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Jamaican Saltfish Fritters, also called Stamp and Go, are a fried appetizer with a golden crispy exterior and a soft, chewy center. Made with salted cod, these flavourful fritters are a delicious bite-sized treat perfect for any occasion.
If you love this recipe, you’ll definitely enjoy my Fried Dumpling Recipe, Jamaican Festival Recipe and these classic greens; Jamaican Callaloo as part of a traditional Jamaican breakfast!
Table of Contents
- Jamaican Saltfish Fritters (Stamp and Go)
- What is Saltfish?
- What are Saltfish Fritters Made Of?
- How to Prepare Saltfish for Cooking
- Ingredients
- How to Make Saltfish Fritters
- Recipe Tips
- Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- How to Serve Jamaican Saltfish Fritters
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
- More Jamaican Recipes
- Jamaican Saltfish Fritters Recipe
Jamaican Saltfish Fritters (Stamp and Go)
This saltfish fritter recipe always reminds me of my dad. I would wake up in the morning to the familiar scent of them frying. It wasn’t something he made often, which made them feel even more special when he did! Now, I’m happy to share my family’s version of this Caribbean classic with you.
The best part? It all comes together in one bowl, making it super simple to whip up. These fritters are crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, and you can easily switch up the veggies to suit your taste. Trust me, they’re the perfect appetizer or snack that everyone will love!
What is Saltfish?
Saltfish is dried and salted cod, preserved to extend its shelf life. Also known as salted cod, salt cod, bacalao, bacalhau or baccalà depending on where you are, saltfish is a staple in many Caribbean and Latin American cuisines.
It is a type of preserved meaty white fish that has been salt-cured and dried until all the moisture has been extracted. It must be soaked in water to remove excess salt before being used in dishes. Once prepared, it adds a rich, savoury flavour to everything from stews to fritters.
What are Saltfish Fritters Made Of?
Saltfish fritters are made with flour, salted cod, tomatoes, onions, scotch bonnet pepper (optional), and other ingredients to season the mixture. The batter is formed and then dropped into hot oil to be fried to golden perfection; crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Each island will make its fritters with slightly different ingredients. However, the method remains the same, and the outcome; crispy outside with soft centers will remain constant.
How to Prepare Saltfish for Cooking
There are two common methods to remove excess salt from saltfish: soaking overnight or boiling. The goal is to rehydrate the fish and remove some of the salt, not all of it.
Method One: Overnight Soak
- Rinse the fish, then soak it in a large bowl of hot water overnight.
- In the morning, drain the water and taste. If still too salty, boil the fish for 10-15 minutes to adjust.
Method Two: Boiling
- Rinse and cut the saltfish into pieces, then boil for 10-15 minutes.
- Drain, taste, and repeat boiling if necessary until the salt level is to your liking.
Once desalting is complete, flake the fish for use in your recipe.
Ingredients
- Flour: All purpose or counter flour is the base ingredient for these fritters.
- Curry Powder: This adds a little colour as well as flavour to the fritter. Betapac Limited Curry Powder or the Montego Jamaican Style Mild or Spicy Curry Powder are my favourites.
- Yellow Onion: Use one small onion, chopped finely.
- Tomato: small, diced well.
- Bell/Sweet Pepper: Any two colours or one will do. I prefer green and red as it gives a burst of colour, equal parts (1/4 cup green, 1/4 cup red).
- Salted Codfish: I prefer using boneless salted codfish.
- Baking Powder: You need just a touch, and this is the rising agent used to get a soft center.
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper: This is a key ingredient for flavour and spice, be sure to finely chop them as use as desired.
- Water: Use cold water to bind the ingredients together into a wet loose batter.
- Cooking Oil: We use this to fry the fritters. You can use any kind of neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point such as vegetable, avocado or canola oil.
How to Make Saltfish Fritters
To remove the salt from the salted codfish, I fill a medium-sized pot with water and bring it to a boil. After rinsing the fish and cutting it into smaller pieces, I let it boil for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Then I drain and rinse it in cold water. Repeat the process as many times as needed to reach the right level of saltiness.
Next, I prepare the vegetables—dicing tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and finely chopping the scotch bonnet pepper. In a medium mixing bowl, I combine the dry ingredients with the veggies and fish, then gradually add water. I mix everything together until I get a medium-thick consistency.
Now it’s time to fry! I heat oil in a non-stick pan and drop generous spoonfuls of batter into the pan. I fry each fritter until it’s golden-brown, crispy, and cooked through on both sides.
Once done, I remove the fritters from the oil and place them on a wire rack to drain any excess oil. Finally, enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Add more veggies. You can add in or swap out additional vegetables and herbs. For example, green onions, additional spices, and thyme work well with this recipe.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. When frying the fritters do not overcrowd the pan to ensure an all around golden crispness.
- Pay close attention when desalting saltfish. When boiling the salt out of the fish foam will appear on the top of the water. You may need to lower your heat to prevent the water from boiling over.
- Make sure your batter isn’t too runny! It should be a medium thick consistency as pictured above. If it’s too runny add about a tablespoon more of flour. If too thick, thin it out with some water.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Curry Powder: This is optional, but you can also use turmeric or paprika for colour.
- Escallion (Green Onion): You can add this for an additional layer of flavour, texture and colour.
- Bell Pepper: Use any colour variation you have on hand.
- Saltfish: Swap out the saltfish, for another type of white firm-fleshed fish or shrimp.
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper: This can be hard to find, depending on location. You can use habanero or your favourite hot pepper instead.
How to Serve Jamaican Saltfish Fritters
Saltfish fritters are often served warm and on their own. However, it can also be served alongside other Jamaican breakfast classics such as:
- Jack Mackerel in Tomato Sauce
- Salt Mackerel
- Steamed Cabbage (with or with saltfish)
- Jamaican Callaloo (with or with saltfish)
- Boiled Green Banana
- Steamed Veggies
- Bacon and Eggs
Storage
Make Ahead: I don’t recommend making Jamaican saltfish fritters a day ahead, or even hours ahead as they are best served fresh. However, you can prepare the veggies and saltfish ahead of time and combine when ready to make.
Storing Leftovers: Again, these fritters are best enjoyed when they’re freshly made. However, they can still make great leftovers if needed. Once they have cooled completely, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Should you need to reheat; place in aluminum foil and wrap tighty. Warm in oven set to 375 degrees Fahrenheit until fully heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
No, you do not use eggs as a binder in this recipe. Water is used to combine all the ingredients into a wet loose batter, and then it is fried until formed.
If you can’t find salted codfish, you can also use freshly cooked and flaked codfish.
You can choose the quick boil method to desalt the codfish or you can soak the fish in water overnight in order to rehydrate the fish, then remove the excess salt (you will still need to boil for about 10 mins). The quick boil method is much faster and takes just 15 – 20 mins.
Think of these fritters as a savoury Caribbean style fish cake, with a denser texture. It has flavours from the veggies, curry powder (mainly for colour), and of course the salted codfish.
More Jamaican Recipes
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Jamaican Saltfish Fritters
Equipment
- Medium-Sized Pot
- Large Bowl
- Nonstick Pan
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour
- 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Caribbean Curry Powder
- 1/2 Tomato, small, diced
- 1/2 Yellow Onion, small, chopped
- 1/2 Bell Peppers, small, green and red, equal parts
- 2 cups Salted Cod Fish
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper, finely chopped, as desired
- 1 cup Water, more or less as needed
- Cooking Oil, for frying fritters
Instructions
Desalt Fish (Additional Methods Listed Above)
- Fill a medium sized pot with water and bring to a boil. Rinse fish, cut into smaller pieces, and boil for about 10 to 15 mins. Drain then wash in cold water. Taste a piece of the fish to gauge the saltiness. If it's to your liking, pick it apart into smaller bite-sized pieces. If it's too salty, repeat the process.
Saltfish Fritters
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk together. Add the fresh ingredients; tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and fish to the mixing bowl then add in water gradually. Mix until well incorporated with medium consistency – see notes section.
- Heat oil in a non-stick pan then drop generous spoonfuls of batter into the pan. Fry on each side until golden-brown and crisp (about 3-4 minutes per side).
- Remove from oil and place on a wire rack to drain excess oil, serve warm and enjoy!
This is a great recipe and I have tried others. It gave me the best results. I am a Jamaican and have had these fritters before so I know what it is supposed to taste like.
Hi Esme! I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed. This was my dads passed down recipe so it means so much to me! Thanks a bunch!
Great and easy recipe!!
Hi Belinda! I’m so glad you found the recipe great and easy! Thanks for your feedback—happy cooking!