This salt cod casserole is the star of every Christmas and New-Year table, layered with tender potatoes, briny olives, and hard-boiled eggs in a garlicky olive-oil bath. Let’s bring the taste of Portugal to your kitchen!
Ingredients for the perfect bacalhoada
- 2 lb boneless salt cod (about 2 lb/900 g after soaking);
- 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced;
- 4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled;
- 1 cup pitted green olives, roughly chopped (about 7 oz/200 g);
- 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil (about 16 fl oz/475 ml);
- 2 lb baby potatoes, peeled;
- 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced;
- 10 oz hearts of palm, sliced into coins (about 300 g);
- Freshly cracked mixed peppercorns to taste;
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley + 2 sliced scallions (stand-in for “cheiro-verde”).
Step-by-step instructions
- Soak salt cod in cold water 24 h, changing the water at least 4 times;
- Drain, cover with fresh water, simmer 15 min; cool slightly and flake into large bite-size pieces, removing any bones;
- Reserve the cooking liquid;
- Cook potatoes in the salted cod water until just fork-tender, 10-12 min;
- Dunk hearts of palm in the same water for 30 s to warm through;
- In a wide skillet heat ½ cup olive oil over medium, add garlic and swirl 30 s;
- Add onions, cook until translucent, 5 min;
- Fold in flaked cod, season with cracked pepper; taste—salt usually isn’t needed;
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking dish;
- Layer half the potatoes, top with half the cod mixture, scatter half the hearts of palm and olives; repeat, ending with olives;
- Drizzle remaining olive oil over the top, cover with foil, bake 25 min to marry flavors;
- Garnish with egg wedges and parsley-scallion mix. Serve warm with a crisp green salad.
Invite the family to the table—your Portuguese-style Christmas Eve centerpiece is ready!
Fun fact about salt cod
Vikings first air-dried cod to preserve it on long voyages, but the Basques perfected salting the fish—turning it into the shelf-stable delicacy that sailed around the world and landed on Portuguese tables.
Enjoyed the recipe? Share it! Find more festive dishes on our site.