Bacalhau com Todos: The Classic Portuguese Christmas Dish Made Easy

As the name suggests, bacalhau com todos (literally, “codfish with everything”) is a dish where the cod is served with a bit of everything: potatoes, carrots, turnips, and Portuguese cabbage, all topped with a warm olive oil and garlic sauce. It’s a staple at Christmas and shows up on most Portuguese tables on Christmas Eve.

The tradition of eating codfish on Christmas Eve dates back to the 16th century, when the Catholic Church’s fast lasted until December 24. Since meat wasn’t allowed and codfish was the most affordable option, it naturally became the go-to Christmas food for most people.

On top of that, December’s rough sea conditions made it harder to catch fresh fish, so codfish was the most practical alternative. Families ate codfish in the evening, and only after the Midnight Mass would the sweets and meat finally appear on the table.

Even though this is a simple recipe, there are a few tricks that make a real difference—especially when it comes to ingredient order and cooking times. Below, we explain everything and share our step-by-step version of bacalhau com todos.

How to Soak Dry Salted Codfish

For this recipe, I used frozen, already-desalted codfish, which is the quickest and most convenient option. If you prefer dry salted cod, you’ll need to soak it ahead of time.

Four thick loins need between 30 and 48 hours of soaking. The exact time depends on the size of the pieces, so keep that in mind. Always place them skin-side up because the skin slows down water absorption.

Even when it’s not warm outside, it’s best to soak the codfish in the fridge or in very cold water, changing the water several times to avoid strong smells and make sure it reaches the proper salt level. We like to use the water from the last soak to cook the potatoes, vegetables, and even the codfish itself, but make sure both the fish and the water aren’t too salty.

Preparation

• Serves: 4
• Prep time: 50 minutes (20 minutes for prep + 30 minutes cooking time)
• Difficulty: Easy

Necessary Equipment

• Large pot
• Wooden spoon
• Fork
• Teaspoon
• Slotted spoon

Ingredients for Bacalhau com Todos

• Cod
  • 5 to 6 large boiling potatoes
  • 4 large carrots
  • 4 soaked codfish loins
  • 4 to 5 eggs
  • 2 Portuguese cabbages (tronchuda)
  • 1 turnip
  • Salt, to taste
• Sauce
  • 125 ml olive oil
  • 4–5 garlic cloves
  • 1 bay leaf

Bacalhau com Todos – Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Soak the codfish 24 to 32 hours before cooking, in plenty of water, changing it several times. See more soaking tips above.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut them in half.
3. Peel the carrots, cut them in half lengthwise, and then cut them in half again.
4. Wash the Portuguese cabbage and cut the stems in half. If the stems are very thick, cut them into three pieces.

5. Fill a large pot halfway with cold water and bring it to a boil over high heat.
6. Add the potatoes to the pot and, once the water starts boiling, add the cabbage and place the carrots on top.

7. Season with salt.
8. After 15 minutes, check if the potatoes are almost cooked. If they are, place them on top of the cabbage, being careful not to break them.
9. Add the eggs and cook for 8 minutes.
10. Meanwhile, prepare the olive oil sauce. Place a small saucepan over low heat with the olive oil, garlic, and bay leaf, and let it cook until the garlic turns golden. Be careful not to let it burn. This only takes a few minutes.

11. When the vegetables and potatoes are almost cooked, add the codfish and cook for 8 minutes.
12. Check if the codfish is done: it should flake easily, and the center should be fully cooked.

13. it’s ready, turn off the heat and transfer the codfish and vegetables to a serving dish. If not, let it cook for a few more minutes.
14. We like to place the vegetables and potatoes on one serving dish, along with the boiled, peeled eggs, and the codfish on another. The garlic-infused olive oil goes into a small jug so everyone can drizzle as much as they like.

Sides and Serving – Olive Oil Sauce

Serve the bacalhau com todos with the olive oil sauce, as explained above. This sauce makes the dish special and full of flavor. The recipe is already quite complete, with both carbohydrates and vegetables, so no additional sides are necessary. Still, if you want to add bread or cornbread, it’s always great for dipping in the olive oil.

As for wine, a good white from Dão or Douro, or a Vinho Verde, are excellent choices. If you prefer red, go for something light with low tannins.

Quick Tips

• Traditionally, bacalhau com todos is made with dry salted cod, using all parts of the fish, not just the loins.
• Use large potatoes and carrots, cutting them into big pieces. Potatoes should be halved, and carrots quartered. If they’re too small, they will fall apart during cooking.
• If you’re cooking for a large group, it may be better to cook the ingredients separately: potatoes and carrots in one pot, and Portuguese cabbage and codfish in another. It is not as good because the flavours won’t mix, but it is a safer option.
• If you used dry salted cod and soaked it beforehand, use the last soaking water to cook the vegetables and potatoes. This will enhance the flavor, but use only the final soaking water, once most of the salt has been removed.
• This is a recipe you should always make in extra quantity, and during Christmas there are usually leftovers. With these, you can prepare delicious dishes like roupa velha or hidden codfish.
• You can adapt the ingredients to your taste: skip the turnips, add chickpeas, or use savoy cabbage instead of Portuguese cabbage, for example. In fact, many Portuguese homes use chickpeas or beans traditionally. We don’t, which is why we haven’t included them here.

Storage and Reuse

Bacalhau com todos is a typical dish served on Christmas Eve, made for the whole family. Usually, a generous portion is prepared, and the leftovers are used to make roupa velha. Roupa velha uses all the ingredients left from Christmas Eve, sautéed in plenty of olive oil. It’s a delicious dish, sometimes even better than the bacalhau com todos itself.

For this reason, always make extra so you can use the leftovers to prepare roupa velha or even hidden codfish the next day (or later).

You can store bacalhau com todos in the refrigerator in a closed container for 3 to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended, as the potatoes do not retain a good texture after thawing.

Conclusion

Bacalhau com todos is a typical Christmas recipe, usually prepared only at that time of year. There is something deeply comforting about this dish, evoking feelings of family, sharing, and tradition. And although it isn’t the most flavorful cod recipe, it’s healthy, complete, and, when served with the olive oil sauce, truly delicious.

Whether at Christmas or any other time of the year, try making this traditional recipe that tastes like home.

Bom Apetite!

Bacalhau com todos (Cod with vegetables)

Claudia Bastos

Discover how to make Bacalhau com Todos, a traditional Christmas recipe from Portugal.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine portuguese

Servings 4

Equipment

• 1 Large pot
• 1 Wooden spoon
• 1 Fork
• 1 Teaspoon
• 1 Slotted spoon

Ingredients

  

• 5 large white potatoes for boiling
• 4 large carrots
• 4 soaked codfish loins one per person (at least)
• 4 eggs
• 2 Portuguese cabbages 2 whole cabbages, not 2 leaves.
• 1 turnip
• Salt
• 125 ml Olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions

 

• Soak the codfish in plenty of water (very cold) for 24 to 32 hours before cooking, changing the water several times.
• Peel the potatoes and cut them in half.
• Peel the carrots, cut them in half lengthwise, and then cut each half in half again.
• Wash the Portuguese cabbage and cut the stems in half. If the stems are very thick, cut them into three pieces.
• Fill a large pot halfway with cold water and bring it to a boil over high heat.
• Add the potatoes to the pot and, once the water starts boiling, add the cabbage and place the carrots on top.
• Season with salt.
• After 15 minutes, check if the potatoes are almost cooked. If they are, place them on top of the cabbage, being careful not to break them.
• Add the eggs and remove them after 8 minutes of cooking.
• Add the codfish loins with the skin side up and cook for 8 minutes.
• Check if the codfish is done: it should flake easily, and the center should be fully cooked.
• If it’s ready, turn off the heat and transfer the codfish and vegetables to a serving dish. If not, let it cook for a few more minutes.
• Place the vegetables and potatoes on one serving dish, along with the boiled, peeled eggs, and the codfish on another. The garlic-infused olive oil goes into a small jug so everyone can drizzle as much as they like.

Olive oil sauce

• Place a small saucepan over low heat with the olive oil, garlic, and bay leaf, and let it cook until the garlic turns golden.

Keyword bacalhau

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