Light, fresh, and easy, this Italian Cod Fish Salad Recipe, or Baccala Insalata, is a Lenten staple that deserves to make a spot on your table this Easter season.
When I think of Baccala Insalata, I think of growing up.
We would eat this delicious insalata di baccalà quite frequently.
For Christmas Eve Dinner, the Feast of the Seven Fishes, this was our starter to the main courses of the event.
Over the summer, when no one felt like cooking and fish was in season, this was frequently our dinner, alongside a delicious bowl of linguine.
And of course, over lent, when we would eat fish every single Friday.
If you’re asking me, this salted cod fish salad is the perfect way to bring a taste of Italy to your lent celebrations.
The pieces of fish get so tender in the boiling water, and practically melt in your mouth once consumed.
It’s one of my favorite recipes, and a really easy way to prepare white fish.
Here’s how I grew up eating it!
What You’ll Need:
Salted Cod: Or baccala, for short. This is the heart and soul of this recipe!
Tomatoes: Diced tomatoes are the way to go here. You can use canned tomatoes if you want, but in my opinion, dicing them yourself always tastes a bit better. If you’re using canned tomatoes, make sure you’re using diced tomatoes instead of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce.
Red Onion: Make sure this is thinly sliced.
Black Olives: I like to slice these up. If you don’t have black olives and don’t really mind not staying authentically Italian, kalamata olives are delicious with this as well.
Fresh Parsley: I like flat leaf parsley over curly parsley, but it’s entirely up to personal preference.
Capers: This is totally optional, but I love adding capers to this. It gives the salad a salty punch that’s well appreciated in my book.
Cloves of Garlic: Make sure you mince these up yourself for maximum flavor.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Make sure you’re using one that you won’t mind tasting, as this is a large component of the dressing we will be using.
Red Wine Vinegar: If you don’t have any, lemon juice will be a wonderful substitute.
Seasonings: All this dish needs is salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Anything more than that will drown out the authentic taste and natural flavors.
Here’s How You Make It:
Place your salted cod under cold water to remove excess salt, and place it in a large bowl.
Cover the cod with cold water, and let it soak for at least 24 hours. If you’d like to remove salt, changing the water a few times during the soaking process will make a huge difference. You’ll know the cod is finished when it becomes soft.
Once you’re finished soaking the cod, drain the water and pat it dry. Place it in a pot and cover with fresh water, and bring the water to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat.
Cook until the white fish flakes easily with a fork, about 15-20 minutes.
Remove the fish from the pot and let it cool completely. Once cooled, using two forks, flake it into bite sized pieces.
Throw the cod, the tomatoes, red onions, black olives, parsley, capers, and minced garlic into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar (or lemon juice), and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld into one another, and serve chilled.
FAQs:
Q: What should I serve with my baccala insalata?
A: There are lots of things that you can serve with this, but I love serving mine with a nice plate of linguine, dressed with the same oil and vinegar mixture.
There’s something so fresh about these flavors that really bring me back to my childhood.
Q: None of my local grocery stores have cod. What are other types of white fish that I can use with this recipe?
A: White fish like haddock, halibut, flounder, pollock, or even tilapia would be wonderful wit this.
Q: How long will this stay good in the refrigerator?
A: Baccala insalata stays good in the refrigerator for up to two days, though this salad is the best right as you first make it.
Italian Cod Fish Salad Recipe: Baccala Insalata
Ingredients
- 1 pound salted cod (baccala)
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or lemon juice)
- Salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the salted cod under cold water to remove excess salt.
- Place the cod in a large bowl or container and cover it with cold water. Let it soak in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours, changing the water 2-3 times during soaking to remove more salt. The cod should become soft and pliable after soaking.
- Once the cod is soaked, drain the water and pat the cod dry with paper towels.
- Place the cod in a pot and cover it with fresh water. Bring the water to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Cook the cod for about 15-20 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove the cod from the water and let it cool. Once cooled, flake the cod into bite-sized pieces, removing any bones and skin.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flaked cod, diced tomatoes, sliced red onion, black olives, chopped parsley, capers, and minced garlic.
- Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar (or lemon juice) over the salad.
- Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Toss gently to combine all the ingredients.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the baccala insalata for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together, and serve cold.
