Bolinhos de bacalhau salt cod and potato cakes

Name: Bolinhos de bacalhau salt cod and potato cakes
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 300g salt cod, soaked, see step 1; 500g floury potatoes, peeled and chopped; 1 onion, very finely chopped; 2 eggs; 3 tbsp chopped parsley; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp ground nutmeg; 300ml sunflower oil, for frying

Crisp-shelled cod and potato croquettes with a soft, parsley-flecked middle.

Time45 min plus soaking
LevelMedium
Costabout £0.87 a head

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

6 servings

Ingredients

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300 gsalt codsoaked, see step 1
500 gfloury potatoespeeled and chopped
1onionvery finely chopped
2eggs
3 tbspchopped parsley
1 tbspolive oil
1 tspblack pepper
1 tspground nutmeg
300 mlsunflower oilfor frying

Method

1
Soak the salt cod in plenty of cold water in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours, changing the water 3 or 4 times. Taste a flake: it should be pleasantly salty, not harsh.
2
Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes until soft, drain well and mash until smooth. Leave to cool a little.
15 min
3
Poach the cod for 5 minutes, drain and flake very finely, discarding skin and bones.
5 min
4
Soften the onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes. Mix with the potato, cod, eggs, parsley, pepper and nutmeg.
5 min
5
Shape the mix into 18 ovals using two tablespoons.
6
Heat the frying oil in a deep pan and fry the cakes in batches for 3 minutes, turning, until deep golden. Drain and serve warm.
3 min

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.