Bonito del Norte: 7 Traditional Basque-Cantabrian Recipes

Quick summary: Bonito del norte (Thunnus alalunga) is the white tuna of the Cantabrian Sea — it is caught between June and October with a pole-and-line one-by-one method in the Bay of Biscay, and is the raw material for the most emblematic recipes of the Basque Country and Cantabria. The 7 essential traditional recipes: marmitako (Basque stew with potatoes and pepper), Cantabrian salad (with piquillo peppers), escabeche, tuna empanada, grilled belly tuna, tuna salpicón, and tuna with tomato. All are made with quality canned bonito (Olasagasti, Ortiz, Serrats) or with fresh bonito in season.

Olasagasti Bonito del Norte Loins 315g

Whole loins preserved in a glass jar with olive oil. For empanadas, marmitako, and all recipes where the piece should be visible.

View product

Traditional Marmitako for 4 people

Time: 1h 15min | Origin: Basque Country (Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa) | Bonito: Olasagasti Loins or fresh bonito

Ingredients

• 500 g bonito del norte loins (Olasagasti 315g + a small jar or 600g fresh bonito)
• 800 g old potatoes (Kennebec or Monalisa)
• 2 Italian green peppers
• 1 red pepper
• 1 large onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 ripe grated tomatoes
• 2 ñoras or choricero peppers (flesh)
• 1 liter fish stock (or water + cube)
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika from La Vera
• 125 ml white wine (txakoli or albariño)
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Steps

1. 1Break the potatoes. Peel the potatoes and "break" them — stick the knife in and break them, don't cut them cleanly. This way they release more starch and thicken the broth.
2. 2Sauté. In a wide, shallow pot, sauté onion, peppers, and garlic for 15 minutes over medium heat until tender.
3. 3Tomato and choricero. Add grated tomato and ñora pepper flesh. Sauté for 8 more minutes until the water evaporates.
4. 4Paprika and wine. Turn off the heat for a second. Add paprika, stir quickly (don't burn it), add white wine. Increase heat, evaporate for 2 minutes.
5. 5Potatoes and broth. Add the broken potatoes. Cover with hot fish stock. Cook for 25-30 minutes over medium-low heat until the potatoes are tender.
6. 6Add the bonito. In the last 3-5 minutes, add the bonito (if canned, just drained; if fresh, in 3cm cubes). The bonito should NOT be cooked — only heated through.
7. 7Rest. Turn off the heat and let rest covered for 10 minutes before serving. Taste for salt.

Tip: if using fresh bonito, don't add it at the beginning — it will dry out. If using canned, drain the oil well. A good marmitako has JUICY, not fibrous, bonito.

Cantabrian bonito salad with piquillo peppers

Time: 15 min | Origin: Cantabria, Navarre | Bonito: Olasagasti Ventresca 190g or 260g

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 1 jar Olasagasti bonito belly (ventresca) 260g
• 12 roasted piquillo peppers (Lodosa jar, PDO)
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 1/2 very thinly sliced sweet onion (from Fuentes or Tudela)
• 8 green Manzanilla olives with pits
• 6 tablespoons Arbequina EVOO
• 1 tablespoon Jerez vinegar
• Pinch of flaky sea salt (Maldon or fleur de sel)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Steps

1. 1Arrange the bonito belly. Open the jar. Remove the whole pieces and arrange them on a deep plate or platter. Reserve the oil from the jar — it will be used for the vinaigrette.
2. 2Peppers and egg. Cut the piquillo peppers into wide strips. Quarter the hard-boiled eggs.
3. 3Vinaigrette. Mix the EVOO with 1 tablespoon of oil from the bonito belly jar + Jerez vinegar + a pinch of salt. Whisk with a fork.
4. 4Assemble. On top of the bonito belly, arrange the piquillo peppers in strips. Thinly sliced sweet onion. Egg quarters. Olives around.
5. 5Dress and serve. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Flaky salt and black pepper. Serve at room temperature with toasted rustic bread.

Navarrese variant: add a couple of Cantabrian 00 anchovies among the peppers. An outstanding pairing.

Olasagasti Bonito del Norte Belly 260g

The sharing size, ideal for this Cantabrian salad. Same artisanal process as the 190g, better price per kilo.

View product

Traditional bonito del norte in escabeche

Time: 35 min + 24h rest | Origin: All along the Cantabrian coast | Bonito: Olasagasti Whole Loin 270g or fresh bonito

Ingredients (for 2 small jars)

• 500 g bonito loin (fresh in 4cm cubes, or Olasagasti whole loin 270g cut into chunks)
• 1 large onion, julienned
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic
• 200 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 150 ml white wine vinegar
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• Salt

Steps

1. 1Sear the bonito (if fresh). In a pan with a drizzle of oil, sear the bonito cubes for 30 seconds per side. Just brown, don't cook through. Set aside.
2. 2Sauté. In a pot, sauté onion and carrot with halved garlic cloves for 10 minutes over medium heat.
3. 3Liquids and spices. Add wine, vinegar, bay leaves, peppercorns, paprika, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil for 5 minutes.
4. 4Oil and bonito. Add the EVOO. Heat for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and add the bonito cubes (seared if fresh, or as is if canned).
5. 5Rest in cold. Transfer to a clean glass jar. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before consuming. Keeps for 7-10 days in the fridge.

Serve: cold on rustic toast with piparra (pickled Basque chili pepper) on top. A birthday appetizer in Cantabria.

Basque-Cantabrian Tuna Empanada

Time: 1h 30min | Origin: French Basque Country, Cantabria | Tuna: Olasagasti Tuna Loins 315g or trunk

Ingredients (1 empanada, 6-8 servings)

• 2 sheets of empanada dough (Galician, puff pastry, or homemade)
• 400 g Olasagasti tuna loins (1 jar) or fresh tuna
• 2 large onions, julienned
• 2 roasted red peppers (jarred)
• 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 50 g pitted black Aragon olives
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 6 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 egg yolk for brushing
• Salt, pepper

Steps

1. 1Sofrito. In a large pan, sauté onions and garlic for 20 minutes over low heat until caramelized (dark golden color).
2. 2Tomato and pepper. Add diced peeled tomatoes and sliced red peppers. Cook for 15 more minutes until liquid evaporates.
3. 3Paprika and tuna. Turn off the heat. Add paprika, salt, pepper. Stir in the flaked tuna, olives and mix. Let cool.
4. 4Assemble empanada. On a baking sheet with parchment paper, spread one sheet of dough. Distribute the cooled filling. Add the sliced hard-boiled eggs. Cover with the second sheet and seal the edges with a fork.
5. 5Brush and bake. Brush with beaten egg yolk. Make a small hole in the center (for ventilation). Bake at 180°C for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
6. 6Rest. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting. It can be eaten warm or cold — it gains flavor the next day.

Grilled Tuna Belly (Bermeo style)

Time: 10 min | Origin: Bermeo, Bizkaia | Tuna: Fresh seasonal tuna belly (Jun-Oct)

Ingredients (4 people)

• 600 g FRESH tuna belly (order from fishmonger, seasonal only)
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 cayenne pepper
• 5 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• Flaky salt
• Fresh parsley

Steps

1. 1Bring tuna belly to room temperature. Take the tuna belly out of the fridge 30 minutes beforehand. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Salt to taste.
2. 2Garlic and chili. In a small pan, brown the sliced garlic with the chili in 4 tablespoons of EVOO over low heat. When the garlic is golden, remove from heat and add the vinegar. Keep warm.
3. 3Hot griddle. Heat a griddle or heavy-bottomed pan over VERY high heat. Brush with the remaining tablespoon of oil.
4. 4Sear. 2 minutes per side for pieces 2cm thick. The tuna belly should be golden brown on the outside and pink on the inside — NEVER dry.
5. 5Serve. Arrange on a plate. Pour the garlic refrito over it. Sprinkle with flaky salt and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

If not in season: DO NOT use canned tuna belly for grilling — it loses its magic. Use frozen fresh tuna loins and cook for 1 minute per side.

Laredo-style Tuna Salpicón

Time: 20 min | Origin: Laredo, Cantabria | Tuna: Olasagasti Tuna Trunk 270g or light tuna

Ingredients (4 people)

• 300 g flaked tuna trunk (drained Olasagasti 270g) or BayMar light tuna belly
• 1 red pepper, brunoise
• 1 green pepper, brunoise
• 1/2 red onion, very finely diced
• 1 ripe tomato, peeled and brunoise
• 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
• 6 tablespoons EVOO
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Steps

1. 1Fine dicing. Cut all vegetables into brunoise (3-4mm cubes). It is critical that they are all the same size so that each bite has everything.
2. 2Tuna. Drain the tuna and flake it into large pieces with a fork. DO NOT mash — salpicón should have chunks.
3. 3Mix. In a large bowl, mix vegetables, tuna, and hard-boiled egg. Dress with EVOO, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix gently.
4. 4Rest. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. Can be prepared 4-5 hours in advance.

Serve: in individual glasses as an appetizer, or on toasted rustic bread. For this recipe, BayMar 1kg light tuna belly works perfectly — its strong flavor stands up to the vinegar.

BayMar Light Tuna Belly 1 kg

For salpicones, salads, and empanadillas with vinaigrette. Strong flavor, large format, honest value for money.

View product

Santoña-style Tuna with Tomato

Time: 45 min | Origin: Cantabria | Tuna: Olasagasti Tuna Trunk 270g

Ingredients (4 people)

• 500 g tuna trunk (Olasagasti 270g + a small jar) or fresh tuna in cubes
• 1 kg ripe plum tomatoes
• 2 medium onions
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon sugar (to correct acidity)
• 5 tablespoons EVOO
• Salt, pepper

Steps

1. 1Peel tomatoes. Make a cross at the base of each tomato. Blanch for 30 seconds in boiling water. Peel and chop.
2. 2Long sofrito. In a casserole, sauté chopped onion and garlic for 15 minutes over low heat until very soft and golden.
3. 3Tomato. Add chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, and sugar. Cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes until the tomato has reduced and darkened.
4. 4Pass through a food mill. Remove the bay leaf. Pass the sauce through a food mill or blend and strain — it should be smooth and shiny.
5. 5Add the tuna. Return the sauce to the casserole. Add the drained tuna in large pieces (or fresh in cubes). Cook gently for 3-5 minutes to integrate flavors. DO NOT boil vigorously — the tuna will dry out.
6. 6Serve. Serve with french fries or white rice. Rustic bread for dipping in the sauce.

Cantabrian Tuna Loin Olasagasti 270g

Whole tuna loin in olive oil. The piece required for any recipe where "the tuna needs to be seen".

View product

Whole Collection of Canned Tuna and Bonito

Bellies, loins, trunks, small and catering formats. Olasagasti, BayMar, Dardo.

View collection

About the Author — Lalo González Rodríguez

Third generation of Bacalalo at Mercat del Ninot (Barcelona). He has worked with cod and preserves since 1990 and personally selects suppliers in Iceland, Norway, Cantabria, and the Caspian Sea. He writes about the identity and real origin of seafood products.