Try this delicious Panamanian style salted cod stew with potatoes (Bacalao con papas), perfect for Lent or Easter or whenever you prefer. You find cod all year round so you can enjoy it whenever you like 😉.
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In Panama, cod (bacalao as its name in Spanish) is commonly found in its salt-preserved state. With this, tasty recipes are made such as cod fritters (torrejitas de bacalao), rice with cod, even one pot.
This recipe reminds me of everything my grandmother cooked with cod, and luckily my mother learned, and well, she shared the recipe.
Many people are intimidated to cook it, but it’s easy to prepare.
What takes the longest is the part where you must remove the salt, so if you are going to prepare this recipe to follow the guide’s steps on how to desalt the cod. It gives you tips for buying cod as well.
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📋 Ingredients for the recipe
To prepare this recipe, you will need shredded desalted cod (the star of the recipe), potatoes, tomato sauce. You’ll use oil, curry, onion, garlic, sweet peppers, black pepper, and culantro for the sauce.
In the recipe card, you will have the complete measurements of each of these ingredients.
As for utensils, we will use a small pot, a large frying pan, a spatula, a potato peeler, a chopping board, and a knife.
Now that we have all the ingredients and utensils, then let’s get started.
Substitutions
- Potato: You could use baby potatoes or replace them entirely with carrots if you prefer. If you substitute it, you get a low-carb version or a stewed cod version.
- Oil: Any oil you have works, but preferably one with a neutral flavor. You could use coconut oil that would change the flavor a bit, but it goes well with curry.
- Sweet peppers: if you can’t get this, a bell pepper works perfectly.
- Garlic: you could use those that are already minced (2 teaspoons) or powdered (1 teaspoon).
- Tomato puree or passata: you could use tomato sauce and replace it with the same amount. If you have tomato paste, use one (1) tablespoon, and you will have to add approximately ½ cup of water to obtain that consistency. You could even use fresh diced tomatoes.
📝 How to make the recipe? – Step by Step
Preparation
The first thing you are going to do is cut the vegetables. Finely chop the garlic, onion, culantro, and sweet peppers. If you prefer to have larger pieces, it is also an option.
These vegetables are the sauce base, so it does not matter much the size you cut them. They’ll provide flavor.
💡 Tip: You can always keep some onion, peppers, culantro, and minced garlic in the fridge. It works for this and any other stew or stir-fry recipe you need. You can also use a food processor to chop them up.
Then proceed to wash, peel and cut a medium potato into cubes about 1 inch long. If you prefer, you can cut it smaller in both ways they work.
The smaller you cut the potatoes, the faster they cook.
Cooking
Step 1: In a small pot, add enough water to cover the potatoes. Add the salt and potatoes. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
Step 2: To verify that they are ready, use a knife. If it goes in and out without resistance, they are perfect. Remove from the pot and reserve.
Now, we start to prepare the sauce. The sauce is the base of the dish and what gives the cod its unique flavor.
Step 3: In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and heat. Then add the onions and sauté for 3 minutes.
Step 4: Add the garlic, culantro, and sweet peppers and continue sautéing for three (3) more minutes. Your kitchen will smell spectacular. Add the curry powder (secret ingredient), black pepper, and mix everything.
Step 4 
Step 5
Step 5: Add the tomato sauce and keep mixing everything.
💡 Tip: If you prefer a little more sauce, you can add a bit more tomato puree and a little water.
Step 6: Now add the shredded cod and the previously parboiled potato. Mix with the rest of the ingredients. If you see that the sauce is a bit dry, you can add a splash of water and let it cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
Adding the water helps all the flavors blend and the cod to take on its particular taste and color.
Step 6 
Step 7
Step 7: Once time is up, you can turn off the heat and serve. If you like, at this time, you can add a little spicy sauce and enjoy!
Related: See other seafood recipes for Easter.
Storage & reheating tips
Storage: Once cool, you can store it in the fridge in an airtight food container for up to 3 days.
Reheat: You can heat it in a pan or use the microwave. If it’s a little dry, you can add a little extra water before heating it.
Serving Suggestions
- Salted cod with potatoes is traditionally served with white rice and fried sweet plantain slices, aka tajadas.
- If you prefer not to eat rice, you can eat it alone or add some sautéed carrots or vegetables, cooked yam (ñame), parboiled green banana, or even cauliflower rice which will give you a perfect low-carb alternative.
- You can serve it with a cassava mash, or if you prefer, fried.
- Decorate it and serve it with a hard-boiled egg; they make a good combination.
- Serve it also with coconut rice.
If you tried the Panamanian salted cod stew with potatoes recipe or any other recipe at Nashi Food, don’t forget to rate ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ the recipe and leave me a comment below! I love knowing about your cooking experience.
Panamanian salted cod stew with potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ onion, medium
- 8 sweet peppers
- 3 culantro leaves
- 1 potato, medium (223g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup passata (tomato puree)
- 2 cups cod, desalted and shredded (321 g)
Utensils
- a small pot
- a large frying pan
- a spatula
- a potato peeler
- a chopping board
- a knife
Instructions
Prep
- Finely chop the garlic, onion, culantro, and sweet peppers. If you prefer to have larger pieces, it is also an option.
- Wash, peel and cut a medium potato into cubes about 1 inch long. If you prefer, you can cut it smaller.
Cooking
- In a small pot, add enough water to cover the potatoes. Add the salt and potatoes. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
- Prick the potatoes with a knife, if it goes in and out without resistance, they are ready. Remove from the pot and reserve.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and heat. Then add the onions and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, culantro, and sweet peppers and continue sautéing for three (3) more minutes. Add the curry powder (secret ingredient), black pepper, and mix everything.
- Add the tomato sauce and keep mixing everything.
- Now add the shredded cod and the previously parboiled potato. Mix with the rest of the ingredients. If you see that the sauce is a bit dry, you can add a splash of water and let it cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Once time is up, you can turn off the heat and serve. If you like, at this time, you can add a little spicy sauce and enjoy!
Notes
- Potato: You could use baby potatoes or replace them entirely with carrots if you prefer. If you substitute it, you get a low-carb version or a stewed cod version.
- Oil: Any oil you have works, but preferably one with a neutral flavor. You could use coconut oil that would change the flavor a bit, but it goes well with curry.
- Sweet peppers: if you can’t get this, a bell pepper works perfectly.
- Garlic: you could use those that are already minced (2 teaspoons) or powdered (1 teaspoon).
- Tomato puree or passata: you could use tomato sauce and replace it with the same amount. If you have tomato paste, use one (1) tablespoon, and you will have to add approximately ½ cup of water to obtain that consistency. You could even use fresh diced tomatoes.
Vivian Marin
I’m so happy that I found your blog. Love it. Thank you so much Nadja!
Barry Kaintz
I’ve tried and made Puerto Rican salted cod fish stew many times. I’m going to make the Panamanian salted cod fish stew. Some of the ingredients used in the stew are different from each other. But I personally like to try different foods from all over the world. Thanks for your recipe.
Verona Russell
I am from Barbados and was amazed that you made this dish the same way we Barbadians make it. You also have my family’s last name. That was also a pleasant surprise.
iriejelry
Salted cod is expensive here in South Florida. I think I will try this with fresh fish instead. Something hardy that will stand up to being stewed.