Summary: In cold-season Catalan cuisine, bacallà amb mongetes (cod with beans) holds a special place. It's not a festive dish or a high-end restaurant offering: it’s the dish made at home on Sundays, the one waiting in the fridge to be reheated on Monday, the one that appears on mountain farmhouse menus when the temperature drops and the cellar calls for a dish that warms from within.
The combination of desalted cod with white beans is, technically, one of the best in Mediterranean cuisine. The cod provides high-quality protein, a marine flavor, and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The mongetes del ganxet — the Catalan white bean with Protected Geographical Indication — offer an unparalleled buttery texture, absorbing the tomato and onion sofregit and creating a creamy base where the cod settles perfectly.
What unites these two ingredients is the sofregit: the base sauce of Catalan cuisine made from onion, tomato, and garlic slow-cooked until caramelized. The sofregit is the common thread of Catalan cuisine, the element that transforms a list of ingredients into a dish.
At Bacalalo, we have been working with cod in all its culinary expressions since 1990 in Barcelona’s Mercat del Ninot. Bacallà amb mongetes is one of the dishes for which customers most frequently ask for guidance: correct desalting, cooking point, how not to dry out the cod. This guide has all the answers.
Mongetes del Ganxet: why they are special
The dish can be made with any white bean, but if available, mongetes del ganxet make all the difference.
The mongeta del ganxet is a variety of white bean native to Catalonia, cultivated mainly in Vallès and Selva. Its name comes from its shape: ganxet means crochet hook in Catalan, and the bean has a characteristic curved shape that visually distinguishes it from other varieties.
But what makes it exceptional is not its shape but its texture. Mongetes del ganxet have a very thin skin that is practically imperceptible in the mouth, and a creamy, floury interior flesh that, when cooked, acquires an unprecedented buttery texture compared to other varieties. They do not break down even with prolonged cooking: they maintain their shape while the inside becomes soft as butter.
In 2012, the mongeta del ganxet obtained the European Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), which guarantees the origin and characteristics of the variety. You can find them dried (to cook at home) or cooked and canned in gourmet food stores and markets like Mercat del Ninot.
If you can't find mongetes del ganxet:- Judión de La Granja (large white bean): similar texture, a bit larger
- Cannellini beans: the most similar in texture, easy to find in any supermarket
- Kidney beans: a bit more floury but works well
- Fabas Asturianas (Asturian beans): larger and with their own distinct character, they change the nature of the dish
The sofregit: the base of Catalan cuisine
The sofregit (Catalan sofrito) is the heart of bacallà amb mongetes. It’s not a quick 5-minute sofrito: it's a slow cooking of onion and tomato that can last between 20 and 40 minutes, until the onion is completely translucent and almost caramelized, and the tomato has lost all its water and concentrated into a dense, sweet paste.
The difference between a well-made sofregit and a rushed one is the same as between a dish that keeps you coming back and one that is correct but forgettable.
Why patience matters: During the first 10 minutes, the onion releases water and becomes translucent. Between 10 and 20 minutes, the water evaporates, and the onion begins to turn golden. Between 20 and 40 minutes, the sugars in the onion caramelize, and the tomato paste concentrates all its flavors. It is in this third stage that the sofregit acquires the depth of flavor that gives the dish its personality.
Ingredients for 4 people
For the main dish:- 4 desalted cod fillets (150-180 g per fillet)
- 400 g cooked mongetes del ganxet (drained if from a jar, or cooked at home with bay leaf and salt)
- 2 large ripe tomatoes (or 300 g natural crushed tomatoes)
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (or a sweet-smoked blend)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 100-150 ml fish stock or hot water
- Fresh chopped parsley
- A drizzle of quality extra virgin olive oil
- Maldon salt or salt flakes (optional)
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Step by step: the complete recipe
Step 1: Prepare the cod
If using salted cod, you must desalt it beforehand. For fillets 2-3 cm thick, the standard process is:- 48 hours in cold water in the refrigerator
- Change water every 8-12 hours (3-4 changes)
- Taste for salt before cooking
Once desalted, drain the fillets and dry them thoroughly with kitchen paper. This step is critical: surface moisture on the cod prevents it from browning correctly in the pan and causes the oil to splatter dangerously.
Step 2: Cook the sofregit
- In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot (or a large frying pan), heat 6 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the finely chopped onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until it is completely translucent and begins to brown.
- Add the chopped or sliced garlic. Sauté for another 2 minutes, being careful not to burn it.
- Grate the tomatoes (or use crushed tomatoes) and add them to the onion. Add the bay leaf and paprika.
- Cook over medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring regularly, until the tomato has lost all its water and the sofregit has the consistency of a thick, dark paste. This is the sign that it’s ready.
- Remove the bay leaf.
Step 3: Incorporate the mongetes
- Add the drained mongetes del ganxet to the sofregit. Mix carefully to avoid breaking the beans.
- Add the hot fish stock (or hot water if you don't have stock). The mixture should be brothy but not watery: the beans should be covered but not swimming.
- Cook over low heat for 10 minutes so that the beans absorb the flavor of the sofregit. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Step 4: Cook the cod (the critical moment)
Here lies the difference between a memorable bacallà amb mongetes and a disappointing one. The cod can be incorporated in two ways:
Option A (directly in the pot): The simplest. Place the cod fillets on top of the mongetes, skin-side up. Cover the pot and cook over very low heat for 8-10 minutes. The cod will cook with the steam in the pot, absorbing the flavors of the sofregit and mongetes. This is the traditional version.
Option B (pre-seared): Sear the cod fillets on both sides in a separate pan with a little hot oil (2 minutes per side over high heat) before incorporating them into the mongetes. Searing creates a crust that protects the juiciness of the interior. Then transfer the fillets to the pot with the mongetes and finish cooking covered for 5 more minutes.
Option B offers more control over the doneness of the cod and is the one we recommend for those learning the dish.
Step 5: The doneness of the cod
Cod is perfectly cooked when the flakes begin to separate slightly when gently pressed with a finger. If you can sink your finger in and the cod flattens without resistance, it is overcooked. If the flesh is completely opaque but firm, it still needs more cooking.
The perfect doneness for cod is when the exterior is opaque and cooked, but the interior still has a slightly translucent, pearly appearance. At that moment, the residual heat in the pot will finish cooking it.
Step 6: Serve
Serve the cod fillets over the mongetes directly in the pot (the most elegant rustic presentation) or plated: a bed of mongetes at the bottom of a deep plate, the cod fillet on top, a drizzle of quality olive oil, and chopped parsley.
The sofregit: variations and enriched versions
With picada
Catalan cuisine uses "picada" as a resource to enrich and bind sauces. For bacallà amb mongetes, a picada of toasted almonds, a piece of fried bread, garlic, and parsley crushed in a mortar, added to the sofregit in the last few minutes, gives a depth of flavor and a different texture. Denser, more complex, more typical of inland Catalonia.
With botifarra
In some versions, especially from the Vallès and Bages areas, black or white botifarra (sausage) sliced is added to the sofregit. The result is a powerful blend of surf and turf: the marine cod and pork botifarra create a dish with no defined category, perfectly Catalan. The botifarra is added before the tomato and allowed to brown.
With green sauce
A variation closer to Basque cuisine: substituting or complementing the sofregit with a green sauce of garlic, parsley, and fish stock. The result is lighter and more herbaceous than the sofregit version. It pairs perfectly with mongetes del ganxet.
How to avoid drying out the cod during cooking
The most common mistake with bacallà amb mongetes, and the one that turns a potentially memorable dish into a disappointing one, is dry and fibrous cod.
Causes of dry cod:
- Overcooking: This is the most frequent cause. Cod goes from perfectly cooked to dry in a matter of minutes. Monitoring the doneness is crucial.
- Too high heat: Cod should always be cooked in the pot over very low heat, with the lid on. Intense heat dries the exterior before the interior cooks.
- Improperly desalted cod: Cod with excessive residual salt has tighter muscle fibers and loses moisture more quickly during cooking.
- Too much time resting hot: If the dish is ready and left in the pot on the stove (even on the lowest setting) for more than 10 minutes, the cod continues to cook and dries out.
Remedies:
- Always add the cod at the end, when the rest of the dish is already ready.
- Cook it over very low heat with a lid.
- Remove it from the heat as soon as the flakes begin to separate.
- Serve immediately.
If you cook mongetes at home: quick guide
Canned mongetes work perfectly for bacallà amb mongetes and cut preparation time in half. But if you want the most authentic result, cooking the mongetes at home makes a difference in texture.
For 400 g of cooked mongetes (approximately 200 g dried):
- Soak the dried mongetes in cold water overnight (8-12 hours).
- Drain them and place them in a pot with cold water that covers them well.
- Add a bay leaf, a piece of onion, and a drizzle of oil. No salt until the end (salt hardens the bean skin during cooking).
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer for 60-90 minutes, until they are completely tender but not falling apart.
- Add salt in the last 10 minutes.
- Let them cool in the cooking water: they absorb more flavor as they cool.
The cooking water from the beans is an excellent broth to add to the recipe instead of fish stock.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Bacallà amb Mongetes
Can I use fresh cod instead of desalted cod?
Yes, although the result is different. Fresh cod has a milder flavor and a different texture than desalted cod. Salted cod has undergone a process that concentrates the flavor and changes the protein structure, giving it that characteristic flaky texture. For this traditional dish, desalted cod is the correct choice.
Can I use canned "mongetes del ganxet"?
Yes, perfectly. Drain them well, rinse them with cold water to remove the preserving liquid (which has a metallic taste) and use them directly in the sofrito. The difference with beans cooked at home is in the texture: canned ones are slightly softer. If you find good brand canned "mongetes del ganxet" (Ametller Origen, Cal Valls), use them without hesitation.
How long can the dish be stored in the refrigerator?
Bacallà amb mongetes can be stored for up to 2 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. When reheating, add a couple of tablespoons of water or broth to compensate for the liquid absorbed by the beans. Always heat over low heat and without bringing to a boil to avoid drying out the cod.
Can the dish be frozen?
The beans freeze well. Cooked cod, less so: when thawed, it tends to fall apart and lose texture. If you want to prepare the dish in advance, freeze only the sofrito with the beans and add fresh cod when reheating.
Why does my sofrito take so long to cook?
Because authentic sofrito takes time. The caramelization of the onion and the concentration of the tomato require time and patience. If you speed up the process by turning up the heat, the onion burns on the outside before cooking on the inside and the tomato does not properly concentrate its sugars. The only solution is low heat and patience.
Can I make the dish without paprika?
Yes. Paprika adds a reddish color and a slightly smoky flavor but is not essential. The version without paprika is milder and allows the cod and beans to take center stage without interference.
What kind of tomato is best for sofrito?
Ripe, seasonal tomato, always. In summer, fresh grated garden tomato gives the best result. In winter, good quality canned natural crushed tomato (San Marzano, Cirio) is a perfectly valid option. Avoid ready-made fried tomato: it has added sugars that give an artificial flavor.
Does the dish allow for more vegetables?
The traditional version is austere: only onion, tomato, garlic and beans. But some versions incorporate red pepper into the sofrito or carrot to add sweetness. These are legitimate variations that make the dish more substantial.
What wine pairs with bacallà amb mongetes?
A dry, full-bodied white: Garnatxa Blanca from Empordà, Viognier, or an unoaked Chardonnay. If you prefer red, a young Grenache with low tannins or a light Pinot Noir. Avoid very tannic reds that clash with the iodine of the cod.
How much desalted cod do I need per person?
For a main course, 150-180 g of desalted cod per person is the correct amount. If cod is the star (as in this recipe), it's better to be generous: 180 g per loin. With 100 g of cooked beans per person as a base, the dish is complete without the need for a side dish.
Bacalalo: the cod from Mercat del Ninot for winter recipes
Bacallà amb mongetes is a reliable dish that works with quality cod. At Bacalalo, since 1990 at the Mercat del Ninot in Barcelona, we personally select the loins we offer: pieces with the correct intramuscular fat so that they do not dry out in the casserole, with the firm texture that allows for the exact cooking point.
For this dish, we recommend the center loin or the jowl of cod: parts with more fat and more collagen that better withstand casserole cooking without drying out. Tail cod is leaner and more prone to drying out in long-cooking dishes.
You can find our desalted cod at bacalalo.com with cold delivery throughout Spain. At Mercat del Ninot, we are also in person to advise you on the most suitable format and desalting point for your recipe.
Bacallà amb mongetes is the dish that says winter has arrived and is worth waiting for.
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