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    • Italian Salt Cod Recipes: Baccalà Stew & Salad

    From the Frank and Sal kitchen

    Two Italian Salt Cod Recipes We Make at Home

    These are the two salt cod dishes customers ask us for most: a tomato-rich Baccalà alla Napoletana and a bright, chilled Insalata di Baccalà. Each recipe now has its own complete page with exact ingredients, cooking times and step-by-step instructions.

    Before You Begin

    Both recipes start with fully desalted fish. A thick whole fillet generally needs 48 to 72 hours in cold water in the refrigerator, with fresh water about every eight hours. Thickness matters, so cook and taste a small piece from the center before beginning your recipe. For the complete process, see our salt cod desalting guide.

    Choose Your Recipe

    Baccalà alla Napoletana with salt cod, San Marzano tomatoes, Gaeta olives and capers

    A warming tomato dish

    Baccalà alla Napoletana

    Thick pieces of salt cod are lightly floured, browned and finished in a sauce of hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes, Gaeta olives, capers and garlic. The fish seasons the sauce as it simmers, so no salt is added until the dish is tasted at the end.

    Use the thick center sections of the fillet. They hold together better during frying and the final gentle simmer.

    • Style: Tomato-based main dish
    • Best cut: Thick center portions
    • Yield: About 4 to 6 servings
    • Best known for: Christmas Eve and winter dinners
    See the complete Baccalà alla Napoletana recipe
    Italian salt cod salad with lemon, parsley, garlic, celery and Gaeta olives

    A chilled lemon and olive oil salad

    Insalata di Baccalà

    Gently poached salt cod is cooled, broken into large flakes and dressed with lemon, extra virgin olive oil, parsley, garlic, celery and Gaeta olives. The salad needs time in the refrigerator so the lemon, garlic and olive oil can settle into the fish.

    The thinner sections of a whole fillet work especially well because they poach quickly and remain tender.

    • Style: Chilled salt cod salad
    • Best cut: Thinner wing and tail sections
    • Resting time: At least 4 hours; overnight is even better
    • Best known for: Christmas Eve, Lent and warm-weather meals
    See the complete Insalata di Baccalà recipe

    Which Recipe Should You Make?

    • Choose Baccalà alla Napoletana when you want a warm main course with tomato sauce and crusty bread.
    • Choose Insalata di Baccalà when you want a dish that can be prepared ahead and served chilled.
    • If you have a whole fillet, use the thick center for the stew and save the thinner sections for the salad.

    Questions About Preparing These Recipes

    Do I need to soak the fish before either recipe?

    Yes. Salt cod must be desalted and rehydrated before cooking. Whole, thick fillets generally need 48 to 72 hours in cold water in the refrigerator. The exact time depends on the thickness and strength of the cure.

    Which part of a whole fillet should I use?

    Use the thick center portions for the Napoletana because they hold together during frying and simmering. The thinner wing and tail sections are excellent for salad because they poach quickly and are easy to flake.

    Can I prepare either dish ahead?

    The salad is designed to be prepared ahead and improves after several hours in the refrigerator. The Napoletana can be prepared earlier the same day and reheated gently. Shake the pan instead of stirring so the pieces remain intact.

    Can I freeze salt cod after soaking it?

    Yes. Pat the desalted fish dry, wrap it tightly in recipe-sized portions and freeze it. Thaw it in the refrigerator before cooking.

    Can I substitute fresh cod?

    Fresh cod can be cooked with similar ingredients, but it will not produce the same dish. Salt curing gives baccalà its firmer flakes, deeper seasoning and traditional texture.

    Start With a Whole Boneless Fillet

    Our Frank and Sal salt cod is wild-caught North Atlantic cod supplied as whole, skinless and boneless fillets. A whole fillet gives you thick center portions for the stew and thinner sections for the salad, without paying for skin or bones you cannot use.

    From Our Table to Yours

    These are family dishes, not restaurant tricks. Give the fish enough time in cold water, cook it gently and let good tomatoes, olive oil, lemon, garlic and parsley do the rest.

    Last reviewed: August 2026