Summary: Bacalao al ajoarriero is one of the great dishes of Navarran cuisine and, by extension, of all of inland Spain. It originated with muleteers who transported goods with mules and cooked salted cod on the road with garlic, peppers, tomato, and olive oil. In this guide, you will find the traditional step-by-step recipe, the differences between Navarran, Riojan, and Aragonese ajoarriero, the choricero pepper technique, pairing suggestions, and answers to 12 frequently asked questions about this hearty and comforting dish.
Table of Contents
- Origin of Ajoarriero: The Muleteers' Cuisine
- Which Cut of Cod to Use
- Ingredients for 4 People
- Step-by-Step Recipe
- The Choricero Pepper: Preparation and Use
- Regional Variations of Ajoarriero
- Slow Cooking Technique
- Presentation and Serving Suggestions
- Wine Pairing
- Storage and Reheating
- Nutritional Table
- Frequently Asked Questions
Origin of Ajoarriero: The Muleteers' Cuisine
Ajoarriero gets its name from the arrieros (muleteers), the transporters who for centuries traveled the roads of the Iberian Peninsula with mule trains loaded with goods. These men spent weeks on the road and needed food that would preserve well and could be cooked with minimal resources. Salted cod was perfect: it didn't spoil, weighed little once dry, and provided plenty of protein and flavor. They supplemented it with garlic (which they always carried), olive oil, and whatever they found along the way: peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, or eggs.
Navarra claims ajoarriero as its own dish, and rightly so. Pamplona was one of the major hubs of the muleteer routes, a crossroads of the Camino de Santiago with the paths that descended from the Pyrenees into inland Castile. The taverns of the Navarran capital adopted the dish and refined it with produce from the Ebro Huerta: red and green peppers, ripe tomatoes, and olive oil from La Ribera. Today it is a flagship dish of Navarran gastronomy, a must-have in Pamplona's restaurants during the Sanfermines, and a star on the menus of grills throughout the community.
But ajoarriero is not exclusive to Navarra. Similar versions are cooked in La Rioja, Aragon, Cuenca, Extremadura, and even Andalusia. Each region adapts it to its local ingredients, from the Basque choricero pepper to the Manchego potato, creating a family of dishes that share the same spirit: humble, hearty, and deeply flavorful cuisine. The kind of recipe that reconciles you with Spanish culinary tradition.
Which Cut of Cod to Use
For ajoarriero, the cut of cod matters more than it seems. Ideally, use the central part of the loin or the morro (snout/cheek), which are meaty and gelatinous areas with long fibers that flake well and retain some juiciness during slow cooking. The morro, in particular, provides a smooth texture that enriches the whole sofrito thanks to its high collagen content.
Avoid the cod tail, which is too dry and thin for prolonged cooking, and the thinner parts of the belly, which fall apart too much. If you use quality desalted cod, make sure to thoroughly remove the skin and bones before flaking it. The flaking should be irregular: some larger flakes, some smaller, to create an interesting texture that contrasts with the vegetable sofrito.
If you want an exceptional result, look for Icelandic or Norwegian cod with long curing, which has a deeper flavor and firmer texture than short-cured cod. At Bacalalo, we work with selected Nordic pieces to guarantee the quality a dish like this deserves. If you need to review the desalting process, consult our guide on how to properly desalt cod.
Ingredients for 4 People
- 500 g desalted cod — flaked into irregular pieces, without skin or bones
- 3 large red bell peppers — or 8-10 quality jarred piquillo peppers
- 2 Italian green peppers — cut into wide strips
- 3 ripe tomatoes — grated and peeled
- 6 cloves of garlic — thinly sliced
- 1 large onion — very finely chopped
- 150 ml extra virgin olive oil — generous amount, do not skimp
- 2 dried choricero peppers — soaked and flesh scraped (optional but recommended)
- 1 dried cayenne chili — optional, for those who want a spicy touch
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley — chopped, for finishing
The quality of the peppers is crucial. If fresh peppers are not in season, use jarred piquillo peppers with a Lodosa designation of origin, which have a sweet and intense flavor perfect for this dish.
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Step-by-Step Recipe
- Roast the red peppers: Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Place the whole peppers on a tray and roast for 30-35 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking. They should be well charred on the outside and soft on the inside. Remove them, place them in a closed bag or covered bowl for 10 minutes to sweat. Peel them, remove the seeds, and cut them into wide strips. Reserve any juices. If using jarred piquillo peppers, skip this step.
- Prepare the choricero pepper: If using, soak the dried choricero peppers in hot water for at least 30 minutes until they rehydrate and soften. Then open them in half, remove the seeds and veins, and scrape the flesh from the inside with a spoon or knife. Discard the skin and reserve the pulp.
- Sauté the onion: In a wide earthenware, cast iron, or heavy-bottomed stainless steel casserole, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and bay leaf. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is completely translucent, soft, and lightly golden. Don't rush: well-sautéed onion is the foundation of the entire dish.
- Add the garlic and chili: Add the sliced garlic and whole dried chili (if using). Cook for 2 minutes over low heat, stirring, until the garlic is aromatic but not browned.
- Cook the green peppers: Incorporate the green peppers cut into strips. Slightly raise the heat to medium and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and have lost their raw edge.
- Add the tomato: Pour in the grated tomato and the choricero pepper pulp. Increase the heat slightly and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomato has lost its acidity and most of the water has evaporated. You should see the oil beginning to separate from the sofrito.
- Add the roasted red peppers: Add the red pepper strips (or piquillos) along with any reserved roasting juices. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes to integrate all the flavors of the sofrito.
- Add the cod: Incorporate the flaked cod, distributing it well throughout the casserole. Stir gently to integrate it without breaking it up completely. Lower the heat and cook covered over low heat for 10-12 minutes. The cod should partially melt into the sofrito, creating a juicy and unctuous mass.
- Adjust and rest: Carefully taste for salt (the cod already adds plenty of salinity), add freshly ground black pepper, and remove the chili and bay leaf. Let the casserole rest off the heat for 5-10 minutes, covered, before serving. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
The Choricero Pepper: Preparation and Use
The choricero pepper is a key ingredient in northern Spanish cuisine that gives ajoarriero a depth of flavor impossible to achieve with other peppers. It is a dried red pepper, of the Capsicum annuum variety, which is hung in strings to air-dry for weeks. Its flavor is sweet, slightly smoky, and has an intensity reminiscent of paprika but with much more nuance.
To prepare it, soak the dried peppers in hot water for at least 30 minutes until they rehydrate and soften. Then, open them in half, remove the seeds and veins, and scrape the inner flesh with the edge of a spoon or knife. What you get is a thick, red, aromatic pulp that dissolves into the sofrito, adding body, color, and an unmistakable flavor. The outer skin is discarded because it is tough and does not integrate well.
If you cannot find dried choricero peppers, you can substitute them with a tablespoon of jarred choricero pepper pulp, available in gourmet stores and supermarkets in northern Spain. As a last resort, half a teaspoon of sweet pimentón de la Vera provides an approximate, though not identical, flavor.
Regional Variations of Ajoarriero
Ajoarriero is a dish that extends through much of inland Spain, and each region has adapted it to its local products and culinary traditions. The differences between variations are significant, to the point that a Navarran ajoarriero and one from Cuenca barely resemble each other in appearance, although they share the same philosophy of muleteer cuisine.
| Variant | Region | Distinctive Ingredients | Technique | Texture and Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navarran Ajoarriero | Navarra | Roasted red peppers, green peppers, tomato, onion, abundant garlic | Slow sofrito in casserole, flaked cod at the end | Juicy, reddish-orange, unctuous |
| Riojan Ajoarriero | La Rioja | Dried choricero pepper, tomato, potato, chili, sometimes crayfish | Prolonged cooking, potato base, poached | Thicker, darker, with potato pieces |
| Aragonese Ajoarriero | Aragon | Lots of crushed garlic, Bajo Aragón olive oil, tomato, fried egg | Garlic crushed in mortar, short sofrito, egg on top | Drier, prominent garlic, topped with egg |
| Ajoarriero from Cuenca | Cuenca (La Mancha) | Crushed garlic, cooked potato, raw oil, no red pepper | Potato and cod bound in mortar with garlic and oil | Pale, thick brandade-like, no tomato sofrito |
The Navarran version is the best known and most balanced, with a generous vegetable sofrito serving as the aromatic base. The Riojan incorporates potato, giving it more body and making it closer to a stew. The Aragonese puts garlic in the foreground and is crowned with a fried egg whose broken yolk mixes with the whole. And the Cuenca version is almost another recipe: a mortar of cod and potato bound with garlic and raw oil, closer to a brandade than a sofrito. To explore another cod and potato recipe, you can consult our guide on cod with potatoes baked or stewed.
Slow Cooking Technique
Ajoarriero is a dish that rewards patience. Each layer of ingredients needs its time to develop flavor before adding the next. The onion requires 15-20 minutes of gentle sautéing to transform its acidity into sweetness. Green peppers need another 10-12 minutes to soften and release their aroma. The tomato demands another 10 minutes of reduction until the water evaporates and the flavor concentrates.
The temptation to raise the heat to speed up the process is the most common mistake. On high heat, the onion browns without caramelizing, the peppers toast instead of softening, and the tomato doesn't reduce properly. The result is a sofrito with a raw texture and poorly integrated flavors. On medium-low heat, each ingredient releases its sugars and aromas slowly, creating a complex and deep base on which the cod melts.
The cod is added at the end and cooked for only 10-12 minutes over low heat. If added too soon, it dries out and toughens. The goal is for the flakes to warm up, absorb the flavors of the sofrito, and partially integrate, maintaining some texture without completely falling apart. The final rest of 5-10 minutes off the heat is essential: the flavors finish melding, and the casserole reaches the perfect serving temperature.
Presentation and Serving Suggestions
Ajoarriero is traditionally served in the same earthenware casserole in which it was cooked, taking it directly from the stove to the table. This serving method is not just aesthetic: the earthenware casserole keeps the heat throughout the meal, and the dish is best enjoyed warm rather than piping hot. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley just before serving to add a touch of visual and aromatic freshness.
The classic Navarran accompaniment is simply crusty country bread for dipping in the sofrito. Nothing more is needed. For a slightly more elaborate presentation, you can serve it on a thick slice of toasted bread rubbed with garlic, in the style of bruschetta. It also works well as a filling for piquillo peppers: reserve a few whole ones and fill them with the ajoarriero, serving them as a starter.
If you want to turn it into a more complete dish, accompany it with cooked white rice or with homemade diced fried potatoes. Some Navarran restaurants serve it with a fried egg on top, Aragonese style: the broken yolk mixed with the sofrito is a delight. For a tapa version, serve it in individual earthenware ramekins with a slice of bread on the side.
Wine Pairing
Ajoarriero is a dish with a powerful and complex flavor that needs a wine with character to not be overshadowed. The natural pairing is a Navarran rosé, with enough body to support the pepper and tomato sofrito, and the necessary freshness to balance the unctuousness of the cod and olive oil. Navarran Garnacha rosés are the classic choice and, in most cases, the best.
If you prefer red wine, choose a young Navarran or Riojan red with little oak, preferably young Garnacha or Tempranillo. A wine with too much barrel aging would compete with the flavors of the dish instead of complementing them. A light Crianza or a carbonic maceration red from Rioja Alavesa also work well.
For white wine, a Chardonnay from Navarra with some body or a white from Somontano can work, although it is not the most common pairing. If you prefer beer, an artisan lager or a mild pale ale complements the dish without overpowering it. The essential thing is that the drink has freshness to cut through the richness of the sofrito. You can also consult our guide to bacalao al pil pil, another great northern classic with its own Basque pairing.
Storage and Reheating
Ajoarriero is one of those dishes that, unlike bacalao à Bras, improves with resting. Preparing it the day before and reheating it the next day is a perfectly valid, even recommendable, strategy, because the flavors of the sofrito integrate and deepen with hours of resting in the cold.
In the refrigerator, stored in a sealed container, ajoarriero remains in perfect condition for 3-4 days. To reheat, place it over low heat in the same earthenware casserole with a drizzle of olive oil on top and cover it. It will be ready in 8-10 minutes. Avoid the microwave if you can: it dries out the cod and heats unevenly.
It can also be frozen with good results. Divide it into individual portions in airtight containers and freeze for a maximum of 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat over low heat. Add a drizzle of fresh oil when reheating to restore the unctuousness it loses with freezing.
Nutritional Table
Ajoarriero is a dish rich in protein and vitamins thanks to the combination of cod with a generous base of vegetables. Below are the approximate nutritional values per serving.
| Nutrient | Per serving (approx.) | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 380-420 kcal | 19 % |
| Protein | 30 g | 60 % |
| Total Fat | 22 g | 31 % |
| Saturated Fat | 3.5 g | 18 % |
| Carbohydrates | 16 g | 6 % |
| Fiber | 4.5 g | 18 % |
| Vitamin C | 95 mg | 106 % |
| Sodium | 620 mg | 26 % |
*Based on a 2,000 kcal diet. Values vary depending on the amount of oil and type of cod used.
The high vitamin C content provided by the peppers stands out, exceeding 100% of the recommended daily value. Extra virgin olive oil provides healthy monounsaturated fats, and cod is a source of lean protein with barely 1% fat of its own. It is a lighter dish than it seems if the amount of oil in the sofrito is moderated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can ajoarriero be prepared in advance?
Yes, and in fact, it is one of those dishes that improve most with resting. Prepare it the day before, let it cool to room temperature, cover it, and store it in the refrigerator. The next day, reheat it over low heat in the same casserole with a drizzle of oil on top. The flavors of the sofrito integrate and round out with hours of resting, resulting in an even tastier dish.
What is ajoarriero traditionally served with?
The classic accompaniment in Navarra is crusty country bread, simply for dipping in the sofrito. It also works well with white rice, which absorbs the sauce and balances the flavors. Some restaurants serve it with diced fried potatoes or with a fried egg on top, Aragonese style. As a tapa, it is served in an individual earthenware ramekin with a slice of toasted bread.
Can bacalao al ajoarriero be frozen?
Yes, it freezes well for 2-3 months if stored in airtight containers in individual portions. To thaw it, transfer it to the refrigerator the night before and reheat over low heat in a casserole with a drizzle of olive oil. Avoid thawing in the microwave because the cod tends to dry out. The result after freezing is very acceptable, although always inferior to freshly made or chilled for a day.
What is the difference between Navarran and Cuencan ajoarriero?
Despite sharing the name, they are very different dishes. The Navarran version is a generous sofrito of onion, red and green peppers, tomato, and garlic, with flaked cod integrated at the end: juicy, red, and with a stew-like texture. The Cuencan version is a cold mash of desalted cod, cooked potato, crushed garlic, and raw olive oil, much drier and paler, almost like a brandade or atascaburras. They are two completely distinct muleteer traditions.
Can ajoarriero be made with fresh cod?
Traditional ajoarriero is always prepared with desalted salted cod, never fresh. The salting process transforms the texture of the cod, making it firmer and concentrating its flavor. These qualities are essential for the cod to withstand prolonged cooking with the sofrito without falling apart and to provide that characteristic saltiness that complements the peppers and tomato. With fresh cod, much of the dish's identity is lost.
How much cod is needed per person?
The standard proportion is 125 grams of desalted cod per person, which is equivalent to about 500 grams for 4 diners. Keep in mind that ajoarriero is a hearty dish where the vegetable sofrito plays as prominent a role as the cod, so you don't need an excessive amount. If you want a more generous protein dish, you can increase it to 150 grams per person without altering the balance of the dish.
Can I use piquillo peppers instead of roasting fresh peppers?
Of course, and it is a very practical option used by many cooks both at home and in restaurants. Jarred piquillo peppers, especially those with a Denomination of Origin Lodosa, have a sweet and intense flavor that works perfectly in ajoarriero. This saves you the process of roasting, peeling, and seeding, reducing preparation time by about 40 minutes. Drain them well before adding them to the sofrito.
What is choricero pepper and why is it used in ajoarriero?
Choricero pepper is a dried red pepper typical of the Basque Country, Navarra, and La Rioja, which is hung in strings to air-dry. It provides a sweet, slightly smoky flavor with a depth that greatly enriches the ajoarriero sofrito. It is used by scraping the pulp from the inside of the rehydrated pepper, discarding the skin. It is not essential, but if you find it, it makes a noticeable difference in the final result of the dish.
What wine pairs best with bacalao al ajoarriero?
The classic and most appropriate pairing is a Navarran Garnacha rosé, with enough body and freshness to balance the powerful sofrito of the dish. If you prefer red, choose a young Navarran red or a light Rioja Crianza with little oak. For white, a Navarran Chardonnay with some body can work. The key is to avoid overly tannic wines or those with too much barrel aging, which would compete with the complexity of the sofrito.
Is ajoarriero spicy?
In its traditional Navarran version, it is not spicy. The cayenne chili is an optional ingredient added only if desired. The red and green peppers it contains are sweet, and the choricero pepper also does not add heat. If you want to add a touch of warmth, add the whole chili (without breaking it) to the sofrito and remove it before serving for a mild and controllable spiciness.
Can I make ajoarriero in a slow cooker or Crock-Pot?
Yes, ajoarriero adapts very well to slow cooker cooking. Sauté the onion and garlic in a pan first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker with the peppers, tomato, and choricero pepper. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. Add the flaked cod in the last hour to prevent it from drying out. The result is an especially integrated and deep sofrito, although you lose the caramelization from the bottom of the casserole that adds extra nuances.
How many calories are in a serving of ajoarriero?
A standard serving provides between 380 and 420 kilocalories, depending on the amount of olive oil used in the sofrito. It is a dish with a quite balanced nutritional profile: a good amount of protein from the cod, healthy fats from olive oil, and a notable contribution of vitamins, especially vitamin C from the peppers. If you want to lighten it, slightly reduce the amount of oil and increase the proportion of vegetables.
Related Guides
- Bacalao al pil pil: step-by-step Basque recipe
- Cod and chickpea stew: traditional recipe
- 15 recipes with desalted cod
- Bacalao a la bilbaína
- Piquillo peppers stuffed with cod
- Cod in green sauce with clams
- Cocochas de bacalao al pil pil
For authentic ajoarriero, you need quality cod. Discover our premium desalted cod and salted cod of Nordic origin at Bacalalo, your trusted store since 1990.
