No, you didn’t read the title wrong. The first time I saw gazpacho on a restaurant menu, I got really excited…until the dish arrived. It was a cold tomato soup! I was like, WTH?! All my life, gazpacho has been a light & refreshing salad composed of flaky salt cod (bacalao), avocado, tomato, onion and olive oil. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw the soup. Puerto Rican gazpacho is a childhood favorite of mine, and is perfect for those nights when you’re just too tired to really cook. This dish is a simple assembly-style dish. The hardest part is waiting patiently to purge the salt cod of its salty coat. Another bonus, this dish is deliciously healthy and light, so feel free to have a couple servings! It’s perfect by itself, or you can serve it alongside rice, or inside a soft baked roll or pita pocket for a delish and portable meal option. Gazpacho is also a great option for Lent!
Gazpacho (Puerto Rican Salt Cod Salad)
Ingredients
- 1 lb of boneless salt cod fillets rinsed and purged of salt
- 1-2 tomatoes chopped
- 1/3 cup white or red onion finely chopped
- 1 Florida avocado peeled and chopped into cubes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Rinse off the salt from the bacalao and soak overnight in water, changing the water 3 times. Place the bacalao into a pot of cold water, and bring to a boil.
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As soon as the liquid comes to a boil, drain the salt cod and let it cool.
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Once it's cooled, break the salt cod into big flakes and place in a bowl. Make sure to check for any stray bones.
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Stir the chopped avocado, onion, tomato, olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and combine.
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Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Recipe Notes
Serve with a side of white rice, or make a sandwich with crusty bread.
10 comments
My first experience with this salad was with my Puerto Rican neighbor – and she made a slightly different version – so maybe there are regional or family recipes? Her version had sweet potato, hard boiled eggs, no tomatoes but chunks of banana – along with the avocados, salted cod, red onion and a dash of olive oil and pepper. I was intrigued and it became my favorite dish of all time. The textures and flavors are outstanding and although I was sure the banana would wreck it – it didn’t.
Ah yes, it sounds like you are describing something called Serenata De Bacalao. Different dish, super delicious!
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The bomb diggidy
This was amazing!
Tried this recipe and it was outstanding. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you. I had the opposite experience. I love gazpacho, the cold tomato soup. I had been reading salt cod recipes in several books but never tasted it. I mentioned that to a Puerto Rican friend and she brought a bacalao salad with avocado just as you describe and to my surprise, called it gazpacho. It is outstanding! (I think she cooked the onions until transparent) I went looking for a recipe and found your site. Thank you again.
Thanks Jeff! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
i love it ,
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