Bacalaitos - Puerto Rican Codfish Fritters

Bacalaoitos are a classic Puerto Rican recipe and they are also one of the most popular street foods. I have step by step photos so you can make these right to your own kitchen! You will love these crispy, salty fritters that have a batter filled with flavorful herbs and spices.

A day at the beach in Puerto Rico would not be complete without a visit to a kiosk selling popular street foods like shrimp ceviche, alcapurrias and bacalaitos.

The flavors of Puerto Rico are a staple in my house. We always have slow roasted pork or pernil in the freezer for a quick and easy meal. We love plantains so mofongo is also a family favorite as well as arroz con gandules.

Jump to:

• Ingredients needed to make bacalaitos
• Instructions to make bacalaitos step by step
• Substitutions and Additions
• Equipment to make bacalaitos
• Storage
• Top tip
• FAQ
• Related
• Pairing
• Bacalaitos - Puerto Rican Cod Fritters
• Food Safety

Ingredients needed to make bacalaitos

Bacalaitos use some very basic and easy to find ingredients. If you can't find salted cod you can use salted pollock. If you want to use fresh cod or pollock just add some salt as shown in the recipe.

• All purpose flour for the batter along with an equal amount of water.
• Minced garlic.
• Onion chopped fine.
• Salted Cod or pollock. If using fresh fish add 1 tsp salt to the batter.
• Oregano, pepper and cilantro for some added flavor.
• Sazón can be found in the Latin/Hispanic aisle of most grocery stores.
• Vinegar adds a little acidity.
• Baking powder is optional if you want a lighter or puffier batter when fried.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions to make bacalaitos step by step

Here are the step by step photos to make delicious bacalaitos from start to finish.

• Step 1: Soak the salted fish in about 5 cups of water or enough to cover. Leave it soaking for 24 hours and change the water three times.
• Step 2: Place the fish in a large skillet with 3 cup of water. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Reserve one cup of water from simmering the fish to use in the batter. Flake the fish apart into small pieces.

• Step 3: While the fish is cooking add the flour, pepper, sazón and oregano to a bowl and stir to combine. Add 1 tsp baking powder if you like a fluffy fritter.
• Step 4: In a separate bowl combine the fish, cilantro, onion, garlic and vinegar.

• Step 5: Add 1 cup of the reserved water and another cup of water to the flour mixture. Whisk to combine thoroughly. I like a slightly thick batter so it will form a ribbon on the surface when drizzled back from the whisk. Add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until you get the consistency you like. If it is too thick add a little water.
• Step 6: Add the fish mixture to the batter and stir to combine.

• Step 7: Heat the oil to 350°F and add ⅓ cup of batter to the hot oil. You need about 1.5 inches of oil in the pan. Fry for 3 minutes and then flip over.
• Step 8: Once you flip over the bacalaito fry another 3 minutes or until golden brown. Place the fried bacalaito on a cooling rack to drip with paper towel underneath to catch the oil.

Hint: I like to use a heat proof silicone ladle (affiliate link) to drop the batter into the hot oil. It keeps my hands safe from getting burned and it holds about ⅓ cup of batter.

Substitutions and Additions

There are a few variations you can use the make bacalaitos depending on the flavor you want.

• Bell pepper - Add ⅓ cup of finely chopped red bell pepper for some added flavor and color.
• Gluten free - You can swap out the all-purpose flour with a gluten free types sold at most stores. Cup for Cup is one brand or 1 for 1 from Bob's Red Mill is another.
• Mayo-Ketchup Sauce - This is a really popular dipping sauce from Puerto Rico aka pink sauce. This a simple mixture of 3 Tbsp Mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp ketchup and ½ tsp garlic powder. Feel free to add a dash of Worcestershire. This sauce is also great with fried green plantain ( tostones).
• Cocktail Sauce - This is not just for cold shrimp but goes great with bacalaitos! Combine ½ cup of ketchup, 2 tablespoons of horseradish, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, a dash of Worcestershire, and optionally Tabasco to taste.

Equipment to make bacalaitos

Here are the basic items you will need to make bacalaitos.

• Glass baking dish - I like to use this type of dish to soak the salted fish for 24 hours during the desalinization time.
• Large Skillet - This can be used for simmering the fish once the salt has been removed and also for frying in the oil. I love the versatility of my Le Creuset 2.25 Qt. braising pan for simmering the fish and then frying. The heavy porcelain enameled cast iron really holds the heat and will last a lifetime.
• Tongs - Get long pair to keep your hands away from the oil while flipping the fritters.
• Silicone ladle - This really helps portioning the amount of batter into the hot oil while keeping you safe from spatter burns.
• Cooling rack - I place a cooling rack on a baking tray lined with paper towel to allow the bacalaitos to drain off as much oil as possible. You can place them on a paper towel but they tend to sit right in the oil so I prefer the rack.
• Digital thermometer - You want to be sure the oil is 350°F before frying the bacalaitos. Don't let it go over 375°F.

Storage

• Cooked bacalaitos - You can keep the bacalaitos in the oven on the warm setting (170°F) until you are ready to serve. These are best served fresh, the fresher the better for a nice crispy fritter. You can allow them to cool and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheated bacalaitos will not be as good as fresh. They will loose some of their crispness. You can reheat in the oven at 375°F for 10-15 minutes until hot in the center. You can also reheat in an air-fryer at 375°F for about 6 minutes. Avoid reheating in a microwave oven as they will be really soggy when reheated.
• Batter - The batter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Note that if you are going to store the batter don't add the baking powder until you are ready to fry them. You can freeze the batter for up to two months. Thaw it completely in the refrigerator and it may separate a bit so stir it thoroughly before frying and add in the baking powder.

FAQ

Related

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Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:

Food Safety

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.