History
Bacalhau a Braga is one of the 365 ways of cooking bacalhau documented across Portugal, but it holds a specific Minho character. The thick fried onion rings and green peppers distinguish it from the northern a Ze do Pipo or the southern Gomes de Sa preparations. The dish crystallised as a Braga signature at family restaurants in the mid-20th century; Restaurante Tia Isabel and Arcoense are its two canonical addresses. Cozinha da Se near the cathedral has kept the preparation on its menu since the 1990s without modification.
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Common allergens: Fish, Gluten
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 4 thick bacalhau (salt cod) fillets, about 200g each
- 3 large onions, cut into thick rings
- 2 green peppers, deseeded and cut into strips
- 150ml extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 800g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
- Handful of black olives
- Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Black pepper
Method
- Desalt the bacalhau: soak for 12 to 24 hours in cold water, changing water 3 times. Drain and pat dry.
- Fry the potato wedges in olive oil over medium-high heat until golden and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Season and set aside.
- In a large pan, heat more olive oil over medium heat. Fry the onion rings and green pepper strips slowly until soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Add garlic for the last 2 minutes.
- Push the onion and pepper to the edges. Raise heat to medium-high and fry the bacalhau fillets, skin-side down first, 4 minutes per side.
- Arrange on a platter with potatoes, olives and the onion-pepper mix spooned over. Scatter parsley and crack black pepper generously.
Tip from the editors. The quality of the olive oil defines the dish; use the best Portuguese extra-virgin available.
Where to eat bacalhau a braga
Bacalhau a Braga in Braga
Restaurante Tia Isabel ★ 4.4
The popular Sunday restaurant of Braga locals: roast kid, stuffed bacalhau and papas de sarrabulho at honest prices away from the tourist centre.
OrderPapas de sarrabulho with bread and a vinho verde at the family table for under €13.
TipSunday lunch fills by 12:30; reserve by phone. Weekday lunch is more relaxed and the same full menu applies, often at slightly faster service.
Arcoense ★ 4.3
Founded in the 1970s on the outskirts of Braga, Arcoense built its reputation on certified Bisaro pork, Minho cod and padeiro roast kid. Reservations advised.
OrderCertified Bisaro pork rojões with lard-fried potatoes: a thirty-year signature dish worth the taxi fare.
TipSix kilometres from the centre. Reservations essential at weekends.
Cozinha da Sé ★ 4.0
Open since 1998 and Michelin-referenced since 2013, Cozinha da Sé works rustic-modern Minho cooking from a central location in the historic quarter.
OrderCabrito assado à moda do Minho: the slow-roasted kid that has been on the menu since the house opened in 1998.
More cities are in research. Want bacalhau a braga covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.