Frituras

Bacalaítos

Name: Bacalaítos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Ingredients: 1 cup salt cod (bacalao) soaked overnight; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup water; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 cup parsley, chopped; 1 teaspoon baking powder; Oil for frying

Crispy, salty codfish fritters — the snack every Puerto Rican grew up eating at the beach and from street vendors.

25 minutes Easy

By Josh Ortiz·August 2026·5 min read

Every Puerto Rican has a bacalaíto memory. Maybe it was from a kiosk at the beach in Piñones, handed to you through a paper napkin so hot it burned your fingers. Maybe it was from a roadside fritura where an abuela stood behind a massive pot of bubbling oil, flipping them with a fork. Or maybe it was at a family party, where a giant bowl of these crispy, salty codfish fritters disappeared in minutes. Bacalaítos are the quintessential Puerto Rican fritura — a simple flour batter loaded with shredded salt cod, garlic, and parsley, deep-fried until golden and crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside. They need nothing more than a squeeze of lime and a cold drink. The name comes from bacalao (salt cod), an ingredient that arrived in the Caribbean from the North Atlantic fishing trade and became a permanent fixture in Puerto Rican kitchens.

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What Are Bacalaítos?

Bacalaítos are flat, crispy codfish fritters made from a simple batter of flour, water, baking powder, and shredded salt cod seasoned with garlic and parsley. Unlike alcapurrias (which use a grated green banana and yautía masa), bacalaítos are flour-based — which makes them faster, simpler, and arguably the most accessible Puerto Rican fritter to make at home. The batter is thin enough to spread slightly when it hits the hot oil, creating those irregular, lacy edges that get extra crispy. The inside stays tender with visible shreds of salt cod running through it. They're served as a snack, an appetizer, or honestly just because it's Tuesday and you want something good.

You'll find bacalaítos at every fritura on the island — those roadside stands and beach kiosks that specialize in fried everything. They're often served alongside tostones, alcapurrias, and empanadillas, but bacalaítos hold their own as the star of any fritura platter. The salt cod gives them a savory, almost umami quality that regular flour fritters can't match.

Ingredients

Scale recipe:

4 servings

For 4 servings:

1 cup salt cod (bacalao) — soaked overnight in cold water, drained, and shredded. Find it salted (not smoked) at Latin or Portuguese groceries.
1 cup all-purpose flour — regular flour creates the thin, crispy batter. Don't use self-rising.
1/2 cup water — add gradually until you reach a thick but pourable batter, like pancake batter consistency.
2 cloves garlic, minced — fresh garlic is non-negotiable here. The flavor is central to the fritter.
1/4 cup parsley, chopped — adds color and a fresh, herbal note that cuts the saltiness.
1 teaspoon baking powder — just enough to give the fritters a little lift without making them fluffy.
Oil for frying — vegetable or canola oil with a high smoke point. You need about 2 inches in your skillet.

Mainland Swaps

No salt cod? You can find bacalao at most Latin, Portuguese, or even Scandinavian grocery stores. If you're in a pinch, canned codfish (not smoked) works, though the texture is softer.
No parsley? Cilantro adds a different but complementary freshness. In a real emergency, a teaspoon of dried parsley works — but fresh is always better.
No deep fryer? A heavy cast-iron skillet with 2 inches of oil works perfectly. Use a thermometer to maintain 350°F.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prep the cod. Drain your soaked salt cod and shred it finely with your fingers. Remove any skin or bones you find. The shreds should be thin and stringy — this is what gives bacalaítos their signature texture.

Make the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Gradually add water, stirring until you have a thick but pourable batter — think pancake batter. It should slowly drip off the spoon, not pour like water.

Fold in the flavor. Add the shredded cod, minced garlic, and chopped parsley to the batter. Fold gently until evenly distributed. Taste a tiny bit of the raw batter — the cod is salty, so you probably won't need much additional salt.

Fry them up. Heat oil to 350°F in a deep skillet. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil — about 2 tablespoons each — and flatten slightly with the back of the spoon. Don't overcrowd the pan; work in batches of 4-5.

Flip and finish. Fry 2-3 minutes per side until deep golden brown with crispy edges. The lacy, irregular edges are the best part — they get shatteringly crispy. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with lime wedges.

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Tips for Perfect Bacalaítos

Soak the cod overnight. This is the most important step. Cover the salt cod with cold water and refrigerate for 12-24 hours, changing the water 2-3 times. Skip this and your fritters will be inedibly salty.
Get the batter right. Too thick and the fritters will be doughy inside. Too thin and they'll spread into shapeless crisps. Aim for thick pancake batter — it should slowly drip off a spoon.
Oil temperature matters. If the oil is too cool, the fritters absorb grease and get soggy. If it's too hot, the outside burns before the inside cooks. 350°F is the sweet spot — use a thermometer.
Serve immediately. Bacalaítos are best within minutes of frying. If you must hold them, keep them warm on a wire rack in a 200°F oven. They'll lose their crunch in about 15 minutes.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Place the salt cod in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours, changing the water 2-3 times. The more times you change the water, the less salty the final product will be. After soaking, taste a small piece — it should taste mildly salty, like well-seasoned fish. If it's still aggressively salty, soak it another 6-12 hours.

You can, but it won't be the same. Fresh cod has a very different texture and flavor — much milder and wetter. If you substitute, pat the cod very dry and add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the batter to compensate. The fritters will be good, but the distinctive salty punch of traditional bacalaítos comes from the salt cod. It's worth seeking out.

Think thick pancake batter — it should slowly drip off a spoon in a thick ribbon, not pour like water. When you drop a spoonful into the oil, it should hold its shape and spread only slightly. If it's too thick, add water a teaspoon at a time. If it's too thin, add flour a tablespoon at a time. The batter should coat the back of a spoon without running off immediately.