Brandada de Merluza: Easy Creamy Spanish Hake Dip Recipe, Step by Step 2026

Brandada de merluza is a creamy Spanish hake dip that belongs on every tapas table. Cooked hake and potato are pounded together, then emulsified with warm garlic olive oil and milk until silky and rich. It is the kind of appetizer that disappears fast, especially when served warm with plenty of toasted bread.

Because hake is less gelatinous than the salt cod used in the classic version, a little cooked potato is essential here. It helps the mixture bind and gives the brandada its characteristic smooth, spoonable texture with just a few flakes of fish left intact. This version is simple, forgiving and ready in about 45 minutes.

Ingredients for Brandada de Merluza

This recipe makes 4 servings as an appetizer.

• 100 g potatoes suitable for boiling
• 250 ml whole milk
• 1 small bay leaf
• Salt
• 200 g cleaned hake, skinless and boneless
• 2 or 3 garlic cloves
• 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
• Ground black pepper
• Toasted bread, for serving

How to Make Brandada de Merluza Step by Step

1. Boil the Potatoes with Milk and Bay

Peel 100 g of potato, preferably a boiling variety such as Kennebec or Monalisa, and cut it into fairly small pieces. Place them in a small saucepan with 250 ml whole milk, 1 small bay leaf and salt to taste. Heat covered over medium heat and, once it comes to a boil, cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring carefully now and then and watching so the milk does not boil over or stick to the bottom.

2. Add the Hake and Let It Rest

Check 200 g of cleaned hake to make sure no skin or bones remain. Cut it into cubes and, when the potato is tender, add it to the saucepan. Let the milk come back up to temperature and keep a gentle simmer for 3 minutes. Then take the saucepan off the heat, cover it and set aside. For a juicier result, you can remove the pan with the hake as soon as the milk reaches a boil so it cooks only in the residual heat, though for this it is essential to use hake that has been frozen for at least a week to prevent anisakis.

3. Make the Garlic Olive Oil

Meanwhile, peel 3 garlic cloves, slice them thinly and put them in a small frying pan with 100 ml extra virgin olive oil. Heat over low heat until the garlic is lightly golden, without letting it brown too much. Remove the garlic and set the flavored oil aside.

4. Drain the Hake and Potato, Keep the Milk

Once the hake is cooked, carefully drain the milk through a strainer. Save this milk too for later.

5. Mash the Hake and Potato

Transfer the hake and potato to a bowl and mash them with a mortar. You do not need a blender, since one of the characteristic features of brandada is that some fibers of the fish remain.

6. Emulsify with Milk and Garlic Oil

Next, work the mixture with the mortar while adding, little by little and alternately, some of the reserved milk and the garlic-flavored oil until you get a creamy, well-bound brandada with enough consistency.

7. Season and Transfer to a Serving Dish

Finish by tasting and adjusting the salt and pepper, then spoon the brandada into a small serving dish.

8. Optional: Gratinate the Top

If you like, place the brandada in the top of the oven and gratinate with top heat only at 200 ºC for a few minutes, watching closely so the surface browns just enough without burning.

Tips for the Best Brandada de Merluza

Why Potato Matters Here

Hake is less gelatinous than salt cod, so the mixture needs help to bind. Cooked potato is technically optional in the traditional version, but with hake it is indispensable for a creamy, well-set brandada.

Keep Some Texture

A mortar gives you the best control. One of the hallmarks of brandada is that some fibers of the fish stay intact, so avoid a blender unless you want a perfectly smooth paste.

Serve It Warm with Toasts

Brandada is at its best served hot, with toasted bread for scooping. A few minutes under the broiler browns the top lightly and adds a lovely contrast, so keep a close eye on it.

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