Name: Portuguese-style cod (Bacalhau a Brás)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: Portugal
Ingredients: 500 oz ofcod (dried); 500 oz ofpotatoes (You can also buy pre-made potato chips to save time, but personally I prefer to make them myself, since store-bought ones are often very salty and rarely organic!); 6 eggs; 3 onions; 1 pod ofgarlic; olive oil; parsley (costs); 20 black olives (Choose ones from Portugal for a more authentic experience!); salt, pepper; 1/2 liter offrying oil; deep fryer (optional; otherwise, use a cast-iron casserole dish or a deep frying pan); filter container for frying oil (A handy tip to avoid wasting your leftover frying oil); cooking thermometer (handy if you don't have a deep fryer)

main courses fried foods pisces traditional cuisine

Updated on 09 November 2025 by

dave31

8 reviews 4.5 : Very good

Cuisine

Portugal

Level

Easy

Preparation

20 minutes

Cooking

30 minutes

Wait

24 minutes

Bacalhau à Brás has become one of the most iconic dishes of Portuguese cuisine. You’ll find it on the menu at every traditional restaurant, sometimes listed as bacalhau dourado (golden cod). It’s a hearty dish that combines potatoes and cod, much like brandade. Oh, and by the way, the term "a Brás" doesn’t mean "grilled," but simply comes from the inventor of this recipe, who worked in a restaurant in Lisbon’s Bairro Alto and whose surname was "Bráz."

For

people

Add to shopping list

17.6 oz of cod dried
17.6 oz of potatoes You can also buy pre-made potato chips to save time, but personally I prefer to make them myself, since store-bought ones are often very salty and rarely organic!
6 eggs
3 onions
1 pod of garlic
olive oil
parsley costs
20 black olives Choose ones from Portugal for a more authentic experience!
salt, pepper

For potato chips
1/2 liter of frying oil

Kitchen utensils
deep fryer optional; otherwise, use a cast-iron casserole dish or a deep frying pan
filter container for frying oil A handy tip to avoid wasting your leftover frying oil
cooking thermometer handy if you don't have a deep fryer

1
Make sure to "desalt at least 24 hours in advance.
2
Grate the potatoes into thin strips (using the large holes on the grater).
3
Heat "some. Personally, I use a to determine the right cooking temperature for the potatoes (180°C).
Add the potato slices to the oil. Remove them when they are golden brown, and set aside on paper towels.
4
Flake the cod coarsely by hand to remove any bones, then let it soak in a bowl.
5
Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Sauté them over medium heat until the onions become translucent.
6
Add the cod pieces and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until you can feel them softening under the spatula.
7
Add the potato strips and gently stir with a spatula to keep them whole—you don't want them to turn into mashed potatoes!
8
Beat the eggs in a bowl, then add them to the contents of the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Give it a few stirs, and as soon as the eggs are cooked but still runny, remove from the heat and serve.
9
Sprinkle with chopped parsley and top with olives—it's ready!

Notes

WHAT TO DRINK WITH THIS PORTUGUESE-STYLE COD: A Vinho Verde, a traditional Portuguese wine made from green grapes. Shown here is an example of a brand that’s popular among locals.