Jamaican Saltfish Fritters

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

1. 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. 😉
2. Baking Powder – The leavening agent, baking powder, creates a light and fluffy fritter batter.
3. 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.
4. Seasonings – These guys are jam-packed with flavors from garlic, smoked paprika, sugar, parsley, and thyme.
5. Vegetables – Onion, scotch bonnet pepper, and bell pepper (all finely chopped) provide texture and color.
6. Egg binds the batter and keeps it moist.
7. 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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Seasoning Add-Ins – Add some fresh cilantro or scallions for freshness. A dash of curry powder will provide a warm earthiness.
4. Go Vegetarian – Replace the codfish with hearts of palm, canned green jackfruit, or tempeh for out-of-this-world plant-based fritters!
5. Veggie Additions – Experiment with yellow or orange bell peppers or add a diced Roma tomato to the batter for sweetness and freshness.
6. 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

1. When preparing the saltfish, use cold water to rinse and soak the fish to remove excess salt.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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

1. Caribbean Curried Shrimp
2. Caribbean Jerk Barbecue Ribs
3. Saltfish Bake
4. Vegan Coquito

Watch How to Make It

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This blog post was originally published in September 2014 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video