Greek Main Courses
Bakaliaros me Prasa Recipe (Northern Greek Cod with Leeks)
Μπακαλιάρος με πράσα bah-kah-lee-AH-ros meh PRAH-sah · Bakaliaros me prasa
In short
Bakaliaros me prasa is a northern Greek dish of salt cod braised gently with a large quantity of leeks in a light tomato sauce, quite different from the fried, batter-coated bakaliaros paired with skordalia. It is a genuine braise, softer and more stew-like, associated with Macedonia specifically.
Where the more famous bakaliaros pairs fried, battered salt cod with a sharp garlic skordalia, bakaliaros me prasa takes the same salted, soaked cod in an entirely different direction, braised gently with a genuinely large quantity of leeks in a light tomato sauce until everything turns soft and the flavours meld together. It is a specialty particularly associated with Macedonia and northern Greece.
This is real winter comfort food, closer to a stew than the crisp, fried version most people picture when they hear bakaliaros, and the leeks here are not a background vegetable but nearly the equal partner to the fish, cooked down until sweet in much the same spirit as prasorizo.
As with any dish built on salt cod, the soaking stage cannot be rushed, and it is worth planning this dish a day or two ahead to give the fish proper time to lose its excess salt.
Key preparation steps
- Soak salt cod for 24 to 48 hours, changing the water regularly.
- Cook a generous quantity of sliced leeks down until soft.
- Add the cod and a light tomato sauce, and braise gently.
- Serve warm with plenty of bread.
Soaking the salt cod
Dried, salted cod needs to soak in cold water in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours, with the water changed at least four times, until it tastes like well-seasoned fresh fish rather than cured fish. This step genuinely cannot be shortened without leaving the finished dish unpleasantly salty.
Fresh cod or another firm white fish, simply seasoned, is a reasonable substitute if you want to skip the soaking process, though it changes the dish from its traditional salted form.
The leeks
Slice a generous quantity of leeks and cook them slowly in olive oil until genuinely soft and sweet, at least fifteen minutes over a low heat, exactly as with prasorizo. This long, gentle cook is what turns the leeks from a sharp, slightly bitter vegetable into something sweet enough to carry half the dish's flavour.
Braising everything together
Add a light tomato sauce to the softened leeks, then nestle in the soaked, dried pieces of cod, and simmer very gently, since fish falls apart under vigorous heat. Cook for fifteen to twenty minutes, until the cod flakes easily and the leeks have fully collapsed into the sauce.
Serve warm with plenty of good bread, since the leek and tomato sauce is genuinely worth mopping up rather than leaving in the bowl.
Tips from my kitchen
Do not rush the leek soften
A genuine fifteen minutes over low heat turns them sweet enough to carry half the dish. Rushed leeks stay sharp and slightly bitter.
Keep the braise gentle
Fish falls apart under vigorous heat. A bare simmer keeps the cod intact while it cooks through.
Do not add salt until you taste it
Even properly soaked cod carries some residual saltiness, so check before adding more.
Bakaliaros me Prasa Recipe (Northern Greek Cod with Leeks)
Μπακαλιάρος με πράσα · by Kalliopi Andreou · updated 2026-07-31
- Prep
- 30m
- Cook
- 45m
- Total
- 1h 15m
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Ingredients
Method
- If using dried salt cod, soak in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours, changing the water at least 4 times. Drain, pat dry, and cut into portion-sized pieces.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over a low heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, then add the leeks and cook for a further 15 minutes, until soft and sweet.
- Add the tomatoes and bay leaf, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Nestle the cod pieces into the sauce and add a splash of water if needed to keep everything mostly submerged.
- Cover and simmer very gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until the fish flakes easily.
- Remove the bay leaf, season with black pepper, and check whether any additional salt is needed.
- Serve warm with plenty of bread.
Nutrition, per 1 portion
- Calories
- 342
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Sat fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
These figures are calculated estimates based on the ingredients listed, not laboratory analysis. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.
Frequently asked questions about Bakaliaros me prasa
What is the difference between this and the fried bakaliaros with skordalia?
That version fries battered salt cod and serves it crisp alongside a sharp garlic and potato dip. This one braises the fish gently with a large quantity of leeks in a light tomato sauce, giving a completely different, softer, stew-like dish.
Can you use fresh cod instead of salted?
Yes, as a substitute, simply seasoned, though this changes the dish from its traditional salted, soaked form.
Why does this dish use so much leek?
The leeks are nearly an equal partner to the fish here rather than a background vegetable, cooked down slowly until sweet in the same way they are in prasorizo.
