Bacalhau à Brás is a classic Portuguese salt cod dish made with pieces of cod, onions, scrambled eggs, and shoestring potatoes. This unpretentious dish was invented by a tavern owner in Lisbon’s Bairro Alto neighborhood. This Codfish in Brás Style is not only one of the most popular Portuguese bacalhau dishes, it’s also one of the simplest. Where everything comes together in just under 30 minutes 😋

Before we jump to the recipe, if this is your first time cooking salted bacalhau, keep in mind you need to soak it to remove the extra salt. This process can take from a couple of hours to several days, it all depends on the thickness of your fish. I will be using loins that I soaked for 3 days, changing the water at least twice a day.

Traditional Brás Style Codfish Recipe

Start by draining your soaked codfish. Place it in a pan, cover with boiling water, simmer for 10 minutes. Let it cool down while you prepare the other ingredients.

Slice the onions, place a deep skillet over low to medium heat. Once hot, add in the olive oil, the onions, bay leaf, and thyme. Cook for about 8 minutes or until translucent. Push them to one side of the pan, add in your sliced garlic. Cook for another two minutes.

In the meantime, remove the skin and bones of the codfish, shred it with your hands. Add it to the skillet with the onions, fry for about 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and thyme.

Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a bowl, give them a gentle whisk with a fork. Pour the eggs into the hot skillet, stirring constantly to scramble. Be careful not to overcook the eggs, the mixture should still be moist. Turn off the heat.

Before we jump to the recipe, if this is your first time cooking salted bacalhau, keep in mind you need to soak it to remove the extra salt. This process can take from a couple of hours to several days, it all depends on the thickness of your fish. I will be using loins that I soaked for 3 days, changing the water at least twice a day.

Traditional Brás Style Codfish Recipe

Start by draining your soaked codfish. Place it in a pan, cover with boiling water, simmer for 10 minutes. Let it cool down while you prepare the other ingredients.

Slice the onions, place a deep skillet over low to medium heat. Once hot, add in the olive oil, the onions, bay leaf, and thyme. Cook for about 8 minutes or until translucent. Push them to one side of the pan, add in your sliced garlic. Cook for another two minutes.

In the meantime, remove the skin and bones of the codfish, shred it with your hands. Add it to the skillet with the onions, fry for about 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and thyme.

Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a bowl, give them a gentle whisk with a fork. Pour the eggs into the hot skillet, stirring constantly to scramble. Be careful not to overcook the eggs, the mixture should still be moist. Turn off the heat.