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Bacalao con Huevos or codfish egg scramble is an easy and delicious meatless dish perfect for a quick meal. Popular in the Dominican Republic during Lent.
Lent is a religious observance of many Christians that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. Its purpose is to provide a time for reflection and self-examination.
During Lent, it is custom for many Christians to commit to fasting or give up some type of luxury. Many give up a particular food or habit.
Growing up back in the Dominican Republic, I remember my family always gave up eating meat on Fridays during the Lenten Season. This is a tradition that my mother upholds till this day.
Bacalao (codfish) is one of those ingredients that truly remind me of home, mostly because it was an ingredient of choice during Lent season. This Bacalao con Huevos is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it!
For more Dominican Easter recipes, be sure to try Habichuelas con Dulce (Dominican Sweet Beans) for a delicious dessert.
Ingredients
- Oil
- Red Onion
- Red and Green Bell Peppers
- Bacalao (dried salted codfish)
- Seasoning
- Eggs
How to make Bacalao con Huevos
- Soak the bacalao in warm water for at least 24 hours changing the water 2-3 times. Rinse well. Break the bacalao into small chunks and rinse again twice. Drain all the water. This will remove the excess salt and re-hydrate the codfish.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers. Sauté stirring occasionally for about 2-3 minutes until onions start to soften. Toss in the bacalao and the all-purpose seasoning. Stir everything together and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Crack the eggs and add to the skillet. Stir everything together until well combined and eggs have cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bacalao is cod fish, which has been preserved by drying and salting. This preservation method has been around since ancient times and allowed for the food to become an important item international commerce.
In this way the ingredient spread through the Atlantic and became a traditional ingredient in the cuisines of many countries in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, West Africa and the Caribbean.
The fish has to be re-hydrated before cooking. You do this by soaking it in cold water for about 24 hours changing the water about 2 to 3 times in the day. This process also allows for some of the salt to come out.
I like to eat bacalao con huevos warm with white rice or tostones, but I’m sure it would taste just as good in a sandwich or rolled up in a tortilla. Yum!
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Don’t skip the soaking process, this is what gets it super tender and flavorful.
- Since the bacalao is already salted, there is no need to add any additional salt. If after adding the eggs you find the dish to be too salty, add in 1 or 2 more eggs.
There is a number of ways in which you can prepare codfish, but bacalao con huevos is by far my family’s favorite. This is an easy meatless dish perfect for a quick Friday night meal.
More Seafood Recipes
- Lentil Stew with Shrimp
- Pan Fried Salmon Fillet with Salsa
- Tuna Avocado Tostadas
- Fried Fish Tacos with Lime Slaw
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small red onion , diced
- ½ red bell pepper , diced
- ½ green bell pepper , diced
- 12 oz pack bacalao (dried, salted codfish)
- 1 teaspoon complete seasoning , without salt
- 4 large eggs
INSTRUCTIONS
- Soak the bacalao in warm water for at least 24 hours changing the water 2-3 times. Rinse well. Break the bacalao into small chunks and rinse again twice. Drain all the water.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers. Sauté stirring occasionally for about 2-3 minutes until onions start to soften. Toss in the bacalao and the all-purpose seasoning. Stir everything together and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Crack the eggs and add to the skillet. Stir everything together until well combined and eggs have cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Served warm with a side of white rice or tostones.
NOTES
- Don’t skip the soaking process, this is what gets it super tender and flavorful.
- Since the bacalao is already salted, there is no need to add any additional salt. If after adding the eggs you find the dish to be too salty, add in 1 or 2 more eggs.
Nutrition
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Cat
Hi, Do you happen to know how many calories are in this dish. If you know the macro breakdown even better!
Vanessa
Hi Cat,
I do not have that information yet. But we’re adding nutritional information to all of our recipes very soon. Stay tuned.
Ros Emely
Great recipe! I am Dominican too and my mother makes this dish which always turns out delicious. I make eggplant with scramble eggs too.
Vanessa
Hi Ros, my grandmother use to make eggplant with eggs too. I have never been a fan of eggplant, but lately I have been thinking of giving it another try. Thanks for reading!