Bacalaítos, also known as cod fritters, are a traditional dish originating from Puerto Rico. These savory fritters are made with a combination of salted codfish, flour, and seasonings, then deep-fried until golden brown. They have a crispy exterior and a tender, flaky interior, often served as appetizers, snacks, or side dishes. Our collection of recipes offers a variety of takes on this classic dish, including traditional Puerto Rican bacalaítos, as well as unique variations like cod fritters with cornmeal, vegan cod fritters, and even a gluten-free option. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a beginner in the kitchen, our recipes provide step-by-step instructions to guide you through the process of making delicious bacalaítos that will impress your friends and family. So, prepare to tantalize your taste buds with these delightful cod fritters, and let the flavors of Puerto Rico come alive in your kitchen!
Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!
BACALAíTOS - FRIED CODFISH FRITTERS
Cod Fritters The Puerto Rican Way Bacalaítos are an immensely popular staple in Puerto Rico. All over the island you'll find these cod fritters sold from small roadside kiosks, and any street fair there will usually feature several stands of crispy Bacalaítos.With the help of GOYA® Adobo All-Purpose Seasoning and some garlic, our Bacalaítos recipe yields traditional Puerto Rican cod fritters, prepared as they have been for generations.Origin: Puerto Rico
Time 45m
Yield 30
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Step 1 Soak fish in cold water for three hours or overnight in refrigerator. Step 2 Drain; rinse with cold water several times. Step 3 In a saucepan, cover codfish with water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Step 4 Cool, remove skin and bones. Shred the fish. In bowl, make a batter by whisking together the flour, baking powder, Adobo and water. When smooth, mix in the garlic, cilantro and shredded fish. Step 5 In a skillet, heat 1⁄4 inch of oil on medium heat. Drop the batter by spoonful into hot oil and cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
BACALAITOS (CODFISH FRITTERS)
Steps:
- Drain salted cod. Boil fish in 3 cups of the water and the milk until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove cooked fish from liquid, shred and set aside to cool. Make a batter with the flour, baking powder and remaining water. Add cod, onions, peppers, garlic and cilantro. Deep fry spoonfuls of the batter in oil heated to 350 degrees until golden.
BACALAITOS | CODFISH FRITTERS
A Latin codfish fritter, this flavorful finger food is perfect for gatherings and is completely flavorful and seafood lover approved.
Provided by Neyssa
Categories Appetizer
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Rinse fish thoroughly before placing into a bowl of water. Refrigerate for 3 hours, then drain water and add fresh water. Repeat 1 more time.
- Drain water after the second 3 hour round. Place fish into a pot with 3 cups of water and vinegar. Bring water to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let water cool.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl add in remaining ingredients, except for the water.
- Next, using a colander, drain fish into a new bowl, and reserve 1 cup of the salted fish water.
- Using your hands, shred fish as finely as desired.
- Add the 1 cup of salted water to the flour mixture, and mix together. Next, slowly add an additional cup of fresh water to the mixture. For a thinner and crispier bacalaito, add in up to another cup of fresh water. Mix together to form a pancake like batter.
- Next, fold in your fish and let batter sit for ten minutes.
- After 10 minutes, to a frying pan add in 1 1/2 inches of vegetable oil for frying. Once oil is hot, ladle in 1/4 cup of batter, in a long stride to create a long bacalaito.
- Fry until edges are lightly brown, and flip over. Cooking for 2-3 minutes per side, or longer for a crispier bacalaito.
BACALAITOS FRITO (CODFISH FRITTERS)
My Mom would fry up a big batch of Bacalaitos on Saturday afternoons to hold us over until dinner time. With 9 kids this recipe was something she could make quickly...we would stand in line with our napkin ready for Mom to drop our fritter in...Memories! You can find dry salted codfish in Latin, Italian & Greek markets. I prefer...
Provided by Ana Santiago
Categories Seafood Appetizers
Time 25m
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- 1. In a bowl put the flour, baking powder, pepper and parsley
- 2. Strain the codfish that's been soaking and flake with your hands (or a fork)
- 3. Slowly whisk water into dry ingredients to make a batter
- 4. Add codfish to batter and stir with spatula, scraping bowl as you stir
- 5. Fry by 1/4 or 1/2 cupfuls in hot oil (350 degrees) turning once until nice & golden (don't burn)
- 6. Strain on paper towels, serve immediately.
BACALAíTOS
The savory salt cod fritters called bacalaítos are one of Puerto Rico's most popular street food specialties. Though also available at restaurants and regularly made at home, the best versions of the savory and crispy pancake-sized disks are best eaten hot out of the fryer from one of the hundreds of road and beachside food shacks and kiosks found throughout the island. With a crisp exterior, soft and fluffy inside and an explosion of salty savory flavor in every bite, they're the perfect treat after a long day at the beach. Bacalaítos are easy to make, but do require a little patience and planning because the salt cod needs at least 8 hours of soaking and a quick 20-minute boil before it's ready to be used. I know it might be tempting to try to skip the soak, but doing so will leave you with an unpalatably salty dish. Fortunately, once the cod is ready, it only takes about 15 or so minutes before you'll be able to taste that first crispy bite.
Provided by Alejandra Ramos
Categories side-dish
Time 8h50m
Yield About 12 bacalaítos
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Prepare the fish: Rinse the salt cod under cold running water for 1 minute to remove any loose salt, then place in a large bowl or container and submerge completely in cold water. Cover and let soak in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.
- After soaking, drain, rinse again under cold running water then place in a large pot and cover with water. Boil for 20 minutes. Drain, place in a large mixing bowl and use two forks to shred the fish.
- Add the garlic, onions, red peppers, cilantro, oregano, cumin and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss until evenly combined. Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning with salt if needed (as salt cod brands vary, some may retain more salt after soaking than others; be sure to taste until the mixture is pleasantly salty).
- Pour 1 inch of oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven and set over high heat until the oil shimmers and a deep-fry thermometer reaches 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or paper towels and top with a wire cooling rack if desired.
- While the oil heats, add the flour and baking powder to the cod mixture and stir until evenly combined. Add water, about 1/2 cup at a time, until the batter resembles a pancake batter (usually about 1 1/2 to 2 cups total).
- Working in batches, spoon about 1/3 cup batter into the hot oil, spreading it out as you pour to create a 3- to 4-inch round disk. Repeat with 1 to 2 more scoops of batter per batch, leaving about 2 inches between each bacalaíto. Fry 2 minutes on one side, then use tongs to turn and fry until the fritters are cooked through and golden, about 1 minute more. Use tongs to transfer the bacalaítos to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with rest of batter, adding more oil as needed. Serve immediately.
BACALAITOS (COD FRITTERS)
One of Puerto Rico's signature dishes. It can be main, side dish or just an appetizer. The Cod is finely chopped, therefore, the flavor is not so strong. Very high in calories but worth having at least two once a year!
Provided by l0ve2c00k
Categories Puerto Rican
Time 40m
Yield 12 bacalaitos
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Cut the cod fish in small chunks, place in a pot, cover with water and boil on high for 15 minutes.
- Drain, debone, wash and shred.
- In a bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder.
- Make a little well in the center. Pour the water slowly and mix to make a thick like sauce.
- Add the pepper and sazón and stir well.
- In a mortar, crush the garlic and culantro leaves. Add to the mix.
- Add the shredded bacalao and mix well.
- In a frying pan, pre-heat the vegetable oil.
- Fry the bacalaitos on high heat by dropping big spoonfuls in hot oil.
- Turn as needed.
- Bacalaitos are done when they are golden.
- Drain in paper towels.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 117, Fat 9.2, SaturatedFat 1.2, Cholesterol 4.1, Sodium 85.3, Carbohydrate 6.1, Fiber 0.2, Protein 2.5
Tips:
- Choose fresh, firm cod fillets for the best results.
- If you don't have salt cod, you can use fresh cod fillets, but be sure to salt them liberally before cooking.
- Soaking the salt cod overnight will help to remove some of the saltiness.
- Be sure to drain the salt cod thoroughly before using it in the recipe.
- The batter should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Fry the bacalaitos in hot oil until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Serve the bacalaitos with your favorite dipping sauce.
Conclusion:
Bacalaitos are a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for any occasion. They are a great way to use up leftover salt cod, and they can also be made with fresh cod fillets. Bacalaitos are a popular dish in many countries, and they are a great way to experience the flavors of the Caribbean.
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