Dish guides
What is bacalhau à Brás?
Bacalhau à Brás is a Portuguese dish of shredded salt cod fried with onion and thin, crisp matchstick potatoes, then bound with softly scrambled egg and finished with black olives and parsley. It comes from Lisbon and is one of the most common cod dishes on Portuguese menus, listed under fish (peixe) or bacalhau.
- At a glance
- Bacalhau à Brás
- Shredded salt cod with onion, matchstick potatoes and scrambled egg.
- Pronunciation
- Say it like buh-kuh-LYOW ah BRASH · IPA /bɐkɐˈʎaw a ˈbɾaʃ/
- Also written as
- bacalhau a bras, bacalhau à Braz, bacalhau à Brás com gambas, Brás de bacalhau, cod à Brás
What’s in it
Core ingredients
- salt cod (bacalhau), soaked and shredded
- onion
- garlic
- olive oil
- matchstick fried potatoes (batata palha)
- eggs
- black olives
- parsley
Often added
- prawns
- a bay leaf
- a green salad on the side
Allergens
| Allergen | How likely |
|---|---|
| Fish | Typically contains |
| Eggs | Typically contains |
| Shellfish | Sometimes contains |
| Gluten | Rarely contains |
| Dairy | Rarely contains |
| Peanuts | Rarely contains |
| Tree nuts | Rarely contains |
| Soy | Rarely contains |
| Sesame | Rarely contains |
| Diet | Suitable? |
|---|---|
| Vegetarian | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Pescatarian | Usually |
| Halal | Usually |
| Kosher | Depends — Cod, eggs and potatoes are kosher-compatible ingredients, but Portuguese restaurant kitchens are rarely kosher-certified. |
| Gluten-free | Usually |
Allergen and calorie details are AI estimates based on the menu and typical recipes. They can be incomplete — if you have a serious allergy, always check with the staff.
What's in it
The cod is bacalhau, salted and dried cod that's soaked in water for a day or more to remove most of the salt before cooking. For this dish it's shredded into flakes and fried in olive oil with thinly sliced onion and garlic. Very thin fried potato sticks (batata palha, "straw potatoes") go in next, then beaten eggs, stirred over low heat just until they set into soft, creamy curds. Black olives and chopped parsley go on top.
The result is golden, soft and savoury, with a little crunch left in the potatoes. It's salty by nature, since the cod keeps some of its curing salt.
Where it comes from
The recipe is generally traced to Lisbon's Bairro Alto in the second half of the 19th century, and its name is said to honour a tavern keeper called Brás (or Braz). Salt cod itself has been central to Portuguese cooking for centuries, and Portugal still imports large amounts of it from the North Atlantic. A popular saying claims there's a bacalhau recipe for every day of the year. The "à Brás" method has since been applied to other fillings, such as chicken (frango à Brás), mushrooms or vegetables, which can make a meat-free alternative.
How to order it
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Queria um bacalhau à Brás, por favor. | I'd like the bacalhau à Brás, please. |
| Pode ser meia dose? | Could I have a half portion? |
| Leva leite ou natas? | Does it contain milk or cream? |
Not to be confused with
- Bacalhau com natas — Salt cod baked with cream, onion and potatoes under a golden top, a bit like a gratin.
- Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá — A Porto recipe of cod chunks baked with sliced potatoes, onion, boiled egg and olives.
- Pastéis de bacalhau — Fried cod-and-potato croquettes, eaten as a snack or starter (called bolinhos de bacalhau in some areas).
Frequently asked questions
What does bacalhau à Brás taste like?
It tastes savoury and gently salty, like flaky fish mixed into soft scrambled eggs, with sweet fried onion and a slight crunch from the straw potatoes. The olives add a briny note. The salt cod has a firmer texture and deeper flavour than fresh cod. It's a comforting dish rather than a spicy or strongly flavoured one.
Is bacalhau à Brás gluten free?
Usually, yes. The traditional ingredients, salt cod, onion, olive oil, potatoes, eggs and olives, contain no gluten. The risk comes from shop-bought straw potatoes with additives, or a fryer shared with breaded food. If you need to avoid gluten strictly, ask the staff how the potatoes are made.
What's the difference between bacalhau à Brás and bacalhau com natas?
Both use salt cod, onion and potato, but they're cooked differently. Bacalhau à Brás is made in a pan, with matchstick potatoes and scrambled eggs and no cream. Bacalhau com natas is baked in the oven with cream, often a béchamel-style sauce and cubed potatoes. If you avoid dairy, à Brás is usually the better choice.
How do you pronounce bacalhau à Brás?
Say buh-kuh-LYOW ah BRASH: in IPA, [bɐkɐˈʎaw a ˈbɾaʃ]. In bacalhau, the "lh" sounds like the "lli" in million, and the stress falls on the last syllable. In European Portuguese, the final s in Brás sounds like "sh".
