Summary: In cold-weather Catalan cuisine, bacallà amb mongetes holds a special place. It's not a celebratory dish or a high-end restaurant offering: it's the dish made at home on Sunday, the one waiting in the fridge to be reheated on Monday, the one that appears on mountain farmhouse menus when temperatures drop 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. Cod provides high-quality protein, a marine flavor, and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. 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 cooked slowly until caramelized. The sofregit is the common thread of Catalan cuisine, the element that turns 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 us for guidance: correct desalting, cooking point, how not to dry out the cod. This guide has all the answers.
Contents
- Mongetes del ganxet: why they are special
- The sofregit: the base of Catalan cuisine
- Ingredients for 4 people
- Step by step: the complete recipe
- The sofregit: variations and enriched versions
- How not to dry out the cod during cooking
- If you cook mongetes at home: quick guide
- Bacalalo: the cod from Mercat del Ninot for winter recipes
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.
Mongeta del ganxet is a variety of white bean native to Catalonia, cultivated mainly in Vallès and La Selva. Its name comes from its shape: ganxet means crochet in Catalan, and the bean has a characteristic curved shape that visually distinguishes it from other varieties.
But what makes it exceptional is not the shape but the texture. Mongetes del ganxet have a very thin skin that is practically imperceptible in the mouth, and a creamy, floury inner flesh that, when cooked, acquires an unprecedented buttery texture compared to other varieties. They do not fall apart even with prolonged cooking: they maintain their shape while the inside becomes as soft as butter.
In 2012, 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: similar texture, slightly larger
- Cannellini bean: the most similar in texture, easy to find in any supermarket
- Kidney white bean: slightly more floury but works well
- Fabas asturianas: 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 is not a quick 5-minute sofrito: it is 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 you'll make again 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 at 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 loins (150-180 g per loin)
- 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 garlic
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (or 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 have desalted it beforehand. For loins 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 loins and pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels. This step is critical: surface moisture on the cod prevents it from browning correctly in the pan and causes 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 2 more 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-colored 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 gently to avoid breaking the beans.
- Add the hot fish stock (or hot water if you don't have stock). The mixture should be liquid 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 for salt and adjust.
Step 4: Cook the cod (the critical moment)
Here is 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 loins 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 loins on both sides in a separate pan with a little hot oil (2 minutes per side over high heat) before adding them to the mongetes. Searing creates a crust that protects the juiciness of the inside. Then transfer the loins to the pot with the mongetes and finish cooking covered for 5 more minutes.
Option B gives more control over the cod's doneness and is the one we recommend for those learning the dish.
Step 5: The cod's doneness
The 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 ideal doneness for cod is when the outside is opaque and cooked but the inside still has a slightly translucent pearly center. At that point, the residual heat from the pot will finish the cooking.
Step 6: Serve
Serve the cod loins over the mongetes directly in the pot (the most elegant rustic presentation) or plated: a bed of mongetes at the bottom of a deep dish, the cod loin on top, a drizzle of quality olive oil, and chopped parsley.
The sofregit: variations and enriched versions
With picada
Catalan cuisine uses picada 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 minutes, provides a depth of flavor and a different texture. Denser, more complex, more from inland Catalonia.
With butifarra
In some versions, especially from the Vallès and Bages areas, black or white butifarra cut into slices is added to the sofregit. The result is a robust blend of sea and mountains: the marine cod and pork butifarra create a dish with no defined category, perfectly Catalan. The butifarra is added before the tomato and left to brown.
With green sauce
A variation closer to Basque cuisine: replacing 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 combines perfectly with mongetes del ganxet.
How not to dry out the cod during cooking
The most common mistake in 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:
- Excessive cooking: 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 must always be cooked in the pot over very low heat, with the lid on. Intense heat dries out the exterior before the interior cooks.
- Poorly 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 if very low) 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 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 the night before (8-12 hours).
- Drain them and place them in a pot with cold water to cover 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 reduce heat. Simmer for 60-90 minutes, until completely tender but not falling apart.
- Add salt in the last 10 minutes.
- Let them cool in the cooking water: they absorb more flavor while cooling.
The mongetes cooking water is an excellent broth to add instead of fish stock in the recipe.
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. Salted cod has undergone a process that concentrates the flavor and changes the protein structure, giving it that characteristic flaking texture. For this traditional dish, desalted cod is the correct choice.
Are canned mongetes del ganxet suitable?
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 sofregit. The difference from mongetes cooked at home is in the texture: canned ones are slightly softer. If you find good quality canned mongetes del ganxet (Ametller Origen, Cal Valls), use them without hesitation.
How long does the dish keep in the refrigerator?
Bacallà amb mongetes keeps 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 the beans will have absorbed. Always heat over low heat and without bringing it to a boil to avoid drying out the cod.
Can the dish be frozen?
Mongetes freeze well. Cooked cod, less so: when defrosted, it tends to fall apart and lose texture. If you want to prepare the dish in advance, freeze only the sofregit with the mongetes and add fresh cod when reheating.
Why does my sofregit take so long to make?
Because authentic sofregit takes time. Caramelization of the onion and concentration of the tomato require time and patience. If you speed up the process by increasing the heat, the onion will burn on the outside before cooking through, and the tomato will 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 mongetes to take center stage without interference.
What type of tomato is best for sofregit?
Ripe, seasonal tomato, always. In summer, fresh grated garden tomato gives the best result. In winter, good quality natural crushed canned tomatoes (San Marzano, Cirio) are a perfectly valid option. Avoid pre-made fried tomato: it has added sugars that give an artificial taste.
Can the dish incorporate more vegetables?
The traditional version is austere: just onion, tomato, garlic, and mongetes. But some versions include red bell pepper in the sofregit or carrot to add sweetness. These are legitimate variations that make the dish heartier.
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 Garnacha 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), more is better: 180 g per loin. The mongetes, with 100 g of cooked product per person as a base, make the dish 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 in Barcelona's Mercat del Ninot, we personally select the loins we offer: pieces with the correct intramuscular fat so they don't dry out in the pot, with the firm texture that allows for exact cooking doneness.
For this dish, we recommend the center loin or cod cheeks: parts with more fat and collagen that better withstand pot cooking without drying out. Tail cod is leaner and more prone to drying out in dishes with prolonged cooking.
You can find our desalted cod at bacalalo.com with chilled delivery throughout Spain. At Mercat del Ninot, we are also available in person to advise you on the most suitable format and desalting point for your recipe.
Bacallà amb mongetes is the dish that signals winter's arrival and is worth waiting for.
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