Bacalao al Ajoarriero Recipe: Easy Spanish Cod Dish 2026

Bacalao al ajoarriero is a traditional Spanish fish dish from the northern regions, especially Navarra. Its curious name comes from the combination of ajo (garlic), one of the sofrito ingredients, and arriero, referring to the old muleteers and carters who transported goods and food, including salted cod.

Like any traditional recipe, this popular dish varies from home to home. While it was traditionally made with desalted cod, today you can prepare it with fresh cod, as we do here, or with cod at the point of salt depending on availability. Some versions use roasted peppers instead of fresh ones, which adds a delicious touch, and it's also common to add a little choricero pepper pulp. Cayenne is another ingredient often included, so if you like heat, a pinch of ground cayenne will delight you. Finally, potatoes cut into cubes can be added alongside the peppers and cooked with them.

Ingredients for Bacalao al Ajoarriero

This recipe serves 2 people.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 onion
• Salt
• 400 g cod (fresh, desalted, or at the point of salt)
• 100 g tomato sauce

How to Make Bacalao al Ajoarriero Step by Step

1. Sauté the Vegetables

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and sauté 2 pressed garlic cloves for 2 minutes. Add 1 red bell pepper and 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced. Also add 1 diced onion, season with salt, and cook these vegetables over low heat for 20 minutes.

2. Brown the Cod

While the vegetables are cooking, in a separate skillet, brown 400 g of cod with 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 2 minutes per side, just until you see the flakes separate.

3. Add the Tomato Sauce

Add 100 g of tomato sauce to the skillet with the vegetables and mix to integrate the flavors.

4. Combine Cod and Vegetables

Next, add the flaked cod to the skillet and heat everything together for 2-3 minutes.

5. Serve

Serve this exquisite bacalao al ajoarriero freshly made, or keep it in the fridge until the next day, as resting does wonders for this traditional dish.

Tips for the Best Bacalao al Ajoarriero

Choose Your Cod Wisely

For this recipe, we chose good fresh cod fillets, which is why we browned them before adding them to the vegetables. If you use shredded cod instead, you can skip that step since the smaller pieces will cook directly with the heat of the vegetables.

Let It Rest Overnight

Bacalao al ajoarriero is even tastier if you let it rest overnight in the fridge. This resting period intensifies the flavor because the cod absorbs all the nuances of the vegetables. Serve it hot or warm, on its own or with a good piece of bread.

Traditional Variations

Some recipes use roasted peppers instead of fresh ones, which adds a very tasty touch. If you have homemade roasted peppers, this is a great alternative, though if you don't, we prefer fresh peppers over jarred ones. Adding a little choricero pepper pulp is also common and brings a delicious flavor.

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