One-Pan Bacalhau with Potatoes and Olives

If you’ve ever loved the deep, comforting flavor of bacalhau but felt intimidated by the tradition around it, this is the weeknight version you’ve been waiting for. It keeps the spirit of a classic Portuguese cod dinner—salty fish, tender potatoes, sweet onion, and briny olives—while trimming away the extra steps that make dinner feel like a project.

This is the kind of meal I make when the day has already been full, the kids are hungry, and I want something that tastes like home without turning the kitchen upside down. Everything roasts together on one pan, the flavor is bright and savory, and the cleanup is blissfully easy.

Why this simplified bacalhau works so well

Traditional bacalhau dishes can be layered, baked, shredded, fried, or assembled with a long list of ingredients. That’s part of the charm, but it’s not always realistic on a Tuesday night. This one-pan version keeps the flavor profile recognizable while making the process much more manageable.

Here’s what makes it such a good fit for busy families:

• Minimal prep: just slice, season, and arrange.
• Reliable ingredients: potatoes, onions, garlic, olives, olive oil, and cod are all easy to find.
• Balanced in one pan: you get protein, starch, and flavor all in the same dish.
• Easy to scale: double it for a larger family or leftovers.

The result is cozy and satisfying, with the potatoes soaking up all the olive oil, onion, and fish juices as everything roasts together. It feels rustic and generous, even though it’s surprisingly simple.

Ingredients for one-pan bacalhau

This recipe is flexible, but the base ingredients below create the best balance of flavor and texture.

A quick note on bacalhau and salting

Bacalhau is traditionally salted cod, and that salt is part of what gives it its distinctive flavor. But if you’re cooking for a weeknight, the practical question is usually: do I need to deal with soaking?

The answer depends on what you buy:

• Salted cod: usually needs soaking in cold water for 24 to 48 hours, with several water changes.
• Lightly salted cod: may need less soaking, but always check the package instructions.
• Fresh cod: works fine for this simplified version, though it won’t taste exactly the same as traditional bacalhau.

If you’re planning ahead, desalt the cod the day before. If not, don’t let that stop you from making dinner. A fresh-cod version still gives you a flavorful, family-friendly meal with the same general structure.

How to prep everything for the pan

The key to an easy one-pan dinner is cutting everything so it cooks at a similar pace.

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Prepare the potatoes: cut into thin wedges or half-moons, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
3. Slice the onion thinly so it softens quickly.
4. Prep the cod: if using salted cod, pat it dry after soaking. If using fresh cod, pat dry and cut into large pieces.
5. Rinse the olives if they taste very salty.
6. Mince the garlic and chop the parsley.

You want the potatoes thin enough to become tender in the same time as the fish. If your pieces are too thick, the cod may overcook while you wait for the potatoes to finish.

Step-by-step: one-pan roasting method

This version uses roasting, which is the easiest method for busy weeknights and creates great texture.

1) Build the base layer

On a large sheet pan or roasting dish, toss the potatoes and onion with half of the olive oil, the garlic, bay leaf, paprika if using, and a few grinds of black pepper. Spread everything out in an even layer.

If the pan looks dry, add a splash more olive oil. Potatoes are happiest when they have a little room to roast, not steam.

2) Roast the vegetables first

Place the pan in the oven and roast for about 20 minutes. This gives the potatoes a head start so they can catch up with the fish.

After 20 minutes, stir or turn the potatoes so the edges start to brown evenly.

3) Add the cod and olives

Nestle the cod pieces into the potatoes and onions. Scatter the olives over the top and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

Return the pan to the oven and roast for another 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

The cod should flake easily with a fork and look opaque. The potatoes should be tender, lightly golden, and coated in savory olive oil and onion.

4) Finish with parsley and lemon

As soon as the pan comes out of the oven, sprinkle the parsley over the top and add lemon zest if you’d like extra brightness. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

A squeeze of lemon right before eating wakes up all the flavors and helps balance the saltiness of the olives and cod.

Timing guide for the weeknight cook

Here’s a simple timeline so you can see how quickly this comes together.

Even with a little prep, this is still very manageable for a busy evening, especially because most of the time is hands-off.

How to keep the fish tender

Cod is a delicate fish, and the biggest mistake is leaving it in the oven too long. The good news is that this recipe is forgiving if you keep an eye on a few things.

• Use evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.
• Add the fish after the potatoes have partially cooked.
• Roast just until the cod flakes, not until it looks dry.
• If your pan runs hot, check a few minutes early.

Balancing saltiness without losing flavor

One of the best parts of bacalhau is its savory depth, but that also means you need to manage the salt carefully, especially if your olives are briny and your cod was salted.

A few easy ways to keep everything balanced:

• Rinse the olives if they taste very strong.
• Skip added salt until the very end, if at all.
• Use lemon to brighten rather than more salt.
• Choose waxy potatoes so they hold their shape and absorb flavor well.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan, or the vegetables may steam and taste flatter.

The goal is not to make the dish bland; it’s to let the natural savory flavors shine without becoming overwhelming.

Easy ways to turn it into a full meal

This one-pan bacalhau is satisfying on its own, but if you want to stretch it or round it out for a family dinner, there are plenty of easy options.

Simple side ideas

• Green salad with a lemon-olive oil dressing
• Steamed green beans or broccoli
• Crusty bread for soaking up the pan juices
• Quick tomato cucumber salad for a fresh contrast
• Roasted peppers if you want to add more color and sweetness

If you want to make it heartier

• Serve over rice to catch the flavorful oil and juices.
• Add a second pan of roasted carrots or zucchini.
• Include a small bowl of soup as a starter for colder nights.

If you’re feeding kids, bread is often the easiest win. They can scoop up potatoes, fish, and onions, and the whole dinner feels a little more fun.

Variations for what you have on hand

One of the reasons I love this recipe is that it adapts well to pantry cooking.

• Use fresh cod instead of salted cod for a faster version.
• Swap onions for shallots if that’s what you have.
• Add cherry tomatoes during the last 10 minutes for extra sweetness.
• Use green olives or black olives depending on your preference.
• Add a pinch of chili flakes if your family likes a little heat.
• Finish with chopped cilantro or parsley if parsley is unavailable.

You can also add a few strips of roasted red pepper for more color and a little extra softness in the pan.

A simple workflow for dinner success

Here’s the whole process at a glance:

flowchart TD
    A[Choose cod: salted or fresh] --> B[Prep potatoes, onion, garlic, and olives]
    B --> C[Roast potatoes and onion first]
    C --> D[Add cod and olives]
    D --> E[Roast until cod flakes]
    E --> F[Finish with parsley and lemon]
    F --> G[Serve with bread, salad, or rice]

This is the kind of recipe that rewards a little organization more than a lot of effort. Once the ingredients are prepped, the oven does most of the work.

Serving suggestions for families

When I serve this on a weeknight, I usually put the whole pan in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves. It feels generous and relaxed, which is exactly what dinner should feel like after a long day.

A good family-style setup might include:

• the roasted bacalhau pan
• a bowl of lemon wedges
• sliced bread or rolls
• a simple salad
• water, sparkling water, or vinho verde for the adults

If you want to make it feel extra special without more work, warm the serving platter first and sprinkle the top with a little more parsley just before bringing it to the table.

“Simple food, when made with care, is often the food people remember most.”

— Sofia Almeida

Final thoughts

One-pan bacalhau with potatoes and olives is everything a weeknight dinner should be: comforting, flavorful, and realistic. It gives you that unmistakable Portuguese character without requiring a long ingredient list or a mountain of dishes.

For busy families, that matters. You get a dinner that feels homemade and a cleanup that doesn’t derail the rest of the evening. The potatoes roast tender, the cod stays soft, the olives add a briny punch, and the lemon at the end ties it all together.

If you’ve been wanting to bring more Portuguese flavors into your weeknight rotation, this is a wonderful place to start.

Happy cooking, and enjoy the kind of dinner that lets you breathe a little easier at the end of the day.