When people think about Panamanian food, they often picture ceviche, sancocho, patacones, coconut rice, fresh seafood and all the tropical fruits found throughout the country. But there is another fish with a surprisingly deep place in Panama's culinary traditions: bacalao.
And there is something fascinating about bacalao because it tells a story that goes far beyond a single recipe.
In Panama, the word bacalao generally refers to salted cod, a preserved fish that is very different from fresh cod. Salt curing removes moisture and transforms the fish, giving it a distinctive flavor and firm texture. Before cooking, the salted fish has to be soaked and desalinated.
The result is an ingredient capable of becoming everything from a hearty stew to crispy little fritters.
Bacalao Is Surprisingly Popular in Panama
Panama is surrounded by water, so it might seem strange that an imported preserved fish would become part of the country's food culture.
But that is exactly what makes bacalao interesting.
Traditional food in Panama reflects centuries of cultural exchange. Caribbean, African, Spanish, Indigenous and other influences have all contributed to the country's cuisine. Along Panama's Caribbean coast, fish, coconut, yuca, plantains and other seafood ingredients are especially important. Bacalao is part of that broader coastal culinary tradition.
The preservation of the fish also made it practical.
Salted fish could be stored for long periods without refrigeration, transported over long distances and turned into meals whenever needed.
That ancient preservation technique ultimately became a culinary tradition.
What Exactly Is Bacalao?
The word bacalao means cod, but in traditional cooking the term frequently refers specifically to salted cod.
Fresh cod and salted bacalao are dramatically different products.
Fresh cod has a mild flavor and delicate texture. Salted bacalao has a much more concentrated flavor because the fish has been preserved with salt and dried. Once properly soaked, it becomes tender and separates into characteristic flakes.
That intense flavor is precisely why bacalao works so well in dishes containing vegetables, tomato, onions, peppers, potatoes and other strongly flavored ingredients.
The fish doesn't disappear into the dish.
It becomes the centerpiece.
Bacalao Con Papas
One of the classic ways to encounter bacalao in Panama is bacalao con papas, or salted cod with potatoes.
It is the kind of food that makes sense in a country where simple ingredients can be transformed into something incredibly satisfying.
The desalinated cod is combined with potatoes and other ingredients to create a comforting, hearty dish. Panamanian recipes for salted cod also commonly incorporate ingredients such as onions, tomatoes, peppers and herbs.
It is not necessarily complicated food.
And that's part of its appeal.
A few humble ingredients, properly prepared, can produce an intensely flavorful meal.
Torrejitas de Bacalao
Then there are torrejitas de bacalao, one of the most fun ways to eat the fish.
Instead of serving the cod as a large piece, the fish is incorporated into a batter and fried into small fritters.
The outside becomes crisp while the inside carries the distinctive salty flavor of the cod.
Panama's culinary references list torrejitas de bacalao among its traditional preparations, alongside other popular frituras.
For travelers, these can be particularly interesting because they feel completely different from eating a conventional fish fillet.
They are portable.
They are crispy.
And they make a fantastic snack or appetizer.
Bacalao and Panama's Caribbean Coast
The connection between bacalao and Panama becomes particularly interesting when you look toward the Caribbean side of the country.
Places such as Colón and Bocas del Toro have culinary traditions heavily influenced by the Caribbean.
Coconut, seafood, plantains and root vegetables appear frequently in coastal cooking, creating a cuisine that can taste dramatically different from what travelers encounter in Panama City.
Bacalao fits naturally into this environment.
The salty fish works beautifully alongside sweeter and richer ingredients, especially coconut, plantains and starchy vegetables.
It is another example of how Panama's food culture can change from region to region.
Why Would Panama Use Salted Fish When It Has So Much Fresh Fish?
This is perhaps the most interesting question.
Panama has an enormous coastline and abundant marine resources, so why eat preserved cod imported from far away?
The answer lies partly in history.
Before modern refrigeration and global supermarket supply chains, preservation was enormously important. Salted fish could travel and remain edible for much longer than fresh fish.
Salt curing was therefore not simply a way of making food taste salty.
It was a technology.
A way of turning a perishable product into something that could survive transportation and storage.
Over time, foods that originally existed because of necessity became traditions.
The same thing happened with salted cod in many parts of the world.
The Long Journey of Bacalao
There is something almost extraordinary about eating bacalao in Panama.
The cod itself is associated with cold northern waters, while Panama is a tropical country sitting between two oceans.
Yet centuries of trade and cultural exchange brought preserved cod into tropical kitchens.
That means a plate of bacalao can represent an enormous geographical journey.
Cold northern seas.
Ships crossing the Atlantic.
Caribbean ports.
Panamanian kitchens.
And eventually a plate served alongside local ingredients.
Food can preserve history in a way that textbooks sometimes can't.
Why Bacalao Is So Flavorful
Salted cod isn't simply fresh cod with extra salt.
The curing process fundamentally changes the product.
Salt removes moisture and alters the texture and flavor of the fish. Once desalinated, the meat becomes firm and flakes beautifully when cooked.
This is why recipes involving bacalao often don't need huge amounts of seasoning.
The fish already brings an intense personality to the dish.
Tomatoes add acidity.
Onions add sweetness.
Peppers add freshness.
Potatoes provide softness.
And the bacalao ties everything together with its distinctive savory flavor.
Bacalao During Special Occasions
Bacalao also has an important connection to religious and festive traditions in many countries.
Salted cod became particularly associated with periods such as Lent and Holy Week in Christian cultures because it provided a preserved alternative to meat. That tradition helped spread and maintain countless bacalao dishes across different regions.
Panama is no exception to this broader culinary history.
Bacalao dishes can appear during religious seasons and family gatherings, although they are certainly not limited to special occasions.
And that is part of what makes traditional food so interesting.
A dish can begin as something practical, become associated with religion, and eventually simply become something that reminds people of home.
The Perfect Example of Panamanian Fusion
Perhaps the best way to understand bacalao in Panama is to think of it as culinary fusion without losing its identity.
The fish itself comes from a long tradition of Atlantic cod preservation.
The cooking environment is Panamanian.
The accompanying ingredients can be distinctly tropical.
The Caribbean influence adds another layer.
The result isn't simply European bacalao transported unchanged to Panama.
It becomes something adapted to the country.
And that is one of the most fascinating things about Panamanian cuisine.
Try Bacalao Beyond the Tourist Restaurants
If you're traveling through Panama and want to experience something beyond the obvious dishes, keep an eye out for bacalao.
Don't assume that the most famous tourist restaurant will necessarily provide the most interesting version.
Ask locals.
Look at traditional restaurants.
Visit markets.
Explore Caribbean-influenced communities.
And if you see bacalao con papas or torrejitas de bacalao on a menu, consider giving them a try.
You might discover one of the country's most interesting culinary traditions.
A Dish That Tells a Story
Bacalao is fascinating because it represents much more than fish.
It represents preservation.
Migration.
Trade.
Religion.
Caribbean culture.
Family recipes.
And the way ingredients can travel thousands of kilometres before becoming part of a completely different cuisine.
In Panama, salted cod has found a place alongside tropical ingredients and coastal cooking traditions.
That makes every plate of bacalao a tiny piece of a much bigger story.
And perhaps that is the best reason to try it.
Because when you eat bacalao in Panama, you're not just eating salted fish. You're tasting centuries of travel, trade and cultural exchange in one surprisingly humble dish.