Bacalhau Espiritual is a Portuguese cod casserole made with shredded cod sautéed with onions and carrots, coated in a delicious bechamel sauce and baked until golden. It’s slightly similar to Bacalhau com Natas, the key difference is the addition of sautéed carrots bringing a touch of sweetness that contrasts beautifully with the salt cod. This decadent cod dish is no doubt my favourite Portuguese bacalhau recipe, and an absolute crowd pleaser. Keep on reading to learn more about Portuguese Bacalhau Espiritual and how to prepare it!
Bacalhau Espiritual – A French Inspired Cod Dish
There’s a common saying in Portugal: There are 1001 ways of preparing salt cod. Bacalhau Espiritual is perhaps one of the newest additions to the list. It was created in 1947 by the Countess of Almeida Araújo.
About to open a restaurant in Queluz Palace’s old kitchen, she took inspiration on the French dish Brandade Chaude de Morue. Her goal was to create a dish that combined local ingredients with the sophistication of a palace. While Brandade Chaude de Morue has a mousse-like texture and is served as spread, the Portuguese version is heartier and appreciated as the main dish, often served with rice or a simple salad.

About the Recipe – The Creamiest Cod Bake You’ll Try
This Portuguese codfish casserole basically consists of two components. The first one is a combination of sliced onions, leeks, garlic, shredded carrots, and shredded cod all sautéed in plenty of olive oil until soft. Leeks are a personal touch and not traditionally used, but I find their flavour and texture fits perfectly in this recipe!
The second component is a bechamel sauce made with the milk used to boil the codfish. It’s a simple bechamel sauce made with butter, flour, and full fat milk, seasoned with black pepper and nutmeg. A third of the bechamel sauce is stirred into the cod mixture, and the remaining sauce is combined with egg yolks to form the top layer of the dish which can be topped with cheese or not. If you believe fish and cheese don’t belong together, you can use breadcrumbs instead. Some recipes include egg whites that are whisked and folded into the bechamel to create a soufflé like texture.

How to Make Bacalhau Espiritual
To make this authentic Bacalhau Espiritual you first need to flash boil the cod in full fat milk. This step will precook your fish, and most importantly, infuse the milk which will be used to make a bechamel sauce. The next step is to remove the skin and the bones from the fish, and shred it with your hands, you can also use a food blender if you prefer.

In a separate skillet, we sauté some onions, leeks, garlic, and shredded carrots with plenty of olive oil until nice and soft. You combine the mixture with the shredded cod and set aside while you prepare a thick bechamel.
About a third of the bechamel is stirred into the cod mixture, and the remaining is mixed with egg yolks, heavy cream, and a touch of Dijon mustard. To assemble the dish, pour your cod and onion cream into a baking dish, layer the bechamel sauce on top, then sprinkle it with some shredded cheese. Bake until golden brown, serve with a simple salad or rice.

How to Correctly Desalt Bacalhau
Before we jump to the recipe, you should note that salt cod should be soaked prior to use to remove the salt used in the curing process, unless you are using pre-soaked cod. The best way to do it is to place your fish in a tall container, cover with cold water, and place it in the fridge. The water should be changed at least twice a day. For tall pieces of loin, the process can take between 2 to 3 days so it’s important to plan ahead of time as there isn’t a quick fix for this. With the cod prepping out of the way, the rest of the recipe should be pretty straightforward!
How to Make Portuguese Codfish Espiritual
Have you tried this dish? Let me know in the comments!