Saltfish Buljol (Low Carb, Keto)

Bring a taste of Trinidad and Tobago to your household with some saltfish buljol. This breakfast dish sees salted cod combined with tomato, bell peppers, onion, garlic and seasoning served with chopped avocado on the side.

Want to try a recipe that's from the Eastern Caribbean?

Then say hello this tasty dish from Trinidad and Tobago.

I present to you a very tasty, quick, hassle free, no fuss island style breakfast that's low carb and keto friendly too.

Usually when people think of the Caribbean, they allude to Jamaica and fail to acknowledge the cuisines of other islands especially the Eastern Caribbean.

Each island has their own delicacy and local dishes that they extremely proud to showcase.

I have been fortunate enough to have visited a few Caribbean islands and even though many of the foods/methodology are almost kin at times, I love dishes that contrast one another and this saltfish buljol is a prime example of what I am talking about.

What is saltfish buljol?

In short, it is a dish consisting of salted cod, onion, tomato, peppers and chillies. The name is of French origin, from a number of French words morphed into Trinidadian patios.

It is usually served for breakfast similar to how the national dish Jamaican Ackee and Saltfish is served in the morning.

Typically buljol is served with avocado, bakes or even cabbage. Like most recipes that have evolved with time you can pretty much jazz up your buljol with any of the following;

• Garlic
• Culantro (Shado Beni)
• Scotch Bonnet
• Hot Pepper

Ingredients you will need

• Salfish: I used my homemade saltfish which I highly recommend. If not then do the soak, boil and flake method as mentioned in the recipe card.
• The onion, garlic, bell peppers etc... all form the seasoning, I used cilantro as I didn't have shado beni (culantro to hand).

Hot or cold buljol

You will find this recipe made using either on the following methods;

• Combine the saltfish (soaked and already boiled) into a skillet with the vegetables and cook through.
• Add the boiled off fish in a bowl and mix with uncooked vegetables and drizzled with hot olive oil.

It's a matter of preference really, some people like the dish heated through while other are more partial to serving it cold

. I prefer my buljol cooked up but for the benefit of keeping the recipe more on the authentic side the pictures reflect the cold version.

Using homemade saltfish instead of store brought

If you are one of my faithful followers then you will see ANY recipe that calls for salted cod is replaced with this D.I.Y How to Make Saltfish recipe instead.

This recipe is far more healthier then using the store bought saltfish which is preserved with refined salt.

It's up to you what method you use, I'm just putting it out there, do what works for you!!

You may have seen this method pop up in my Saltfish Turn Cornmeal and also my Cabbage and Saltfish recipe.

How to make saltfish buljol

• Add the saltfish, onion, garlic, tomato, bell peppers and scotch bonnet to a medium sized mixing bowl.
• Then mix all of the ingredients together so they are fully combined.
• In a small saucepan heat up the olive oil on high heat.

• Drizzle and fold in the olive oil into the vegetables and saltfish.
• Season with shado beni/coriander or cilantro and black pepper to taste
• Slice the avocados and serve with your buljol

Can you make this recipe ahead of time?

If you want to speed things up. You could chop up the onions, garlic and bell peppers ahead of time i.e in the evening and have your ingredients ready in a bowl (or bowls) depending on which method you choose.

Notes and tips

• You could pair this recipe with this Steamed Cabbage recipe
• If you cannot source shando beni use cilantro/coriander instead.
• If you don't care for heat then omit the hot sauce or scotch bonnet.
• If adding hot sauce and scotch bonnet use your preference, remember the heat is in the membrane.
• Serve your buljol hot or cold as directed in the recipe card.
• To prevent your avocado from darkening, chop it up and add to some salt water, drain/rinse use when ready.
• If you are using my DIY saltfish method then you won't need to follow the traditional method of soaking/boiling. Just have the homemade saltfish to hand before starting to cook.

Other Trinidadian recipes you may like

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Saltfish Buljol

Learn how to this Trinidadian saltfish loaded breakfast with avocados to start your day.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakast

Cuisine: Trinidad and Tobago

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 324kcal

Author: Charla

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb Saltfish see the post for my homemade (2 cups)
• ▢ 1 cup Mixed bell peppers chopped finely
• ▢ 1 Tomato diced
• ▢ 1 small onion or use ½ of a large onion
• ▢ 3 Garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Shado beni optional use coriander/cilantro in place
• ▢ Scotch Bonnet or hot sauce minced, use the amount according to your heat threshold
• ▢ 4 tablespoon Olive oil
• ▢ Black pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 avocados

Instructions

• If you are using my homemade saltfish skip the below step and move onto preparing your buljol using with the hot or cold method.
• If you are using storebought saltfish, add the saltfish to a medium sized saucepan with water and leave to soak overnight or for several hours. Drain off the water and replenish with more water, bring to the boil and boil out the salt excess, if the water gets too salty (taste test) then drain off the water and continue to boil/drain until the water isn't salty.

For cold buljol

• Add the saltfish, onion, garlic, tomato, bell peppers and scotch bonnet to a medium sized mixing bowl.
• Then mix all of the ingredients together so they are fully combined
• In a small saucepan heat up the olive oil on high heat.
• Drizzle and fold in the olive into the vegetables and saltfish
• Season with shado beni/coriander/cilantro and black pepper to taste
• Slice the avocados and serve

For the hot version of buljol

• Add the olive oil to a large skillet on medium heat.
• Saute the onion and garlic until soft and translucent
• Add the bell peppers and tomato and continue to cook for 5 minutes until the peppers are soft.
• Fold in the saltfish, scotch bonnet and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring so the saltfish is combined and is heated all the way through.
• Season with shado beni/coriander or cilantro and black pepper to taste
• Slice the avocados and serve

Notes

• You could pair this recipe with this Steamed Cabbage recipe
• If you cannot source shando beni use cilantro/coriander instead.
• If you don't care for heat then omit the hot sauce or scotch bonnet.
• If adding hot sauce and scotch bonnet use your preference, remember the heat is in the membrane.
• Serve your buljol hot or cold as directed in the recipe card.
• To prevent your avocado from darkening, chop it up and add to some salt water, drain/rinse use when ready.
• If you are using my DIY saltfish method then you won't need to follow the traditional method of soaking/boiling. Just have the homemade saltfish to hand before starting to cook.

Nutrition

Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 990mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1458IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg

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