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Bacalhau A Bras Recipe by Authentic Food Quest

Bacalhau A Bras Recipe

Bacalhau a Bras is one of Portugal’s most popular dishes. Easy to make, it’s a delightful combination of codfish stir-fried with potatoes and eggs. Just one bite and this delicious and flavor-packed comfort food will have everyone asking for seconds.
5 from 11 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Recipes
Cuisine: Portuguese
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1467kcal
Author: Authentic Food Quest

Equipment

Ingredients 

Instructions

  • If you are using salted codfish, desalt it by soaking it in cold water. Place the codfish in a large bowl and cover it with water. Change the water every 4-6 hours, at least 4 times. Desalting usually takes 24 hours. Once desalted, remove the codfish from the water. Set aside.
  • If you are using ready-to-cook codfish pieces, start by thawing them out if they are frozen.
  • Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Carefully add the desalted codfish to the boiling water. Reduce the heat to medium and let the codfish simmer in the boiling water for about 5 minutes.
  • After about 5 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and carefully drain the codfish using a colander. Allow the codfish to cool before shredding it into small pieces using your hands or a fork. Set aside.
  • Prepare the shoestring potatoes by first peeling the potatoes. Cut the potatoes lengthwise in thin strips to resemble matchsticks or shoestrings.
  • Place the matchstick potatoes in water as you finish cutting them to prevent them from turning dark.
  • Rinse the potato sticks in a colander under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch.
  • Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the potato sticks in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per batch.
  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried potatoes to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Set aside.
  • Peel the onion and cut into julienne strips.
  • In the large skillet, add one tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the sliced onions until soft and translucent.
  • Once the onions are soft and translucent, add the previously cooked shredded codfish and the cooked matchstick potatoes to the skillet. Cook for a few minutes until the codfish is cooked through and the potatoes are well mixed with the onions.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
  • Pour the beaten eggs into the codfish and potato mixture in the skillet. Turn off the heat and gently mix everything together. Let the residual heat from the skillet cook the eggs until they are just set but still creamy.
  • Transfer the bacalhau à brás to a serving dish and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and black olives.
  • Serve hot and enjoy the authentic flavors of this traditional Portuguese dish.

Notes

  • When cooking the onion, you can also add garlic for additional flavor.
  • Drizzle a little more Portuguese olive oil before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 1467kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 80g | Fat: 117g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 83g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 336mg | Sodium: 8278mg | Potassium: 2241mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 458IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 5mg
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