seasonings in with your gloved hand. This will also help the seasonings get evenly distributed around the fish.

Cover with foil and bake for 80-90 minutes. When its done cooking, the fish will look a bit puffed up. You can also bake uncovered for the last 10 minutes if you would like it to brown a bit on top. The fish will appear a little puffed up when it's done cooking.

For all measurements and a more detailed guide, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Can gefilte fish be frozen

Yep, there is actually no need to defrost it. Cooking the fish from frozen is actually the recommended way to cook the gefilte fish loaf.  Taking it out of its package while its still frozen also makes it much easier to handle, season and get into the baking pan.

Remember to take the paper its wrapped in off before starting this recipe.  You may find that the directions on the package tell you to leave it on, but that’s only if you were boiling the fish to cook it, not for baking.

Serving Suggestions

• For the seder: For the seder nights I like to serve the gefilte fish one of two ways.
  •  The first is to make individual plates for each guest that includes a slice of the baked fish, a dollop of horseradish and a dollop of charoset. 
  • The second way is just to slice the whole loaf of fish and then arrange it on a platter to be passed along the table when it’s time to serve.
• As an appetizer: throughout the year: You can serve the gefilte fish as an appetizer throughout the year. Try it these two ways or get creative:
  • Slice the sliced loaf into cubes and placed on a cracker (everything crackers are a great choice). Garnish with dill or your favorite herb.  Can also put a dollop of horseradish on top if your guests like spicy things.
  • Add it to a small skewer with a grape tomato and a small piece of romaine.
• As a side dish: If you want to turn the gefilte fish from a simple side dish into more of a main dish, try serving any of the following ways: With spicy coleslaw and toasted tortillas (swap out the fish from this fish tacos recipe), with roasted vegetables and your favorite grain, or on top of a big green salad.

Flavor variations

This recipe is super versatile and you can change out the toppings before you bake it.  These are some of our other favorite ways to eat gefilte fish.

• Tomato Sauce: Place the frozen loaf into your baking pan and cover with your favorite marinara sauce or tomato sauce.  You can add sliced mushrooms to this variation as well.
• Crunchy: Cover the entire frozen gefilte fish loaf in mayonnaise and then roll in your favorite breadcrumb or panko before placing into the pan.  Bake uncovered.

Make it ahead of time

You can easily bake your gefilte fish loaf a day ahead of time. I like to have it cooking while I'm making desserts that can also be made ahead of time like matzo crack and mandel bread. Because the fish is cooked covered, you can share oven space and not worried about anything else smelling fishy.

Gefilte fish is often served cold, so making it the day before you need it not only frees up your time, but allows lots of time for it to chill before serving. 

Did you try this recipe and and love it? 😍 Let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!

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