Fish Recipes for Christmas: Complete Menu with Cod and Seafood [2026]

Christmas and Fish: A Spanish Tradition

In Spain, Christmas Eve dinner has historically been linked to fish due to the Catholic tradition of fasting. Although this custom has relaxed, fish and seafood remain the undisputed stars of Christmas tables. A good pil pil cod, a seafood zarzuela or a platter of smoked salmon and anchovies are the centerpiece of the celebration in millions of homes.

The advantage of fish over meat at Christmas is twofold: it allows for spectacular preparations with relatively little effort, and cooking times are short. Pil pil cod is made in 20 minutes. A gratin takes 25. That means less stress in the kitchen and more time with family.

Christmas Starters with Seafood

Smoked and Canned Goods Platter

The easiest and most elegant way to start dinner: thinly sliced smoked salmon, Cantabrian anchovies, premium sardines in oil, artisan bread toast, salted butter, and lemon. It's prepared in 10 minutes, presented buffet-style, and looks spectacular. See 8 gourmet toast combinations.

Cod Croquettes

Prepare 1-2 days in advance and freeze. Fry them just before serving, and they'll be crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. They are the Christmas appetizer that disappears from the tray before anyone even sits down to eat. See step-by-step recipe.

Cod Fritters

A Christmas tradition in Catalonia, Valencia, and many regions of Spain. Fluffy dough with shredded cod, fried until golden and crispy. Make 50, and not a single one will be left. Perfect recipe for using cod flakes, the most economical cut.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Cod

Piquillo peppers from Lodosa stuffed with cod béchamel, baked au gratin. Prepare them completely the day before, then bake for 15 minutes just before serving. An elegant starter that will impress any table. See recipe.

Premium Gildas

The most famous Basque pintxo in the world: Cantabrian anchovy, Manzanilla olive, and Ibarra chili pepper on a toothpick. Elegant, quick, and delicious. Use quality anchovies (caliber 0 or 00) for them to stand out. See artisan gildas.

Main Courses to Impress

Pil Pil Cod

The Christmas Eve dish in many Basque homes and increasingly throughout Spain. Spectacular, with its creamy emulsified sauce achieved with the cod's own gelatin. Requires technique (and patience with the pot) but the result impresses any table. See step-by-step recipe.

Gratin Cod

Easier than pil pil and with an equally impressive result: cod fillets under a golden crust of alioli, béchamel, or parmesan. 20-25 minutes in the oven and you have a celebratory dish. See 4 gratin versions.

Fish and Seafood Zarzuela

The most festive dish in Spanish cuisine: monkfish, cod, shrimp, mussels, clams, and squid in a broth with sofrito and almond picada. It's the recipe that says "today is a special day." See full recipe.

Cod a la Vizcaína

Choricero pepper sauce with onions confit for hours. A dish with centuries of history that is Christmas in the Basque Country. The sauce can be made in advance and reheated on the day. See recipe.

Confit Cod with Cauliflower Puree

Restaurant-quality presentation within reach of any kitchen: cod fillet confit at a low temperature (65°C for 20 minutes) that turns silky and juicy, served over cauliflower puree with a drizzle of truffle oil. Surprisingly easy if you have a kitchen thermometer.

Smoked Salmon with Blinis and Crème Fraîche

An elegant dish with no cooking required: slices of premium smoked salmon served with warm blinis, crème fraîche, capers, and dill. 10 minutes of assembly for a restaurant-quality result.

Table: Full Christmas Menu

Total kitchen time on dinner day: approximately 60-75 minutes, with most of the preparation done days in advance.

Recipes You Can Prepare in Advance

The key to enjoying Christmas in the kitchen is to do as much in advance as possible. These recipes are best made days before:

• Cod croquettes: the béchamel is made 2 days before, shaped, and frozen. They are fried directly from frozen. They turn out even crispier than freshly made.
• Stuffed bell peppers: assembled completely the day before and stored in the fridge. Baked for 15 minutes right before serving.
• Vizcaína sauce: made 2-3 days in advance. It improves with resting. On the day, just heat the sauce and add the cod.
• Picada for zarzuela: the almond picada is prepared days before and stored in the fridge.
• Cauliflower puree: made the day before and gently reheated.

Table: Budget per Menu (8 people)

All menus offer restaurant quality at a fraction of the price of dining out (minimum €50-80/person in a decent restaurant at Christmas).

Plan Your Shopping Week by Week

• 3 weeks before: place your order for cod and seafood online. At Christmas, demand soars, and the best products sell out. Order cod from Bacalalo.
• 2 weeks before: buy canned goods: anchovies, sardines, smoked salmon. These are long-lasting products that don't need to be bought at the last minute.
• 1 week before: buy dry ingredients (flour, almonds for the picada, good oil, bread for toast).
• 2-3 days before: prepare croquettes (freeze them), bell pepper béchamel, vizcaína sauce if you're making it, picada for zarzuela.
• The day before: assemble the stuffed bell peppers, prepare the puree, organize everything in the fridge.
• On the day: only cook the main course (20-25 min), fry croquettes, bake peppers, and assemble the appetizer platter. Total: ~60 minutes.

Wine Pairing: Wines for Fish at Christmas

• Pil pil cod: Txakoli or Albariño. The acidity of the wine cuts through the richness of the emulsified sauce.
• Gratin cod: Verdejo from Rueda or Godello from Bierzo. Full-bodied whites that stand up to the power of the gratin.
• Seafood zarzuela: White Penedès (Xarel·lo) or a Cava Brut Nature. The bubbles cleanse the palate between bites.
• Cod a la Vizcaína: Rioja white reserva. The complexity of the wine complements the richness of the pepper sauce.
• Smoked platter: Champagne, Cava Brut, or Albariño. The acidity and bubbles balance the fat of the smoked salmon.
• Confit with truffle: Oaked Chardonnay or Viognier. Full-bodied whites with toasted notes that complement the truffle.

Buy Christmas Fish Online

Buying online for Christmas eliminates the stress of crowded markets and ensures you get exactly what you need. At Bacalalo, we offer everything you need for your Christmas dinner:

• Desalted cod: ready to cook, no need to wait 24-48h for desalinating.
• Smoked salmon: thin slices of artisanally smoked Norwegian salmon.
• Cantabrian anchovies: caliber 0 and 00 fillets for the appetizer platter.
• Artisan Gildas: ready to serve, handmade.
• Gourmet preserves: sardines, mussels, cockles to complete the platter.

Tip: place your Christmas order at least 2 weeks in advance. In the days leading up to Christmas Eve, online demand also skyrockets.

Common Christmas Dinner Mistakes

• Buying too much: at Christmas, we tend to buy twice as much as necessary. Calculate 200g of fish per person for the main course and adjust accordingly.
• Overcooking the fish: cod overcooks in 2 minutes. It's better to remove it from the heat a little early; residual heat finishes the cooking.
• Not desalinating in time: if you buy salted cod, you need 24-48h for desalinating. Don't find this out on December 24th.
• Too many dishes: it's better to make 2-3 excellent dishes than 6 mediocre ones. Quality over quantity.
• Forgetting the appetizer: while all the guests arrive and the main course cooks, a platter of smoked goods and preserves keeps everyone happy.

Quick Alternatives for Those Who Don't Want to Cook

If you don't have time or desire to cook, a spectacular Christmas dinner can be put together with only products that require no cooking:

• Large platter: smoked salmon + Cantabrian anchovies + gildas + premium sardines + pickled mussels + artisan bread + salted butter + lemon.
• Cod brandade: ready to spread on toast. No cooking required.
• Caviar with blinis: for those who want maximum luxury with no effort.

With €60-80 in gourmet preserves and ready-to-serve products, you can put together a memorable Christmas dinner without lighting a stove.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Guides

• Pil pil cod: Basque recipe
• Fish and seafood zarzuela
• Toasts with smoked salmon
• Cod croquettes
• Stuffed bell peppers with cod
• Best Cantabrian anchovies

Plan your Christmas with premium desalted cod, artisan smoked salmon, and Cantabrian anchovies. All at Bacalalo, with refrigerated delivery throughout the Peninsula.