Bacalhau com natas is a traditional Portuguese dish made from salt cod, onions and potatoes in a creamy bechamel sauce. It’s topped with shredded cheese and baked in the oven until it’s brown and bubbly!
Although we have our own unique cuisine, Cape Verdeans adore this dish. Much like Carne de Porco a Alentajana, and Shrimp Mozambique, this Portuguese dish usually marks a special occasion. It’s most popular at Christmas time, but you can make it for any event.
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❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- This dish is so comforting! Milk and heavy cream aren’t found in a lot of Portuguese dishes, which is why this dish is considered so indulgent!
- Even people who don’t love bacalhau love this dish! The sauce is creamy, super-smooth and cuts through the briny taste of the salted cod.
- The natas (bechamel sauce) isn’t as thick as other recipes. I use a 2:1 ratio of milk and heavy cream, which yields a smooth, delicate sauce.
📋 Ingredient notes
Here are the main ingredients grouped by category:
- Dried, salted cod – you can usually find this at Portuguese, Hispanic or Italian markets. Try to find deboned filets and avoid using ‘bits’ if you can.
- Herbs and aromatics: thinly sliced onions, garlic cloves, fresh parsley and bay leaves.
- Bechamel sauce (‘natas’) ingredients: unsalted butter, flour, milk, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Dijon mustard is optional.
- Other layering ingredients: diced yukon potatoes, shredded mozzarella and parmesan.
Refer to the recipe card further down in the post for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
Recipe Substitutions
- I don’t recommend using fresh cod in place of salted cod. Fresh cod doesn’t need to be soaked, but it still releases liquid while it’s cooking and makes the dish watery. I’ve tried extracting the water from the cod prior to layering the dish and so far, I haven’t had great results.
- Feel free to use another type of potato in place of yukon golds. Russet or any non-sweet potatoes with white flesh will work.
- A touch of dijon mustard adds tanginess to the sauce, but it’s optional.
- You don’t have to use both types of cheese. If I were to choose just one, it would be parmesan. If you have access to Portuguese cheese, São Jorge is a good one to use.
🔪 Step-by-step instructions
Prepare the bacalhau
Step 1: Soak the cod by immersing it in a bowl of cold water for a full 48 hours. Change the water every 4-5 hours. Drain and give the cod a final rinse.
Step 2: Fill a large pot with water and add 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic cloves and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then place the cod in the boiling water and cover with a lid. Turn the burner off and let sit, covered for 15-20 minutes.
Step 3: Drain the cod and let it cool. Discard the water, garlic and bay leaves. Flake the cod with a fork or using your fingers. Discard any tough, spongey pieces.
Step 4: Heat the frying oil in a skillet with deep sides. Once the oil reaches 350°F fry the potatoes in batches until golden brown. Drain the potatoes on paper towels and keep them warm in a 170-degree (fahrenheit) oven.
Step 5: In a separate pot or deep skillet, heat remaining ⅓ cup of olive oil. Add onions and sauté until tender.
Step 6: Add the flaked cod to the pan and toss with the onions. After 2-3 minutes, turn the burner off and stir in the fresh parsley.
Make the sauce
Step 7: Melt the butter in a separate sauce pan and whisk in the flour until a paste forms. Slowly add the milk and continue to whisk, then add the heavy cream, dijon mustard, nutmeg salt and pepper. Cook just until thickened then turn the burner off.
Assemble the dish and bake
Step 8: Place the cod fish and onions in a casserole dish then layer the potatoes on top. Pour the bechamel sauce over the potatoes.
Step 9: Top with parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, until the center is warm and the cheese is melted on top. To brown the top, place under a broiler for 1-3 minutes, make sure to check every 30 seconds so it doesn’t burn.
💭 Tips & Tricks
- Soak the salted cod for a full 48 hours, and change the water several times. Do not skip this step or the cod will be too salty and will ruin the taste of the dish.
- Extract as much water from the cod as you can so it doesn’t get watery when it bakes. Sautéing the fish releases a lot of liquid so make sure to drain it before layering it with the sauce and potatoes.
- Tips for melting and browning the cheese: hand-shredded cheese melts best. To get a brown and bubbly top, place under the broiler for 1-3 minutes. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn!
🍽 Serving suggestions
- Garnish the dish with Portuguese olives and chopped parsley.
- In Portugual, bacalhau com natas is traditionally served on its own or with a mixed green salad.
- In my culture, it’s typically served at gatherings with other Cape Verdean dishes.
- Wine pairing: serve with vinho verde or a dry white wine.
❓ Recipe FAQ’s
Bacalhau is the Portuguese word for cod fish, but it usually refers to dried, salted cod. When referring to fresh cod, you would say for bacalhau fresco.
Bacalhau is briny with a distinct taste because of the way it’s cured. You’ll need to soak it for 48 hours and change the water several times to hydrate the fish and get rid of the strong salty taste.
The Spanish word for cod is bacalao and Italians call it baccala. Some non-speaking Carribean cultures call it salt fish.
Store leftovers in a tightly wrapped casserole dish or in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until warm in the center and bubbly on top.
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Bacalhau com Natas
Ingredients
Casserole ingredients
- 2.5 pounds dried salted cod refer to step 1 for soaking instructions
- ⅓ cup olive oil plus two tablespoons
- 3 cloves garlic sliced in half
- 2 bay leaves fresh or dried
- 1 pound yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes
- 2-3 cups canola oil for frying
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley plus more for garnish
- 1 cup part-skim mozzarella shredded
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- a few black olives for garnish
Natas (cream sauce)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (4 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk warm
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Soak the cod by immersing it in a bowl of cold water for a full 48 hours. Change the water every 4-5 hours. Drain and give the cod a final rinse.
- Cooking the cod: Fill a large pot of water and add 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic cloves and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then place the cod in the boiling water and cover with a lid. Turn the burner off and let the pot sit, covered for 15-20 minutes. Drain the water and discard the garlic and bay leaves.
- Cooling and flaking: Let the cod cool and flake it with a fork or using your fingers. Discard any tough, spongey pieces.
- Fry the potatoes by heating the frying oil in a skillet with deep sides. Once the oil reaches 350°F add the potatoes and fry in batches until golden ( 5-6 minutes for each batch). Drain on paper towels and keep the potatoes in a warm oven (170°F).
- Sauté the onions: In a separate pot or deep skillet, heat remaining ⅓ cup of olive oil. Add onions and sauté until tender.
- Sauté the cod: Add the flaked cod to the pan and toss with the onions. After 2-3 minutes, turn the burner off and stir in the fresh parsley.
- Prepare the sauce: Melt the butter in a separate sauce pan and whisk in the flour until a paste forms. Slowly add the milk and continue to whisk, then add the heavy cream, dijon mustard, nutmeg salt and pepper. Cook just until thickened then turn the burner off.
- Assemble: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the cod fish and onions in a casserole dish then layer the potatoes on top. Pour the bechamel sauce over the potatoes and top with parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the center is warm and the cheese is melted on top. To brown the top, place under a broiler for 1-3 minutes, make sure to check every 30 seconds so it doesn't burn.
- Garnish with Portuguese olives, chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- Soak the salted cod for a full 48 hours, and change the water several times. Do not skip this step or the cod will be too salty and will ruin the taste of the dish.
- Extract as much water from the cod as you can so it doesn’t get watery when it bakes.
- Hand-shredded cheese melts best. To get a brown and bubbly top, place under the broiler for 1-3 minutes. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn!
- Store leftovers in a tightly wrapped casserole dish or in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
Rosalie Lopes says
First time I made this dish and it was soooo good!