What is the difference between Mexican and Spanish bacalao a la vizcaína?

The original Spanish bacalao a la vizcaína contains choricero peppers (not tomato), garlic, onion and lots of olive oil, in an intense red-brown sauce. The Mexican version contains ripe tomato as a sauce base, potatoes, green olives, capers, almonds and yellow chillies. The Mexican version is more colourful, sweet and with heat; the Spanish one more concentrated and deeper in pepper flavour.

What does Mexican bacalao a la vizcaína taste like?

It tastes of a deep stewed tomato sauce with olive oil notes, slight heat from yellow chillies, pronounced saltiness from the dried cod, acidity from capers and olives, and sweet notes from almonds and bell peppers. The texture combines the shredded fish, the soft potatoes, the crunch of almonds and the moisture of the sauce. It is complex, deep, festive.

How is bacalao served at Christmas Eve?

It is served hot as the main course of Christmas Eve dinner on 24 December, accompanied by flour tortillas, warm bolillos for making tortas, white or red rice, and Nochebuena salad. Each diner assembles their portion to taste. The next day the leftovers are turned into a cod torta, a much-anticipated family tradition. It is accompanied with red wine or Christmas cider.

Where does bacalao a la vizcaína originate?

It originates from the Basque Country (Vizcaya, Spain), taken to Mexico by Basque seafarers in the sixteenth century as dried salt cod from the North Atlantic. In New Spain the recipe was transformed by incorporating tomato, potato, almonds and chillies, until it became a distinctively Mexican dish. Its association with Christmas Eve comes from the viceregal period, when it was the fish of Catholic vigil.

Back to guides

Mexican Bacalao a la Vizcaína: the Christmas dish

What is it?

Mexican bacalao a la vizcaína is the central dish of Christmas Eve dinner in much of Mexico, especially in the centre and south of the country. It consists of desalted, shredded dried salt cod cooked in a thick and aromatic sauce of stewed tomato, onion, garlic, bell peppers, green olives, capers, diced potatoes, whole yellow chillies (pickled or fresh), almonds, parsley and olive oil. Its flavour combines the saltiness of dried fish, the sweetness of ripe tomato, the acidity of capers and olives, the moderate heat of yellow chillies and the richness of olive oil, making it one of the most complex and beloved dishes of the national Christmas repertoire. Each family has its own Nochebuena recipe inherited through generations.

Origin and history

Bacalao a la vizcaína arrived in Mexico with the Spanish in the sixteenth century, imported by Basque seafarers from the Basque Country who traded in dried salt cod from the North Atlantic (Newfoundland, Iceland, Norway). The original Spanish recipe uses choricero peppers, garlic and oil, without tomato or chillies. In New Spain, the recipe evolved incorporating local ingredients: tomato (Solanum lycopersicum, native to America), yellow chillies and the characteristic quantity of olive oil. Larousse Cocina notes that the Mexican version of bacalao a la vizcaína is practically unrecognisable to Basques: it has developed its own identity after 500 years of adaptation. México Desconocido documents that the association with Christmas Eve comes from the viceregal period, when dried salt cod was the fish of Lent and Catholic vigil, later transferred to Christmas Eve dinner as an enduring tradition. Today it is one of the best-selling Christmas dishes in markets such as La Viga, La Merced and Jamaica in Mexico City during December.

Characteristic ingredients

The dried salt cod traditionally used is Norwegian salt cod (Gadus morhua), although in recent years cheaper Alaskan or pollock cod (Theragra chalcogramma) is also used. Preparation requires planning: the cod is desalted for 24-48 hours with changes of water. Once desalted, it is briefly boiled, drained and shredded, removing skin and bones. The sauce (caldillo) is prepared by stewing peeled and chopped ripe tomatoes with onion, garlic, parsley, bay leaves and abundant olive oil, slow-cooking 30-45 minutes until the sauce concentrates. Cubed boiled potatoes, pitted green olives, capers, whole yellow chillies (which provide controlled heat), red or yellow bell peppers in juliennes, and whole or flaked almonds are added. Finally the shredded cod is incorporated and left to season for 15-20 minutes. It is served hot with bolillos to make a cod sandwich the next day. Regional variants include versions with raisins, parsley at the end or chile chipotle.

Cultural significance

Mexican bacalao a la vizcaína is one of the strongest emblems of Christmas Eve dinner throughout the country, particularly in Mexico City, Puebla, the State of Mexico, Veracruz, Querétaro, Guanajuato and Yucatán. Its preparation is a family ritual: mothers and grandmothers make the sauce on 23 December and shred the cod, leaving it ready to serve on the evening of 24 December. It is a communal dish, usually yielding 20-30 portions, and is served in large clay pots or platters. The next day, the leftovers are turned into cod tortas in a bolillo or telera, one of the most eagerly awaited gastronomic experiences of 25 December. The Mexican dried-cod industry moves millions of pesos every December; wholesale markets specialise in its distribution. Traditional Mexican cuisine was recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Mexican bacalao is an example of colonial gastronomic adaptation, where an imported ingredient (fish from the North Atlantic) blends with local products (tomato, chilli) to create a new and distinctively national recipe.

Related recipes

Now that you know what it is, try cooking it at home with our step-by-step recipes:

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Mexican and Spanish bacalao a la vizcaína?: The original Spanish bacalao a la vizcaína contains choricero peppers (not tomato), garlic, onion and lots of olive oil, in an intense red-brown sauce. The Mexican version contains ripe tomato as a sauce base, potatoes, green olives, capers, almonds and yellow chillies. The Mexican version is more colourful, sweet and with heat; the Spanish one more concentrated and deeper in pepper flavour.
What does Mexican bacalao a la vizcaína taste like?: It tastes of a deep stewed tomato sauce with olive oil notes, slight heat from yellow chillies, pronounced saltiness from the dried cod, acidity from capers and olives, and sweet notes from almonds and bell peppers. The texture combines the shredded fish, the soft potatoes, the crunch of almonds and the moisture of the sauce. It is complex, deep, festive.
How is bacalao served at Christmas Eve?: It is served hot as the main course of Christmas Eve dinner on 24 December, accompanied by flour tortillas, warm bolillos for making tortas, white or red rice, and Nochebuena salad. Each diner assembles their portion to taste. The next day the leftovers are turned into a cod torta, a much-anticipated family tradition. It is accompanied with red wine or Christmas cider.
Where does bacalao a la vizcaína originate?: It originates from the Basque Country (Vizcaya, Spain), taken to Mexico by Basque seafarers in the sixteenth century as dried salt cod from the North Atlantic. In New Spain the recipe was transformed by incorporating tomato, potato, almonds and chillies, until it became a distinctively Mexican dish. Its association with Christmas Eve comes from the viceregal period, when it was the fish of Catholic vigil.