Portuguese "Tofish" | Plant-based recipe inspired by the famous Codfish dish "Bacalhoada" from Portugal

One of the most mesmerising thing about the Portuguese cuisine is the ability they have to cook everything with codfish, and this is one of their most famous dishes - Bacalhoada. Here, you'll have a vegan version.

Living in Portugal for 3 years all I saw, all around, was cod-fish. They cook codfish in every way possible. And that was very strange for me since codfish in Brazil is very expensive, so we only had it for Christmas and Eastern.

And although it wasn't my favourite type of fish, I have to admit that some recipes were incredible and I missed some of them after I changed my diet. And this one right here is one of them. They call it "Bacalhoada" - a complete representation of a vibrant and diverse culinary.

And of course, since it's Veganuary, I had to veganise my favourite Portuguese dish! Get ready to tantalise your senses with this fun, easy and flavourful recipe that uses tofu as the codfish replacement with a medley of colorful ingredients.

📖 Let's Step into the Kitchen and Unleash the Magic of Tofulhoada! 📖

🥣 Ingredients:

• 30g of firm tofu, drained and sliced

• 2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 ripe tomato, sliced

• 2 Tbsp of capers

• 1 nori sheet

• Olive oil

• Balsamic vinegar

• Salt and Black pepper to taste

• Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

👩‍🍳 Let's Get Cooking! 👨‍🍳

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. After draining and slicing the Tofu, place it into a bowl and season it with Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic and capers water and leave it marinating for at least 20 minutes.

3. In a baking paper, start assembling the Tofulhada: first, the olive oil, then the nori sheet in pieces, slices of tofu, the sliced potatoes, tomato, bell pepper and onions, topping with the capers and the rest of the marinade and olive oil. Close the baking paper as if you did a little package and take it to the oven in a baking tray for at least 30 minutes.

4. And that's it, really! Simple as that. Take it out of the oven, top it with some cilantro, serve it hot and wait for the compliments - THEY WILL COME!

It's important to say that this recipe usually uses black olives instead of capers, but because this is my version, and I don't like it to be super salty, I leave the olives aside because the capers are responsible for part of the fishy feeling.

Recipe's video here:

Now it's time to invite friends and family to the table, and get ready to indulge in the rich and comforting goodness of this dish that embodies the heart and soul of Portuguese cuisine! I always feel walking in the streets of the vibrant Lisbon and cozy Porto when I eat it.

And if you want more recipes, or even discover some amazing places to eat in Lisbon, Porto, and even Paris and Athens (and more), get your "Easy Plant-based Cuisine" copy right now.

✅ Don't forget to share your Tofulhoada experience with us on Instagram and Facebook using the hashtag #BallatesRecipes! We can't wait to see your flavorful creations!