Jamaican Saltfish Fritters are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Take a trip to the islands with this tastebud sensation from the Caribbean.
These saltfish fritters are your ticket to a culinary Caribbean vacation without the high price of a plane ticket. Can Jamaican fritters with saltfish truly deliver the taste of the Caribbean? Absolutely!
Whether you’re from the Caribbean and crave tropical comfort food or enjoy trying new foods, this recipe is for you. Jamaican saltfish fritters fresh from the fryer and paired with pepper sauce make me a happy camper.
What Is Saltfish?
Cod preserved by salting and drying is also known as bacalao. Unsalted dried fish is popular in African cooking, but fish lasts a lot longer if you salt it before drying. Italians call saltfish baccala and the Portuguese bacalhau.
No matter what you call it, it’s delicious when properly prepared. Even better, you don’t have to keep it refrigerated. Just soak it in water for 1-3 days to remove as much salt as possible, or you’ll have wasted an expensive fish. These are not spur-of-the-moment fritters unless you get your cod from a store that sells it frozen and has desalted it for you.
If you’re wondering why go through all this trouble to cook with salted codfish for fritters, let me explain. It’s like comparing pork to ham. The salt curing changes the flavor into something even more delicious! Talk about the flavor; nothing compares to this saltfish fritter recipe!
Recipe Ingredients
- Saltfish gives the fritters their one-of-a-kind taste and texture. I opt for boneless, skinless salted cod to save time in the kitchen. 😉
- Baking Powder – The leavening agent, baking powder, creates a light and fluffy fritter batter.
- Flour – All-purpose flour creates the batter base and provides structure. For gluten-free fritters, use a 1:1 ratio of your favorite gluten-free flour.
- Seasonings – These guys are jam-packed with flavors from garlic, smoked paprika, sugar, parsley, and thyme.
- Vegetables – Onion, scotch bonnet pepper, and bell pepper (all finely chopped) provide texture and color.
- Egg binds the batter and keeps it moist.
- Milk – Essential for creating just the right batter consistency. But you can replace the milk with water.
How to Make Jamaican Saltfish Fritters
- Prepare Fish – Soak saltfish in water overnight or for several days (change the water several times). Drain and shred fish with a food processor for a fine shred. If you prefer, you can finely shred it by hand.
- Dry Ingredients – Combine the flour, baking powder, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, and sugar. Stir for about a minute, then add onions, shredded fish, thyme, red bell pepper, scotch bonnet, parsley, and egg.
- Add Milk – Whisk until ingredients are well blended. Add milk gradually, starting with about a ⅓ cup, until it reaches the desired thickness.
- Adjust Seasonings – You may want to do a test taste and adjust the seasonings according to your palate.
- Heat oil to 350℉ (180℃) in a skillet or saucepan. You can also use the oil test by dropping a 1-inch square of bread into the oil. If it takes 60 seconds to brown, the oil is around 350℉ (180℃).
- Fry – Carefully place the batter by spoonfuls into the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes. The fritters will turn a beautiful golden brown (you may need to do this in batches). Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel to drain.
Recipe Variations
- Fresh Cod – You can use fresh fish instead of saltfish for fritters. The flavor and texture of the fritters will be slightly different, but they will still be incredibly delicious. And you may want to add a little extra salt to the recipe.
- Adjust the Heat – Replace the scotch bonnet pepper with red habanero pepper if you prefer a slightly smokey flavor. Or feel free to omit the hot peppers if you don’t care for the heat.
- Seasoning Add-Ins – Add some fresh cilantro or scallions for freshness. A dash of curry powder will provide a warm earthiness.
- Go Vegetarian – Replace the codfish with hearts of palm, canned green jackfruit, or tempeh for out-of-this-world plant-based fritters!
- Veggie Additions – Experiment with yellow or orange bell peppers or add a diced Roma tomato to the batter for sweetness and freshness.
- Air-Fried Fritters – For air frying, lightly oil a solid baking tray that fits in the air fryer (the batter will fall through the basket’s holes). Drop the batter onto the tray and cook in a preheated 400℉ (205℃) air fryer; lightly spray the fritters with cooking oil and air fry them for about 10 minutes. Flip and cook them for 5-10 minutes on the other side.
Tips and Notes
- When preparing the saltfish, use cold water to rinse and soak the fish to remove excess salt.
- To achieve the perfect batter consistency, add the milk gradually while stirring. Add less milk if you prefer thicker fritters. Adding more milk will give you thinner, crispier fritters.
- Saltfish fritters need space to cook evenly since they increase in volume in the skillet. Avoid overcrowding the pan since the results will be less crispy.
- The saltfish adds lots of flavor and saltiness to the fritters. However, you’ll still want to do a taste test after you have cooked one and adjust the salt to taste.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Jamaican saltfish fritters are best served immediately after frying when they’re warm and crispy. However, it’s easy to prepare the saltfish ahead of time and have it on hand. And you can make the fritters ahead and reheat them in an air fryer to crisp them back up.
Soak, drain, and shred the cod, then place it in a plastic zipper bag or airtight container and freeze it. Shredded saltfish keeps well for up to 2 months in the freezer. When ready to use, defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Serving and Storage Instructions
These golden treats are great on their own as a hearty breakfast or with your favorite vegetable side dishes for lunch. They’re also tasty as an appetizer with your favorite dip.
Refrigerate leftover fritters in an airtight container for 2-3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. You might want to layer them with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking.
To reheat fritters, arrange them on a baking sheet and bake them in a preheated or toaster oven until heated through.
What to Serve With Jamaican Saltfish Fritters
Saltfish fritters are incredibly versatile and are wonderful for breakfast, lunch, or an afternoon snack. For a hearty meal, serve these delicacies with callaloo, Caribbean rice and beans, and a refreshing Caribbean coleslaw.
More Caribbean Delicacies to Try
- Caribbean Curried Shrimp
- Crispy Caribbean Chicken Strips
- Caribbean Jerk Barbecue Ribs
- Saltfish Bake
- Vegan Coquito
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”VDuqzIC9″ upload-date=”2019-04-25T13:57:11.000Z” name=”Salt Fish Fritters” description=”Spiced Jamaican Saltfish fritters – Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. A tastebud sensation!”]
This blog post was originally published in September 2014 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Saltfish Fritters
Ingredients
- ½ pound (250g) boneless salted cod or any firm-fleshed white fish
- 2 teaspoons (9.5g) baking powder
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (2g) granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon (1g) smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon (2g) sugar
- ½ medium onion, finely diced
- ½ teaspoon (1g) scotch bonnet pepper, minced (or replace with 2g hot sauce)
- 3 tablespoons (8g) parsley, minced
- 1 teaspoon (1g) fresh thyme, minced
- 2 tablespoons (19g) bell pepper, minced
- 1 large egg
- ⅓-½ cup (80-120ml) milk or water
- freshly grated pepper to taste
- vegetable oil for frying (about 3 cups)
Instructions
- Soak the saltfish in water overnight or for a few days (changing the water several times). Drain and shred fish using a food processor to achieve a really fine shred, or finely shred it by hand.
- Combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, and sugar. Stir for about a minute, then add onions, shredded saltfish, thyme, red bell pepper, scotch bonnet, parsley, and egg.
- Whisk until ingredients are well combined. Then, gradually add milk, starting from about ⅓ cup, until reaching the desired thickness.
- Adjust seasonings, frying up a small piece to do a taste test if necessary.
- Heat the oil to 350℉ (180℃) in a skillet or saucepan. You could also use the oil test by dropping a 1-inch square of bread into it. If it takes 60 seconds to brown, the oil is around 50℉ (180℃).
- Carefully lower spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil and fry for 3-4- minutes or until the fritters are crisp and golden brown. You may need to do this in batches.
- Remove the cooked fritters from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate to remove excess oil.
Tips & Notes:
- When preparing the saltfish, use cold water to rinse and soak the fish to remove excess salt.
- To achieve the perfect batter consistency, add the milk gradually while stirring. Add less milk if you prefer thicker fritters. Adding more milk will give you thinner, crispier fritters.
- Saltfish fritters need space to cook evenly since they increase in volume in the skillet. Avoid overcrowding the pan since the results will be less crispy.
- The saltfish adds lots of flavor and saltiness to the fritters. However, you’ll still want to do a taste test after you have cooked one and adjust the salt to taste.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Kaye says
Excellent, came out perfectly! One of the best recipes out there
Kim says
Hi really looking forward to making this and can’t wait to try it. Just wanted to ask, can I make the mixture from the night before?
ImmaculateBites says
I make them, place in a single layer, freeze, until hard . Remove and throw in a ziplock or freezer bag. Fry as needed. So you can make them way in advance.
Happy cooking!!
Mike says
Do you fry them directly from frozen or defrost them first?
imma africanbites says
Hi, Mike. You can fry them frozen. No need to thaw.
Regina Clark says
I must be doing something wrong because my fritters always seem to come out soggy in the middle. How can I present this from happening am I using too much “batter” and not enough fish or vice versa. Thank you for any help you can provide
ImmaculateBites says
There might be a variety of reasons why this is happening. It might be the temperature of the oil, use a thermometer, if possible . Also if you over crowd the pan it might bring down the temperature of the oil resulting in soggy fritters.
Matthew says
Also, it might simply be the temperature is too high so it only gives the impression that your fritters are cooked but only cooks the outside. Temperature should be on medium to high.
Ayanna says
This has become my go to base recipe for salted fish fritters. Everyone who I ate them love them and I’ll always getting requests for more. I find myself whenever I’m looking for a recipe, first looking to see if you have it before I look else’s. Kudos to your amazing talent
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Ayanna,
Thank you so much for your kind words. Am so glad you took time out to share this- really appreciate it.
Taneisha Wright says
I’m Jamaican and we usually free hand our mixtures. Needless to say I was having an apartment warming and did not want to chance a free hand. Based on the comments I knew this was it. I didn’t even make before hand as a tester. I quadrupled the recipe made and served on the day with sweet chilli sauce among other tid bits. It was a big hit. Thank you so much. Only my grandmother could’ve made these better. Or maybe not! They are just that good.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! So happy to hear it was a hit with the family. Thanks for taking time out to share your thoughts with us .
Cassie says
Very easy and straight forward never knew how to make it and I tried for the first time and they came out perfect
Danielle L Moore says
There isn’t enough ⭐’s here. Can I tell you I LOVE this recipe? Kudos
imma africanbites says
Awww.. Thank you. 🙂
Chef Dee says
By far the best recipe for Jamaican Fish Cakes. I like that there is fish in every bite, it is not doughy like most in my area. And so long as your oil is hot enough but not too hot. They are not greasy at all. Nice crust and deliciousness inside. I live in NYC and there are many many West Indian restaurants in my area. These fish cakes outdo them all. I have made these several times when hosting parties, and they go fast. I usually make a spiced Tamarind Sauce to accompany these. Thanks for a great recipe. Fish cakes was a childhood Fav. 4 for $1 back then. So glad I can make them at home whenever so inclined. Thanks for this amazing recipe.
Chef Dee
Jasmin says
I just made these and I can say these are amazing!! Such an easy recipe and delicious. Reminds me of ordering from the neighborhood Jamaican restaurant in Brooklyn.
Geno says
I used this recipe yesterday it was simple and straight to the point and taste just like the expensive ones i get from the Caribbean restaurants here in NYC
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome, so happy to hear it worked out well for you.
Angela McGowan says
this looks absolutely delicious
Monique says
Made these yesterday and are honestly the best recipe I’ve come across. So tasty. Saving this for next time x
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks for the Feedback!
Joe Henderson says
These are quite fantastic. they remind me of my friend Claudette’s cooking. She is from Jamaica and a wonderful cook. Your recipe was easy to understand but what should or maybe what kind of condiment would go with them especially well? Any thoughts? Thank you for your post
Just lovely
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Joe! It’s using serve with dipping sauce . When entertaining I serve with two dipping sauces – remoulade and hot pepper sauce.
Tricia says
i am sure that some of your recipes come from Grenada as well, not just Jamaica as I am sure that Jamaica is not the only Caribbean island in the west indies.
My mum maks this all the time, along with curry goat, roti, rice and peas
ImmaculateBites says
Oh Yes! This is enjoyed through out the Caribbeans and other parts of the world
Roger says
Hi, I want to make these for a Christmas Eve party, I live 350 miles away from where the party is can I freeze and reheat when I get there?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi there ! You sure can. Make it ,let it cool. Freeze and reheat right before serving .
Faye says
I love the round ones I always make the square ones this is must try it look do yummy
kathy says
do you go from frozen state to oven or thaw first then reheat?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Kathy, Frozen to oven works just fine.
Lindy says
I live in barbados we called dem fish cakes hear and there r very tasty love dem great recipe
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Lindy
Zen says
How did you get them so perfect. Did you use a icecream scoop? I made some this morning from my Grandmother’s recipe which is pretty close to yours but for her, you use a little of this and a little of that. I made 3 pounds for my Godson’s HS graduation party. I sure hope they are enjoyed. Love your recipe and will try it soon. Just need to know how to get them in bite size perfect form like yours. Thanks for sharing!
ImmaculateBites says
I used my hands(check it out here (https://www.africanbites.com/puff-puff/) to get it to that shape . It’s a bit of practice but you can do it. An ice cream scoop would do the job too.
Big Congratulation on your Godson’s graduation!!!!
Happy Cooking!!!