Ensalada de Bacalao (Bacalao Salad)
Prepare this iconic Puerto Rican dish, Ensalada de Bacalao (Bacalao Salad), in under an hour! This delicious and easy-to-make codfish salad is a staple of Puerto Rican cuisine that comes together quickly and easily with just a few ingredients.
Servings: 5
Calories: 712kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb bacalao (salted cod)
- 1 small red or white onion thinly sliced or chopped
- ½ red pepper thinly sliced or chopped
- ½ green pepper thinly sliced or chopped
- 1 large tomato thinly sliced or chopped
- ⅓ cup pimiento stuffed olives
- 4 hard-boiled eggs quartered
- 1 avocado chopped
Zesty Salad Dressing
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ white vinegar can also use apple cider vinegar
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 teaspoon garlic puree
- ground pepper
Instructions
- Rinse the fish under cool water for a few minutes to remove the excess salt. Fill a pot with water, add the cod and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, discard the water and add fresh water. Boil again for another 10 min. Repeat the process one to two more times. Note: You want to do this process three to four times to remove all the excess salt.
- Drain the pot and allow the cod to cool for a few minutes.
- Using your fingers or two forks, flake the cod.
- Top the cod with the onions, peppers, olives, and tomatoes.
- In a bowl, add the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, garlic puree and pepper to taste. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the olive oil mixture to the salad and mix everything together well.
- Add the eggs and stir again. Cover the salad and place in the refrigerator for two hours or overnight to allow all the flavors to blend.Note: This salad can be enjoyed immediately but is much better after flavors have had time to marinate and the salad chilled.
Notes
Recipe Notes
Bacalao (Salted Cod) - It is important not to skip boiling the cod three to four times before flaking and making the salad.
Salted Cod - If you cannot find salted cod, substitute with salted Pollock or salted Haddock which are both milder in flavor but work well for this recipe.
Eating: This salad can be enjoyed immediately but is much better after flavors have had time to blend and the salad chilled.
Pairings: Serve this salad beside root vegetables like yuca, yautia or serve with a side of white rice and avocado.
Nutrition
Serving: 6 | Calories: 712kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 287mg | Sodium: 6575mg | Potassium: 1744mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1156IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 4mg