This classic Greek Cod Fritters with Garlic Potato Puree (Bakaliaros Skordalia) brings together crispy fried fish and velvety smooth potatoes in perfect harmony.
Ready in just 30 minutes, these golden-brown fritters paired with creamy garlic-infused puree offer an authentic Mediterranean experience right at your dinner table.
The combination delivers a delightful contrast of textures – crunchy exterior giving way to flaky fish, alongside silky potato puree that perfectly complements every bite.
Ingredients for Cod Fritters
- Salted Cod: 1-1.2kg, soaked for 2-3 days with water changes
- All-purpose Flour: 500g plus extra for dredging
- Beer: 330ml, adds wonderful texture to batter
- Dry Yeast: 10g to help create fluffy fritters
- Vegetable Oil: Enough for deep frying
- Water: 500g for the batter
- Salt: Just a pinch
Ingredients for Skordalia Sauce
- Potatoes: 1kg, boiled until tender
- Garlic: 4 cloves, fresh for best flavor
- Olive Oil: 1/2 cup, use good quality
- Milk: 1/2 cup for creamy texture
- Red Wine Vinegar: 1/3 cup (or juice of 2 lemons)
- Salt: To taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Cod: Soak cod in water for 2-3 days in refrigerator, changing water 3 times daily. Pat dry and cut into 4-5cm pieces.
- Make the Batter: Whisk together beer, water, and yeast until dissolved. Add flour and salt, whisking until smooth.
- Heat Oil: Bring vegetable oil to high heat in a deep frying pan.
- Coat and Fry: Dredge cod pieces in flour, dip in batter, and fry in batches until golden brown on all sides.
- Drain: Place fried cod on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Skordalia Sauce: Combine boiled potatoes, garlic, olive oil, milk, and vinegar. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Serve: Plate hot fritters with generous helping of skordalia sauce and pita bread.
Cooking Techniques
The secret to perfect cod fritters lies in two key steps: proper salt removal and oil temperature.
When soaking your salted cod, keep the water changes consistent – think of it as giving your fish a fresh bath three times daily.
For the best crispy coating, your oil should be hot enough that a small drop of batter sizzles and rises to the surface right away.
A helpful tip: dip your spoon in water between batches to prevent the batter from sticking!
Variations & Substitutions
Not a fan of beer or prefer not to use alcohol? Replace it with sparkling water for the same light, crispy batter. Fresh cod works beautifully in this recipe – just skip the soaking process and season with a pinch of salt. For the skordalia sauce, you can adjust the garlic to your taste – start with less and add more if you love that extra punch. Some home cooks like to add a splash of white wine vinegar instead of red wine vinegar for a milder tang.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these golden fritters piping hot alongside the creamy skordalia sauce. Add a bright Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta for a complete meal.
A squeeze of fresh lemon over the fritters adds a lovely zing! Want to make it more casual?
Turn these into amazing fish tacos with warm pita bread, shredded lettuce, and a dollop of skordalia. For drinks, a cold Greek beer or crisp white wine makes this meal extra special.
Storage Tips
These fritters taste best fresh from the pan, but you can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To reheat, pop them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-7 minutes until hot and crispy again. The skordalia sauce stays fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days – just give it a good stir before serving.
Pro tip: store the sauce in a jar with a thin layer of olive oil on top to keep it fresh longer!
Cod Fritters with Garlic Potato Puree (Bakaliaros Skordalia)
Equipment
- Deep frying pan
Ingredients
For the cod fritters
- 1 kg salted cod (40 ounces)
- vegetable oil for frying
- 500 g water (18 ounces)
- 500 g all-purpose flour (18 ounces), plus some extra for dredging
- 330 ml beer (1 and 1/3 cups)
- 10 g dry yeast (3 and 1/2 tsps)
For the Skordalia sauce
- 1 kg potatoes boiled (35 ounces)
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar or juice of 2 lemons
Instructions
- To prepare the cod fritters, it is very important to leach the cod fish from the salt. To do that soak the cod in water and put in the fridge. Leave it for 2-3 days and change the water 3 times a day. If you like you can buy some fresh cod fish and skip this procedure.
- When done, dry well the fish with paper towel and remove all the bones. Cut into small bites, 4-5 cm.
- To prepare the batter for the cod fritters add into a bowl the beer, the water and the yeast and mix with a whisk, until the yeast is dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk, until the batter is smooth.
- Into a deep frying pan, heat the oil to high heat. Add some four into a bowl. Take one piece of cod and dredge into the flour, shaking it to remove the excess flour and then deep it into the batter, flipping it on all sides. Using a spoon remove the cod from the batter and put it slowly into the hot oil. Dip the spoon into some water and repeat with the rest of the pieces. Deep fry the cod fritters flipping them with allotted spoon, until nicely colored on all sides. Remove the cod fritters from the pan and place on some kitchen paper to drain. (Fry the cod fritters in batches, so that the surface of the pan is comfortably filled.)
- Serve with creamy traditional Greek skordalia (garlic potato puree) and pita breads. Enjoy!