Bacalao con Tomate Recipe

Cod fish in tomato sauce and olives with knife and fork in the dish

Carlo A / Getty Images

Prep: 12 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Soaking Time: 24 hrs
Total: 24 hrs 37 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

If you like fish, this easy dish is sure to become one of your favorites! In fact, in Northern Spain, it is so well-liked that it is popular during the Christmas season. The salty flavor of the cod combines well with the sweeter flavor of tomato sauce, garlic, and roasted red pepper. Serve with home-fried potatoes and you and your family will surely be cleaning your plates.

Salt cod is codfish that has been preserved by salting and then drying. It needs to be rehydrated before using, so be sure to allow 24 to 48 hours to soak the cod in advance of cooking. This is necessary to leach out the salt. Change the water 2 to 3 times in a 24-hour period. If bacalao is not soaked, it will be so salty that it will not be edible!

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds (1 kilogram) dried salt cod, preferably boneless, soaked in water for at least 24 hours

  • 3/4 cup (180 milliliters) Spanish olive oil

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached, for coating fish

  • 1 large onion, yellow or white

  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped

  • 1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, crushed

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 (12-ounce) can roasted red peppers

Steps to Make It

  1. Remove the fish from the water. Pat it dry with paper towels. Cut into 3-inch squares and set aside.

  2. Pour about a 1/4 cup of olive oil into a large frying pan over medium heat. Put flour on a plate and dredge cod in flour. When the frying pan is hot, place the fish in the pan and brown fish lightly on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes a side. Remove and set aside.

  3. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil to the same frying pan. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and bay leaf. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often.

  4. Add the codfish back into the frying pan and reduce heat. Add the sliced roasted red peppers and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

  5. Serve with fried potatoes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
612 Calories
25g Fat
20g Carbs
74g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 612
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 32%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 172mg 57%
Sodium 8085mg 352%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 74g
Vitamin C 88mg 441%
Calcium 226mg 17%
Iron 5mg 25%
Potassium 1960mg 42%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)