Salt cod salad, or Insalata di Baccalà (in Italian) is a simple dish that is traditionally made during Lent. It’s also super healthy and nutritious if you’re trying to improve your diet.
Originally published on March 26, 2015.
As promised, here is my mother’s other baccalà recipe, in addition to her Deep Fried, Battered Salt Cod from last week.
My mother said Nonna called this a name that was something like “white”, which doesn’t translate very well to English, so I gave it a name as being a salad, but it’s truly not a salad. This dish is a bit easier than the battered baccalà because there’s no batter to make, or deep frying involved. Instead, the salt cod is boiled, after being soaked, and broken up into pieces and mixed as you would a salad. Only four ingredients make this wonderful side dish, main or salad–however you want to call it–or serve it.
Insalata di Baccala (Italian Salt Cod Salad)
recipe by Lidia Conte
Ingredients
- salt cod, soaked for 12 to 36 hours, depending on the thickness (rinse 2 or 3 times and one more time when removing from the water)
- 1 to 3 tablespoons, extra virgin olive oil
- 1 to 3 cloves of garlic
- some chopped, fresh parsley
Place the presoaked fish in a pan of cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or longer if the fish is a thicker piece, as long as it is cooked properly.
Remove the fish and allow to drain well and cool. Break the piece or pieces of fish into bite sized pieces.
Place on a serving plate or in a bowl. Sprinkle with parsley, garlic and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil.
Toss gently and serve. Keep salt cod salad leftovers refrigerated.
Don’t miss another recipe or travel post, sign up for my free subscription below!
I promise not to share or sell your email address, ever.
- salt cod, soaked for 12 to 36 hours, depending on the thickness (rinse 2 or 3 times and one more time when removing from the water)
- 1 to 3 tablespoons, extra virgin olive oil
- 1 to 3 cloves of garlic
- some chopped, fresh parsley
- Place the presoaked fish in a pan of cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or longer if the fish is a thicker piece, as long as it is cooked properly.
- Remove the fish and allow to drain well and cool. Break the piece or pieces of fish into bite sized pieces.
- Place on a serving plate or in a bowl. Sprinkle with parsley, garlic and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil.
- Toss gently and serve. Keep salt cod salad leftovers refrigerated.
Alida @My Little Italian Kitchen
wrote on
I love baccala’! This is so well presented, light and delicious. My mum used to make it quite often.
Christina
wrote on
Thanks so much, Alida! That means a lot coming from you!
Jill @ Mad About Macarons
wrote on
This looks totally delicious and stunning!
Christina
wrote on
And yet so simple! Thanks, Jill!
Joanne
wrote on
Amazing how much I continue to learn from you Christina! I know my grandmothers made this cod for one of the seven fishes on Christmas Eve because they bought it around the Christmas season. But I only saw/ate the finished product. What I saw walking past the “fish store”, phew, not an Italian store, was big, flat, black skinned dry fish hanging outside the entrance. My Mom said it was Baccala and you had to soak it to hydrate it. So is the skinless, boneless, cod you can buy by the pound the same cod that is in the fresh fish counters in the supermarkets? My husband and I love cod fish sandwiches and prefer not to fry our fish so I know we would really enjoy your healthy recipe but there are no Italian markets or Whole Foods in our area so can I use the fresh cod available to me here to make this salad? Or does it have to be salt cod? Grazie, Joanne
Christina
wrote on
You’re so sweet, Joanne! Glad to help. Yes, although the flavor will be different than using salt cod, as long as you use a flaky, meatier fish like cod or haddock (my favorite), you could make it into this salad. Enjoy!
Cathy
wrote on
Ok, that does it, I am going to track down this salt cod and master it. It looks too good to pass up.
Christina
wrote on
That’s great, Cathy!!
Mary Quinn
wrote on
My grandmother used to make this and we still do after all these years. We have an Italian grocery store that still carries the salted cod. Needless to say very busy at Christmas and Lent. We actually add vinegar to the salata along with the oil,
Christina
wrote on
Oh like a proper salad! I may just try that next time, Mary. Thanks!
Cynthia Falk
wrote on
Bacalao is a traditional lunch in Puerto Rico, along with boiled green plantains, yautia and an egg. I’d forgotten about this lunch that my Abuela made several times a week, will make asap !
Sharpm
wrote on
You did not mention removing bones, skin etc. Do you get boneless, skinless cod? If so, where do you get it please?
Christina
wrote on
That’s because our baccalà did not have skin or bones, but if it does, one would simply remove them. I buy ours at Italian markets here in LA. Do you have an Italian market near you? Where do you live?
Andi
wrote on
As someone of Portuguese heritage, I love Bacalhau! This looks delicious and works with my low carb lifestyle.
Christina
wrote on
Absolutely, Andi! Great protein, too!
Joe migliore
wrote on
I put capers and artichoke hearts in my baccala salad
Christina
wrote on
Sounds good, Joe! Merry Christmas!
Mary Frances
wrote on
That cod looks so perfectly flakey and delicious!
Christina
wrote on
Thanks, Mary Frances!
Chris Scheuer
wrote on
So simple but sounds so wonderful. I love recipes like this that allow the ingredients to really shine! I bet it keeps you very satisfied too with all the lean protein!
Christina
wrote on
Absolutely, Chris!
David
wrote on
Looks womderful and simple. I use a Portuguese receipt that is similar but adds potatoes and olives!
Christina
wrote on
Someone had said the same thing, David, about adding potatoes, but olives, too!! Delicious!
Judy at Two Broads Travel
wrote on
Once again you’ve done it beauty and minimalism plus salt cod. Lovely.
Christina
wrote on
You are much too kind, Judy!
Danielle
wrote on
How many pounds of cod does this recipe call for?
Christina
wrote on
Hi Danielle. It is dried cod, so it comes in pieces. Whatever amount you’d like to make; usually one would just buy a piece of baccala and soak it. I pound of dried fish is the equivalent to a lot more when it’s rehydrated. Hope this helps!
Heather / girlichef
wrote on
Oh yum, this is some of my favorite kind of food. I’ve never seen it looking better (and now I’m incredibly hungry, of course)!
Christina
wrote on
Thank you, Heather! :)
Andi
wrote on
My mom’s side of the family is Portuguese and we LOVE our salt cod! I don’t think I have had it prepared like this and I am not sure why, we eat so many cold salads with olive oil. My hubby would add steamed potatoes to this as well, then drizzle the olive oil. Yum!
Christina
wrote on
That sounds good with the added potatoes, Andi!
Dottie Sauchelli-Balin
wrote on
Dear Christina,
Great post and recipe. Love this insalata di baccala. Perfect for the last week in Lent. Nice and white, plus big flaky pieces, drizzled in EVOO. Sounds fabulous and very tasty. Thanks for sharing, have an outstanding weekend.
Dottie :)
— LOYOLA HIGH SCHOOL, Los Angeles — 150th Anniversary and Day of Service
wrote on
[…] happens to be salt cod. Yep, you guessed it, my next recipe will be for Insalata di Baccala, an Italian Salt Cod Salad, and I didn’t even plan […]
sue|theviewfromgreatisland
wrote on
This is amazing Christina, where do find salt cod?
Christina
wrote on
Any Italian market should carry it, Sue, and another reader posted on my other salt cod recipe that it’s available at Whole Foods, too. CC