Bacalhau à Brás
Potatoes, black olives and fresh parsley come together in this Portuguese seafood — 60 minutes, 6 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's pescatarian — fish but no meat.
What you'll need
Shopping list (3)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Soak the salt cod in cold water in the fridge for 24 to 36 hours with several water changes, then poach it briefly, drain it, and shred it finely into thin strands, removing any skin and bones.
- Cut the potatoes into thin matchsticks and fry them in plenty of hot oil until pale gold and tender, about 5 to 6 minutes, then drain them on paper.
- Gently cook the thinly sliced onions, garlic and bay leaf in the olive oil over medium-low heat for about 12 minutes until soft and sweet, then add the shredded cod and stir for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Fold the fried potato straws into the cod and onions so everything is evenly mixed and hot through, then discard the bay leaf.
- Beat the eggs with a little pepper, pour them over the pan, and stir constantly over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the eggs are just creamy and softly set, reaching 71 C while staying moist rather than dry.
- Take it off the heat immediately, season, scatter over the chopped parsley and black olives, and serve right away while the eggs are still glossy.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Large pot
Ingredient substitutions
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
What to serve with Bacalhau à Brás
Tips & common questions
How long does Bacalhau à Brás take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of eggs?
Try ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Bacalhau à Brás is an original Portuguese recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Bacalhau à Brás at Restaurante Figus, Lisbon (46935287645).jpg by MollySVH, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.