Gelatinous fish heads known as kokotxas are a key ingredient for this classic Basque dish. Kokotxas usually come from the flashy cheeks (lower part of chin) of hake or cod. The dish is sometimes served in a sauce consisting of white wine, garlic, flour, and olive oil. A more traditional way of serving kokotxas is in salsa verde sauce, consisting of olive oil, flour, fish stock, garlic, and finely chopped parsley. The kokotxas are lightly fried in a clay casserole pot, then combined with the sauce. It's recommended to serve the dish with crusty bread on the side for mopping up the sauce.
Bacalao al pil-pil is a traditional dish originating from the Basque Country. It is prepared with only four ingredients: salt cod, olive oil, garlic, and chili peppers. The cod is cooked in olive oil (with garlic and chili peppers), releasing gelatin that is needed for the emulsification of the sauce later on. Making pil-pil is a laborious process, taking anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, and the final result is a creamy sauce that is spooned over the cod before serving. It is recommended to garnish the dish with leftovers garlic and chili peppers, then serve it hot or warm.
Marmitako is an excellent representative of the Basque Country cuisine, a tuna stew made in a pot with various other ingredients such as potatoes, tomatoes, chili, and onions. The name of the dish is derived from the Basque word marmita, denoting a pot or a casserole. When combined with the suffix –ko, it can be literally translated as from the pot. Originally, the stew was invented on fishing boats near the Spanish coast, and while tuna is the most authentic option, today there are numerous variations on the dish, depending on the type of fish used in the preparation of marmitako. The stew is characterized by its thick consistency, mostly due to starchy potatoes. It is recommended to prepare this flavorful stew a day in advance, then garnish it with parsley and pair it with a glass of white wine.
Bacalao a la Vizcaina or Basque-style cod is a traditional dish that's also popular in many Spanish-speaking countries. The dish is made with salt cod fillets in Vizcaina sauce. The sauce consists of red onions, garlic, and choricero pepper purée, although some people also like to add tomatoes to the mix. The fish is cooked, and the sauce is poured over the fillets. The dish is traditionally served warm.
Known as ''the caviar of Northern Spain,'' angulas are baby eels, a Spanish seafood delicacy that's typically consumed with oil and garlic. They're also one of Spain's most expensive foods, reaching prices of up to 1,000 euros per kilo, which is pretty strange for some people who claim they don't taste of much at all. However, others praise angulas for their delicate, meaty texture. When alive, the baby eels are slimy and transparent, and when cooked, they turn opaque-white. The most traditional recipe for the preparation of these eels comes from Bilbao (Angulas a la Bilbaína), and it calls for frying hot peppers and garlic in olive oil, then adding the baby eels to the mix. The dish, usually reserved for the festive Christmas season, is served in earthenware bowls, with special wooden cutlery on the side, which is used to stop any metallic tint disrupt the flavor, but also to get a better grip on the smooth-skinned eels. The season for catching the baby eels starts in November, and the fishermen usually catch them with scoop nets on cold, rainy, and moonless nights when the tide is strong. In the past, when angulas were plentiful and inexpensive, it was the food of the working class in the region, but as time went by they became scarce, and prices rose. Nowadays they are listed as critically endangered due to overfishing and environmental degradation, but they're also very fashionable in some social circles. If you'd like to avoid overpaying for angulas, there's also the gula – imitation baby eel made from surimi, which is available in most supermarkets at affordable prices.
Bocartes en cazuela is a traditional dish originating from the Basque Country. The dish is made with a combination of very fresh anchovies, garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and red wine vinegar. The anchovies are rinsed, cleaned, sprinkled with salt and red pepper flakes, and then fried in olive oil with minced garlic. The dish is prepared in a cazuela, a round clay pot. Once the anchovies are opaque in the center, red wine vinegar is poured over the fish, and the cazuela is rotated in circular motions so that the vinegar mixed with the olive oil and the fish. Once done, bocartes en cazuela is served immediately, while still hot.
Ajoarriero is a traditional dish originating from the Basque Country and Navarre. It consists of shredded salt cod that's combined with chopped ingredients such as tomatoes, garlic, onions, red and green peppers, hot peppers, and potatoes. In the past, the dish was cooked in a clay pot over a fire, and the preparation was a communal affair in which the amount of garlic depended on the number of diners. In some regions, people added crab or beaten eggs to the dish. Nowadays, ajoarriero is traditionally served in an earthenware dish, and it's often garnished with parsley on top.
Tortilla de bacalao is a salt cod omelette that originates from the Basque Country in northern Spain, where salt-preserved fish and egg-based dishes have long been staples of the regional diet. It is especially associated with cider houses, or sidrerías, in the province of Gipuzkoa, where it is commonly served as one of the core items on fixed menus during the cider season. The main ingredients in tortilla de bacalao are desalinated salt cod, eggs, onion, and often green peppers. The cod is soaked for 24 to 48 hours to remove excess salt, then flaked and gently cooked, usually with sautéed onions and peppers, before being folded into beaten eggs. The mixture is then cooked into a thick omelette, either lightly set or fully firm depending on preference. Unlike the more widely known Spanish potato omelette, this version is built around preserved fish, reflecting its historical importance in inland Basque cooking, where fresh seafood was less accessible year-round. Salt cod has long been used across the Iberian Peninsula for its storability and strong flavor, and in the Basque Country, it became a foundational ingredient in both everyday and festive cooking. In cider houses, tortilla de bacalao is often one of the first dishes served, followed by grilled steak and other robust items that pair well with natural Basque cider. It is typically served warm and sliced into wedges, allowing the flavors of the cod and vegetables to integrate fully with the eggs. While the preparation is simple, achieving the correct balance of seasoning and texture requires attention, particularly in managing the saltiness of the cod and ensuring the omelette is neither dry nor undercooked.
Paté de cabracho is a scorpionfish paste or a terrine from the Basque Country, Cantabria, and Asturias along the Cantabrian coast. It is made from cabracho, the Spanish name commonly used for red scorpionfish, a rocky-bottom fish with firm white flesh, many bones, and a strong seafood taste. The terrine version is from the Basque version created by Juan Mari Arzak in San Sebastián in 1971. Arzak called it pudin de kabrarroka, using the Basque name for the fish, and built it on an older idea of fish pudding rather than a raw-liver-style pâté. His version changed the status of cabracho in restaurant cooking. The fish had good flavor but was awkward to serve whole because of its spines, head, and bones. Turning the cooked flesh into a smooth, molded mixture solved that problem, made the fish easy to portion, and gave the dish a clean restaurant format. From there, it moved into home kitchens, taverns, ready-made seafood counters, and northern Spanish seafood menus. Scorpionfish is well-suited to this recipe because its flavor holds up during cooking and blending. It is not a neutral white fish. The flesh has a marked marine taste, partly because the fish feeds on smaller fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. The practical drawback is the same feature that made the dish useful: cabracho must be handled carefully. The fish has hard spines, and after cooking, it needs patient cleaning so that no bones, skin, or rough pieces end up in the mixture. Many cooks use hake, monkfish, or other white fish when cabracho is unavailable, but the result is milder and should be understood as an adaptation, not the same dish. The work begins by gently cooking the fish. The scorpionfish may be simmered in salted water with onion, leek, carrot, bay leaf, or parsley, or steamed so the flesh retains more flavor. Once cooked, it is cooled just enough to handle, then picked apart by hand. This is the slowest and most important part of the work. The flesh is separated from the head, skin, fins, and bones, and the cook checks it more than once. The cooking liquid can be kept and reduced for another use, but it is usually not added in large amounts because the pâté needs structure. The cleaned fish is then mixed with eggs, cream, and tomato sauce or tomato purée. The tomato is not there to make a red sauce; it gives color, acidity, and a slight sweetness that rounds the fish. The eggs set the mixture, while the cream gives it a softer texture. Some recipes include sautéed onions, leeks, or shallots, along with a small amount of pepper, brandy, white wine, or cayenne. The seasoning should stay controlled. If the mixture tastes mainly of tomato, alcohol, or spice, the scorpionfish has been pushed into the background. Once blended, the mixture is poured into a buttered or oiled mold. A loaf shape is common because it slices neatly, but round molds and small ramekins also work. It is usually baked in a water bath, which keeps the heat gentle and prevents the outside from setting too quickly while the center remains loose. When cooked, it should be firm enough to unmold and cut, but not rubbery. After baking, it is cooled and refrigerated, often for several hours or overnight, so the texture settles, and the flavor becomes cleaner. Served warm, it can feel heavy and eggy; served properly chilled or cool, it cuts better and spreads more smoothly. Paté de cabracho can be brought to the table in two main ways. In the molded version, it is unmolded, sliced, and served on a plate with toasted bread, crackers, or small pieces of plain white bread. In the softer jarred version, it is served as a spread, often with a knife and a small bowl of mayonnaise, salsa rosa, or a light tomato-based sauce nearby. Lettuce, boiled egg, roasted pepper, or a few pickles may appear on the plate, but the best versions do not need much decoration. The texture should be smooth but not pasty, with enough body to hold on toast and enough moisture to avoid dryness. Several details separate a good version from a weak one. The fish must be present in both aroma and taste. Too much cream makes it dull, too much egg makes it bouncy, and too much tomato turns it into a seafood-flavored flan. The color should be pale orange to salmon pink, depending on the tomato and the fish, not bright red. The surface may be plain or lightly glazed, but it should not be wet. A clean slice should show a fine, even interior without visible bones or large vegetable pieces unless the cook has deliberately left some texture. Today, paté de cabracho is eaten mostly as a starter, tapa, pintxo, or seafood spread in northern Spain. In San Sebastián and the Basque Country, it fits naturally into pintxo bars and restaurant starters. In Asturias and Cantabria, it is common on seafood menus, holiday tables, and shop-bought assortments of fish pâtés and conservas. It is practical food for sharing: a small plate, a basket of toast, and a cold drink are usually enough. Dry white wine is the safest pairing, especially Txakoli, Albariño, Godello, or a young white from coastal northern Spain. Cider also works well in Asturias because its acidity cuts through the cream and egg. Fino or manzanilla sherry suits the briny side of the fish, while a clean lager is a good casual match. On the plate, the best partners are crisp toast, plain bread, lightly dressed salad, pickled piparras, roasted red peppers, olives, boiled egg, or a small spoonful of mayonnaise sharpened with lemon.
Kokotxas al pil-pil are made with the gelatin-rich throat or lower jaw pieces of hake or cod, cooked gently in olive oil with garlic and guindilla until the fish releases enough natural gelatin to form a thick, glossy sauce. The dish comes from the Basque Country in northern Spain, where kokotxas are highly valued in seafood restaurants, home cooking, and pintxo bars, especially in coastal areas with strong links to hake, cod, and salt-cod cookery. The word kokotxa comes from the Basque and refers to the fleshy part under the chin of the fish, a small cut that sits near the gills and has a soft texture when cooked correctly. Cod pil-pil is one of the best-known Basque preparations, and kokotxas fit naturally into the same technique because they contain enough collagen to bind with warm olive oil and create an emulsion without flour, cream, or butter. Fresh hake kokotxas are common, while cod kokotxas may be fresh or salted and then desalted before cooking. The first step is to carefully clean the kokotxas, removing loose skin, blood, and rough edges without damaging the delicate pieces. Garlic slices are usually warmed in olive oil with a small piece of guindilla, then removed or left aside so they do not burn. The kokotxas are placed in the flavored oil over low heat and cooked slowly, often with the skin side down first. The pan or cazuela is moved in small circular motions so the gelatin from the fish joins with the oil, building the pil-pil sauce little by little. The heat must stay moderate, as frying the fish too hard can tighten the flesh and prevent the sauce from forming properly. Some cooks remove the fish once it is cooked and finish the emulsion by moving the pan, using a small strainer, or working the oil and juices together off the heat, then return the kokotxas to the sauce. The finished plate should have tender fish, lightly fragrant oil, soft garlic, a mild chili note, and a sauce that coats the pieces without feeling heavy. What makes the dish stand apart is that the sauce comes mainly from the fish itself; the cook is not adding a separate thickener but drawing out gelatin and controlling the temperature until the oil and fish juices combine. Kokotxas al pil-pil are usually served hot in a shallow plate or a small earthenware dish, sometimes garnished with parsley and browned garlic slices. They are eaten in Basque restaurants, seafood houses, pintxo bars, cider houses, and homes, often as a starter, a shared plate, or a more refined seafood course. Bread is almost always useful because the sauce is part of the dish, not a garnish. Good pairings include txakoli, dry white wine, fino, manzanilla, sparkling water, or light cider, while suitable foods alongside them include grilled peppers, simple green salad, clams, hake, bacalao, mushrooms, crusty bread, potato dishes, asparagus, or mild vegetable plates that do not compete with the pil-pil sauce.
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For the “Top 10 Basque Fish Dishes” list until July 15, 2026, 278 ratings were recorded, of which 208 were recognized by the system as legitimate.
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