Jamaican Ackee and Saltfish Recipe

Ackee and saltfish is Jamaica's National dish, full of flavor and cultural importance. It contains ackee, a yellow fruit with a mild taste, and salted codfish, which provides it with a savory flavor.

 

The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.

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Ackee and saltfish, a beloved Jamaican staple, is surprisingly simple to prepare at home. My grandma had an ackee tree. I remember her picking the ripe ackee, taking out the seed, boiling it, and cooking it for us.

Those were the good ol’ days when I had access to fresh ackee, but now, canned ackee does just as well in this dish. It comes in handy when I want to make this ackee and saltfish recipe.

This recipe is easy to make. It only has a few steps. First, boil the saltfish to remove excess salt. Then, sauté aromatics. Finally, add canned ackee is warmed through.

People typically serve this recipe alongside fried dumplings, roasted breadfruit, boiled green bananas, festival, or pear. 

Ingredients

• Aromatics: Canola oil, yellow onion, green scallions, fresh thyme, scotch bonnet pepper (optional) - These ingredients infuse the dish with fragrance and depth of flavor.
• Protein: Salted codfish - This provides a savory and salty foundation for the dish. Ensure that you bone the codfish and have already removed the bones. You can also purchase boned codfish without the bones. You'll also want to boil or soak the codfish overnight to remove any excess salt.
• Produce: Roma tomato, ackee - These provide freshness, color, and essential nutrients. I typically used the canned ackee.
• Seasoning: Black pepper - This adds a subtle heat and complexity to the dish.

How to make Ackee and Saltfish

First, prepare the saltfish by soaking it in water overnight, draining it, boiling it once, and then draining it again. You can skip the overnight soak and boil and drain the salted fish 2-3 times until the excess salt is removed.

Break the saltfish into small pieces and set it aside. 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, scallions, thyme, and scotch bonnet peppers to the skillet and saute for 3-4 minutes, until the onions have softened. Then add salted fish and stir for an additional minute. 

Add the roma tomatoes and drained ackee and cook for 3-4 minutes, gently stirring to prevent the ackee from breaking up. Season with black pepper. 

Serve and enjoy.

What is ackee?

Ackee is Jamaica's national fruit, growing on trees. Jamaicans commonly eat it with saltfish in the national dish, ackee and saltfish, but they can also use it in other ways. Ackee has its distinct flavor and texture. Once cooked, it becomes soft and creamy-like. It's mild in flavor and it's not sweet.

Finding fresh ackee in the US is hard because the government bans its import. Fresh ackee can be toxic if not cooked correctly.

You can find canned or frozen ackee at your international market or online.

More Ways to Use Ackee

Although mostly used in this dish, ackee can be used in many ways. You can use it as a substitute for scrambled eggs, add it to your favorite curry, or make fritters using the ackee.

And there you have it: delicious ackee and saltfish. If you're looking for more Caribbean breakfast recipes, check these out:

• Callaloo and Saltfish
• Easy Jamaican Banana Fritters
• Jamaican Spice Bun
• Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge

This post was originally published on July 9, 2021. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.