Spain has a long coastline and plenty of fresh fish, yet one of its most common fish ingredients is cod that has been salted, dried and shipped in. In Spanish, bacalao simply means cod, but on a menu it usually refers to salt cod. It shows up in Basque bars, Catalan salads, Madrid tapas counters and Lenten home cooking, and the same word on a menu can mean a creamy emulsion, a fried fritter or a cold salad.
This guide covers what bacalao is, the main dishes you will meet, and a few questions worth asking when you order it at a Spanish restaurant abroad.
What bacalao is
Salt cod is cod that has been split, heavily salted and dried. Salting was a way to keep fish for months without refrigeration, which is why salt cod became a staple far inland, well away from any port.
Before cooking, the fish has to be desalted. Cooks soak it in cold water in the fridge, changing the water several times, usually for one to two days and longer for thick pieces. Done well, the flesh comes back firm and flaky with only a mild salty edge. Many kitchens and shops now sell cod that has already been desalted, labelled bacalao desalado.
The religious calendar also shaped the habit. Catholic Spain avoided meat on Fridays and during Lent, and salt cod was a cheap, storable fish for those days. That is why many bacalao dishes, buñuelos and soldaditos de Pavía among them, are linked to Lent and Holy Week.
The dishes you will see on a menu
Basque styles
- Bacalao al pil-pil: loin pieces cooked slowly in olive oil with garlic and guindilla chilli. The pan is swirled until the gelatin from the fish turns the oil into a pale, thick sauce. Our bacalao al pil-pil page has the background.
- Bacalao a la vizcaína: salt cod in a red sauce made from dried choricero peppers and onion.
- Tortilla de bacalao: an omelette with salt cod and onion, a fixture of the set menu at Basque cider houses.
Catalan styles
- Esqueixada: raw desalted cod torn into shreds and dressed with tomato, onion, olive oil and often olives. It is served cold, more like a salad than a cooked dish.
- Brandada: salt cod worked into a smooth paste with olive oil, often spread on toast.
Fried and bar food
- Croquetas de bacalao: béchamel croquettes made with shredded salt cod, one of the most common versions after ham. See our croquetas guide.
- Buñuelos de bacalao: small fritters of salt cod in a light batter.
- Soldaditos de Pavía: strips of battered, fried salt cod, a Madrid tavern tapa, often topped with a strip of red pepper.
Inland and stewed
- Bacalao al ajoarriero: shredded salt cod cooked with garlic, peppers and tomato, a dish found in Navarra, Aragón and neighbouring regions.
How to order it
Check which cod you are getting
On a Spanish menu, bacalao fresco means fresh cod and plain bacalao usually means salt cod. Restaurants outside Spain sometimes use the word loosely, so if the texture matters to you, ask.
Match the cut to the dish
Salt cod is sold in different cuts. The thick lomo (loin) is the prized piece and is what you want for pil-pil or a baked dish. Thinner pieces and migas (flakes) go into esqueixada, croquetas and fritters.
Expect some salt, not a lot
Properly desalted cod tastes seasoned, not briny. A very salty dish can mean the soak was too short. It is fair to mention that to your server.
Think about pairing
Salt cod is usually paired with white wine, cider in the Basque cider-house setting, or a light red. A dry txakoli or albariño works well with fried bacalao and pil-pil.
Where to try it
These venues in our directory list bacalao or salt cod on their own records:
- Txikito, New York: a Basque restaurant in Chelsea, open since 2008, whose record lists salt cod croquettes along with octopus carpaccio and txakoli poured from a height.
- Morito Exmouth Market, London: the Spanish and Moorish tapas bar next door to Moro, open since 2010, with salt cod croquetas and sherry by the glass.
- Tapacopa, Seoul: a tapas bar whose listing includes bacalao among its tapas, next to grilled cuttlefish and octopus with romesco. The record does not say whether it is salt cod or how it is prepared, so ask.
If a Spanish restaurant near you lists bacalao without saying how it is cooked, ask whether it is pil-pil, fried or in a sauce. The answer will tell you a lot about the kitchen.
