Caribbean Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Saltfish Buljol
A Trinidadian salt cod salad flaked and tossed with tomatoes, onions, and oil, a no-cook Caribbean breakfast staple.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
7 steps- 1
Soak the salt cod in cold water for at least 8 hours, changing the water 2 to 3 times, to draw out excess salt.
- 2
Drain the cod, place it in a pot of fresh water, and bring to a gentle boil for 10 minutes to finish desalting and cook through.
- 3
Drain and let cool enough to handle, then flake the fish into bite-sized pieces, discarding any skin or bones.
- 4
In a large bowl, combine the flaked cod with the diced tomatoes, onion, sweet pepper, and scotch bonnet.
- 5
Add the olive oil and lime juice and toss well to coat everything evenly.
- 6
Season with black pepper and let the salad sit for 10 minutes at room temperature so the flavors meld.
- 7
Scatter the scallions over the top and serve with avocado slices and fried bake or bread on the side.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
64/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving170
Calories
12 g
Protein
6 g
Carbs
11 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Buljol is a Trinidadian breakfast salad whose name comes from the French patois brule gueule, meaning burnt mouth, a nod to the fresh pepper traditionally tossed through it. It turns salted cod, a colonial-era preserved staple, into a bright raw-vegetable dish eaten with bread or bake to start the day.
Listahan note
This version flakes the cod fine and dresses it raw with chopped tomato and onion rather than cooking it down, keeping the salad crisp and fresh the way it is served at a Trini breakfast table.
Technique cues
- Boiling the saltfish then tasting it is the safety step: salt cod varies wildly, and a quick boil-and-flake lets you judge whether it needs a second change of water before the salt is right.
- Flake the fish along its grain into fine shreds so it tosses evenly with the vegetables instead of sitting in dense clumps.
- Dress the salad with the oil last and toss raw; this is an uncooked composed dish, so the oil is there to bind and gloss, not to fry.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Dice the tomato and onion while the saltfish boils so everything is ready to toss the moment the fish is flaked.
- Make-ahead
- Boil and flake the cod the night before and refrigerate it, then toss with fresh vegetables in minutes at breakfast.
- Leftover move
- Spoon leftovers into a split bake or a warm flour tortilla for a handheld next-day sandwich.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Toss everything in one bowl so the only real cleanup is the boiling pot, which rinses easily right away.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Salted cod
Main protein
Purpose: The cured cod is the dish's identity, bringing a firm, savory chew and the salinity the whole salad is built around.
Handling: Boil to rehydrate and flake fine, changing the water if it tastes too salty after the first boil.
Adaptation: Salted pollock or a lightly salted fresh white fish works; fresh fish needs added salt to mimic the cured depth.
tomatoes
Fresh acid
Purpose: Ripe tomato brings the juicy acidity that cuts the cod's saltiness and makes the salad refreshing.
Handling: Dice and, if very wet, drain briefly so the salad stays a toss rather than a soup.
Adaptation: Cherry tomatoes halved keep more bite and sweetness if slicing tomatoes are out of season.
onions
Aromatic crunch
Purpose: Raw onion gives the sharp, crisp bite that defines a proper buljol.
Handling: Slice thin; soak briefly in cold water if you want to tame the raw sharpness.
Adaptation: Scallion or shallot gives a milder, sweeter onion note for a gentler salad.
oil
Dressing
Purpose: A good glug of oil binds the flaked fish and vegetables into a cohesive, glossy salad.
Handling: Add it last and toss so it coats everything evenly without making a puddle.
Adaptation: A fruity olive oil works, though traditional buljol uses a more neutral oil to let the fish lead.
Technique notes
- Taste the cod after boiling before you add any salt; the whole seasoning of the dish hinges on how salty the fish landed.
- Add a finely minced piece of fresh hot pepper for the authentic burnt-mouth lift the name promises.
- Let the dressed salad sit ten minutes before serving so the onion mellows and the flavors marry.
Ingredient swaps
- Fish-free direction
- Swap the cod for firm shredded hearts of palm with extra salt and a squeeze of lime for a no-fish, no-seafood version with a similar flake.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Boil the cod twice in fresh water to leach more salt, then season the salad lightly to taste.
- Weeknight shortcut
- Use canned flaked white fish patted dry and seasoned to skip the overnight soak and boil entirely.
Serve alongside
- Fried bake
- Sada roti
- Boiled ground provisions
- Sliced avocado
- Fresh orange juice
- Black coffee
- Mauby
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days; the vegetables soften the longer it sits.
- No reheating; serve cold or at room temperature straight from the fridge.
- Not recommended for freezing, as the raw tomato and onion turn watery and limp on thaw.
Equipment
- Saucepan for boiling the cod
- Mixing bowl
- Sharp knife for fine dicing
- Two forks for flaking
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