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Ackee and salted cod served with vegetables and spices
Jamaican Salted Cod with Ackee Fruit

Jamaican Ackee and Saltfish

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
Jamaica's national dish is a true history lesson on a plate: salted cod from North Atlantic waters meets the ackee fruit, originally from West Africa, on a tropical island. Although ackee is technically a fruit, when cooked it takes on a creamy, buttery texture deceptively similar to scrambled eggs, perfectly balancing the distinct, salty character of the fish. It's the 'King of Breakfasts' in the Caribbean, but a regal meal any time of day.
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 20 mins
⌛ Total Time 3 hrs
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 420 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Caribbean

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large bowl for soaking
  • Pot for boiling the fish
  • Wide skillet
  • Cutting board and knife

Allergen Information

⚠️ Fish
⚠️ Milk

Instructions

1 ✓

Soak the salted cod in cold water for at least 8-12 hours (or overnight), changing the water several times. Then place in fresh water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Tip: Soaking and boiling aim to rehydrate and reduce salt content (diffusion) to make the fish edible.
2 ✓

Drain the cooked fish, remove skin and bones, then flake into smaller pieces with a fork or by hand.

Tip: The fish fibers remain firm due to drying, providing a pleasant chewiness.
3 ✓

Dice the onion, pepper, tomatoes, and chili finely; crush the garlic. Heat the oil and butter in a wide skillet.

Tip: Butter is important for the Caribbean flavor profile, but oil prevents it from burning too quickly.
4 ✓

Sauté the onion, pepper, and garlic over medium heat until soft and fragrant. Add the tomato and chili, then simmer for a few more minutes.

Tip: Thorough sautéing brings out the sweetness of the vegetables, balancing the salty fish.
5 ✓

Fold in the prepared cod and sauté with the vegetables for 5 minutes to let flavors meld. Season with pepper.

Tip: No need to add salt here, as the fish retains enough salt.
6 ✓

Finally, very gently add the drained ackee. Just toss lightly to warm through, being careful not to break it up.

Tip: Ackee texture is extremely delicate and creamy; over-mixing will turn it into mush.
7 ✓

Serve warm. Traditionally eaten with boiled yams, green bananas, or hard dough bread.

Recipe FAQ

Can I use fresh fish?
The essence of the recipe is the texture and concentrated flavor of salted, dried fish. With fresh fish, it would be a completely different dish. If you can't get 'saltfish', heavily salt very firm white fish before frying.
Where can I get ackee?
It's mostly available in canned form in specialty stores or international markets. Canned ackee is already cooked, so handle it very gently.
The dish is too salty.
Soaking the cod is critical. If it remains salty, serve with more plain boiled vegetables (yam, plantain) or bread.

Ingredients

  • 1 can (19 oz) Ackee (drained)
  • 10 oz Salted Dried Cod (Bacalao/Saltfish)
  • 3.5 tbsp Butter
  • 1 piece Onion
  • 2 pieces Tomatoes
  • 1 piece Green Bell Pepper
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 piece Chili Pepper (Scotch Bonnet is authentic, to taste)
  • 1 pinch Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil