There’s nothing like Puerto Rican-style Bacalao Guisado. This stewed salted codfish simmers in a rich, tomato-forward broth until the fish flakes and melds with onions, peppers, olives, and bright herbs. It’s a comforting, island-classic main that’s traditionally served over white rice or alongside boiled yuca.
This family-style recipe combines Caribbean staples like sofrito and sazon with briny pimento olives and flaky salted cod to create a deeply flavored stew. It’s a perfect winter comfort dish but delicious any time you crave a warm, savory meal with Latin and Caribbean roots.
How to Make Codfish Stew
Prepping the Salted Codfish
Use a practical shortcut: rinse the frozen salted cod to remove loose salt, then soak it in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain, cover with fresh water, and simmer briefly to remove remaining salt and rehydrate the flesh. This method avoids an overnight soak and means the stew can be prepared the same day in roughly 90 minutes.
After boiling and cooling, flake the cod into bite-sized pieces with forks or by hand. Taste the stew before adding any additional salt, since salted cod can still carry some saltiness even after soaking and boiling.
More Caribbean Stews
One Pot Pollo Guisado (Chicken Stew)
Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Stewed Beans)
Carne Guisada (Ridiculously Good Beef Stew)
Buen Provecho,
Bacalao Guisado (Stewed Salt Codfish)
- Author: Salima Benkhalti
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dinner, Entree, Main Dish
- Method: Stewed
- Cuisine: Caribbean, Latin, Puerto Rican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Puerto Rican Bacalao Guisado is a hearty stew made from salted cod simmered in a seasoned tomato broth. Aromatics like onions, peppers, garlic, and sofrito provide depth, while pimento olives add a pleasant briny contrast. Serve it over steamed white rice or with boiled yuca for a satisfying, well-rounded meal.
Ingredients
- 1 lb frozen salted codfish
- 1 tbsp olive oil or achiote oil
- 1 white onion, sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp sofrito
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup pimento olives
- 1 tsp sazon
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 6 sprigs cilantro and/or culantro
Instructions
- Prep and cook the cod: Rinse any loose salt from the frozen cod and place it in a pot. Cover with cold water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain, add fresh water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, and flake the fish into pieces.
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat the oil in a heavy pot or caldero over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and peppers and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add the garlic and sofrito, and cook until fragrant.
- Build the stew: Stir in the tomato sauce, pimento olives, sazon, pepper, oregano, water, and flaked cod. Mix gently to combine, then tuck the cilantro or culantro sprigs on top.
- Simmer: Cover and simmer on medium-low for 10–15 minutes to meld flavors. Taste before adding salt; adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot over white rice or with yuca.
Tips, Variations & Storage
Soaking and briefly boiling the cod reduces salt quickly without an overnight soak. For a milder stew, omit the sazon or reduce the olives. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 3–4 days and often taste better the next day as flavors develop. Reheat gently on the stove to avoid drying out the fish.
Equipment
Large pot or caldero, wooden spoon, forks for flaking the fish, and a sharp knife for slicing vegetables.