Summary: Portuguese-style cod (in Portuguese, bacalhau à portuguesa) is one of the most iconic dishes in Portuguese cuisine. Portugal has more than 1,000 cod recipes—one for every day of the year and more—but this oven-baked preparation with sliced potatoes, confit onions, black olives, and hard-boiled eggs is probably the most universal and recognizable. It is a generous, comforting, and visually spectacular dish served directly from the oven tray to the table.
What is Portuguese-style cod and why is it so special
Portuguese-style cod (in Portuguese, bacalhau à portuguesa) is one of the most iconic dishes in Portuguese cuisine. Portugal has more than 1,000 cod recipes—one for every day of the year and more—but this oven-baked preparation with sliced potatoes, confit onions, black olives, and hard-boiled eggs is probably the most universal and recognizable. It is a generous, comforting, and visually spectacular dish served directly from the oven tray to the table.
In Spain, Portuguese-style cod has become a very popular dish thanks to its simplicity and the spectacular results achieved with humble ingredients. At Bacalalo, we often prepare it at the Mercat del Ninot, and this is the recipe that works best with our desalted cod from Iceland.
Cod in Portuguese culture
Portugal is, without a doubt, the country that consumes the most cod per capita in the world. The "faithful friend," as the Portuguese call it, has been a staple of the Portuguese diet for centuries. Portuguese navigators discovered it in the waters of Newfoundland in the 15th century and adopted it as the perfect food for long voyages: it was cheap, durable, and nutritious.
Today, Portugal consumes about 70,000 tons of cod per year, most of which is imported from Norway and Iceland. Salted cod is so important in Portuguese culture that it has its own section in all supermarkets, markets, and grocery stores in the country.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 4 fillets of desalted cod, 180-200g each, with skin
- 1 kg potatoes (Monalisa type, so they don't fall apart)
- 2 large onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 150 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 100 g black olives (Kalamata or Portuguese type)
- 3 hard-boiled eggs
- Fresh parsley
- Salt (only for potatoes) and black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
The ideal cut: for this Portuguese recipe, use thick fillets with skin. The cod needs to withstand oven cooking without falling apart, and the fillet is the cut that best achieves this. If you don't have fillets, the penca also works very well. Consult our guide to the 5 cuts of cod to understand the differences.
About the olives: In Portugal, black olives cured in salt (Galega or Prieta Manzanilla type) are used. If you can't find them, Greek Kalamata olives work very well due to their fleshy texture and deep flavor. Avoid canned California-style black olives: they lack sufficient character.
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Step-by-step preparation
1. Prepare the sliced potatoes (10 minutes)
Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly (3-4 mm) like for gratin potatoes. If you cut them too thick, they won't cook in time with the cod. Soak them in cold water for 10 minutes to remove excess starch, then drain and dry them thoroughly.
2. Prepare the onion and garlic
Slice the onions into fine julienne strips. Slice the garlic. Julienne onions confit better in the oven than diced onions, creating that sweet and silky texture characteristic of this Portuguese dish.
3. Assemble the tray (5 minutes)
Preheat the oven to 190 °C. In a large baking tray, place a first layer of slightly overlapping potatoes (like fish scales). Season with salt and pepper. Distribute half of the onion and garlic over them. Drizzle with half of the olive oil. Add the bay leaf.
4. First bake: potatoes and onion (25 minutes)
Place the tray in the oven and cook for 25 minutes until the potatoes are almost done and the onion begins to brown. This preliminary step is essential: if you add the cod from the beginning, the potatoes will be raw.
5. Add the cod (15-18 minutes)
Remove the tray. Place the cod fillets skin-side up over the potatoes. Distribute the remaining onion and garlic around them. Drizzle with the remaining oil. Scatter the black olives over the entire tray. Return to the oven for 15-18 minutes at 190 °C.
6. Finishing touches
While baking, boil the hard-boiled eggs (10 minutes in boiling water), peel them, and cut them into quarters. Upon removing the tray, arrange the hard-boiled egg quarters over the dish and generously sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. A final drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil perfumes the entire dish.
Tips for a perfect Portuguese-style cod
- Thin and dry potatoes: slice them 3-4 mm thick and dry them well. If they are wet, they will boil instead of roast and will not get crispy at the edges.
- Two baking times: first the potatoes alone, then with the cod. This is the key trick to ensure everything is perfectly cooked at the same time.
- Generous olive oil: don't skimp. The Portuguese use olive oil generously, and it's what gives the dish its golden shine and characteristic flavor.
- Fine julienne onion: the finer, the better it confits in the oven. Well-confit onion is sweet and silky, not raw.
- Whole olives: sliced olives lose flavor and texture. Leave them whole to provide that salty and bitter contrast to the sweetness of the onion.
- Hard-boiled egg at the end: never bake it. It will become rubbery. Add it after removing the tray from the oven.
Variations of Portuguese-style cod
Gratinated Portuguese-style cod
In the last 3 minutes, activate the oven's grill to brown the surface. You can add a thin layer of breadcrumbs mixed with chopped garlic to create a crispy crust.
Portuguese-style cod with cream
A richer variant where cream (heavy cream) is added to the potatoes before baking, creating a dauphinois-like effect. Decadent and delicious.
Bacalhau à Brás
The other great Portuguese recipe: shredded cod with thin straw potatoes and scrambled eggs. A completely different but equally iconic dish. Requires shredded cod.
Stovetop version (pan)
If you don't have an oven, you can make a stovetop version: fry the sliced potatoes, brown the cod separately, and assemble everything in the pan with the confit onion, olives, and egg. It's faster but doesn't have the same oven-baked flavor.
How to pair and serve
Portuguese-style cod is a complete dish in itself (protein + carbohydrate + vegetable), but it pairs well with:
- Green salad: lettuce, arugula, or lamb's lettuce with a red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing.
- Roasted peppers: oven-roasted red peppers go wonderfully alongside.
- White wine: a fresh Alvarinho (Portuguese Albariño) or Verdejo.
- Bread: for dipping in the oil and juices from the tray.
Storage and reheating
- Refrigerator: up to 2-3 days in an airtight container.
- Reheating: in the oven at 160 °C for 10-12 minutes. Add a drizzle of oil and a little water to prevent it from drying out. Remove the eggs before reheating and add them afterward.
- Freezing: not ideal because potatoes change texture when freezing and thawing. If you freeze, do it without the potatoes.
Nutritional information
Portuguese-style cod is a complete and nutritionally balanced dish:
- Calories: 350-400 kcal per serving (with potatoes, egg, and olives)
- Protein: 28-32 g — from cod and eggs, complete protein with high bioavailability
- Carbohydrates: 30-35 g — from potatoes, complex carbohydrates with slow absorption
- Fats: 14-18 g — from olive oil, healthy monounsaturated fats
Cod is one of the leanest white fish on the market (0.7 g fat per 100 g), with a high content of selenium, iodine, and vitamin B12. Combined with potatoes as an energy source and olive oil as a healthy fat, Portuguese-style cod is a dish that adheres to the principles of the Mediterranean diet.
Black olives, in addition to their gastronomic function, provide vitamin E, antioxidant polyphenols, and oleic acid. Hard-boiled eggs add high-quality protein and choline, an essential nutrient for brain function.
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Conclusions
- What is Portuguese-style cod and why it's so special: Portuguese-style cod (in Portuguese, bacalhau à portuguesa) is one of the most emblematic dishes of Portuguese cuisine.
- Cod in Portuguese culture: Portugal is, without a doubt, the country that consumes the most cod per capita in the world.
- Ingredients for 4 people: The ideal cut: for the Portuguese recipe, use thick fillets with skin.
- Step-by-step preparation: Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly (3-4 mm) like for gratin potatoes.
- Tips for a perfect Portuguese-style cod: In the last 3 minutes, activate the oven's grill to brown the surface.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you bake Bacalhau à Lagareiro?
The total is about 40-43 minutes: 25 minutes for the potatoes alone + 15-18 minutes with the cod on top. The oven should be at 190 °C (375 °F). Two baking times: first the potatoes alone, then with the cod.
What cut of cod is best for Bacalhau à Lagareiro?
The thick loin (3-4 cm / 1.2-1.6 inches) with skin. It is the piece that best withstands the oven without falling apart. The fillet also works well. In Spain, Bacalhau à Lagareiro has become a very popular dish thanks to its simplicity and the spectacular results achieved with humble ingredients.
Can it be made with fresh cod?
Yes, but the result is different. Salted cod has a flaky texture and a more concentrated flavor than fresh cod. The original Portuguese recipe always uses salt cod, properly desalted.
Are olives essential?
In the traditional recipe, yes. Black olives provide a salty-bitter contrast that balances the sweetness of the caramelized onion and the mildness of the cod. Without them, the dish loses an important layer of flavor.
Can it be prepared in advance?
You can assemble the tray with the potatoes, onion, and olives the night before and store it covered in the refrigerator. The next day, take it out 20 minutes before baking and add the cod during the second baking time.
How many calories does Bacalhau à Lagareiro have?
About 350-400 kcal per serving (including potatoes and egg). It is a complete dish with a good supply of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats from olive oil. In Spain, Bacalhau à Lagareiro has become a very popular dish thanks to its simplicity and the spectacular results achieved with humble ingredients.
Discover our selection of premium desalted cod at Bacalalo.
