This Spanish Baked Fish with Potatoes, known as Bacalao a la Catalana, is possibly one of the best fish recipes that hail from Spain. We´re talking perfectly baked fish that melts in your mouth, super tender potatoes and a delicious sauce that brings it all together.
To make this recipe, I used cod fillets I bought frozen and thawed out. But you can always use fresh cod, as well as any other type of firm white fish. For the sauce, I used homemade vegetable broth, but chicken broth or fish broth can also be used.
The secret to this recipe, is to lightly fry the potatoes and fish in extra virgin olive oil before adding everything into the oven. You don´t want to fully cook the ingredients, just a light golden fry. This gives the potatoes and the fish a bigger depth of flavors, as well as giving the ingredients a melt-in-your-mouth goodness.
TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: It took me exactly 15 minutes to perfectly bake all the ingredients. Of course, every oven heats differently. So it might take you a couple of minutes less or a couple of minutes more. Either way, keep an eye on the ingredients so the fish doesn´t overcook.
Key Ingredients & Cookware I used in this Recipe:
MY COOKWARE
MY CHEF´S KNIFE
EXTRA VIRGIN SPANISH OLIVE OIL
SWEET SMOKED SPANISH PAPRIKA
GOLDEN SAFFRON
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Watch the Video Below on How to Make Spanish Baked Fish with Potatoes
Spanish Baked Fish with Potatoes | Bacalao a la Catalana
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 120 ml
- 2 potatoes
- 4 cod fillets 7 oz / 200 grams each
- 1/2 cup +1 tbsp all purpose flour 60 grams + 8 grams
- 1 small onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tomatoes
- 1/2 cup white wine 120 ml
- 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 2.50 grams
- 2 cups vegetable broth 480 ml
- 1/4 tsp saffron threads .17 grams
- pinch sea salt
- dash black pepper
- handful chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
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Heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in the olive oil
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While the oil is heating, cut the potatoes (peeled) into 3/8 inch (1 cm) thick rounds
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Add the sliced potatoes into the hot pan, all in a single layer, cook in batches, go for 3 minutes per side, as you finish each batch, transfer over a plate with paper towels
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While the potatoes are cooking, pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels, then season with sea salt & black pepper and coat each one in all purpose flour, also finely chop the onion and roughly chop the garlic
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Once all the potatoes are lightly fried, add the cod fillets into the hot pan, go for 2 minutes per side, then transfer into a plate with paper towels
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Using the same pan with the same heat, add in the chopped onion and garlic, mix continuously, after 3 to 4 minutes and the onion is translucent, add in 1 tbsp (8 grans) flour, mix continuously, after 1 to 2 minutes add in the tomatoes finely grated, the white wine, sweet smoked paprika and season with sea salt & black pepper, mix together and then simmer
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Once the mixture has thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes, add in the broth and saffron, raise to a high heat, mix together and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until you get a slightly creamy sauce, then remove from the heat
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Add half of the sauce into a casserole dish, then the fried potatoes, in a single layer, the cod fillets and the rest of the sauce over the fish and potatoes
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Add into a preheated oven, bake only option (bottom heat) 210 C - 410 F, bake for 15 minutes or until the fish and potatoes are cooked through
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Serve directly out of the casserole dish or transfer into serving plates, sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley, enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Get Saffron and Spanish Paprika I used to make this Recipe
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Jason Hunt
18 . Jun . 2024Wow! I just made this for dinner and it was absolutely DELICIOUS. I served it with rice, but probably wouldn’t do that again except for in the winter. As a summer dinner, sans rice 🙂
Spain on a Fork
Happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
19 . Jun . 2024BK
This was very good and relatively easy to do. I have family that can not do gluten so I used ground corn meal on the fish and gluten free flour to thicken. I also didn’t have tomatoes so I used canned chopped tomatoes, this worked well too. Thank-you for this recipe, I will make this again!
29 . Apr . 2024Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment:) Much love
29 . Apr . 2024Lauren
21 . Feb . 2024Amazing!
Spain on a Fork
Happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
21 . Feb . 2024MEM
11 . Dec . 2023Love your recipes.
Spain on a Fork
Thank you! Appreciate the comment 🙂 Much love
11 . Dec . 2023Ramya
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use tofu and skip wine as i don’t use alcohol at home i never had spanish baked fish with potatoes before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
11 . Dec . 2023Spain on a Fork
Sounds great Ramya! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
11 . Dec . 2023