Fregola with cod

Name: Fregola with cod
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Fregola pasta 10.6 oz; Desalted cod 1.1 lbs; Extra virgin olive oil 4 ½ tbsp; Vegetable broth 5 cups; Cherry tomatoes 1 cup; Taggiasca olives 1.1 oz; Garlic 1 clove; Fresh chili pepper 1; Thyme to taste; Marjoram to taste; White wine ½ glass; Lemon peel 1; Basil to taste; Salted capers 3 tsp

it br es fr de

Lactose Free

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Fregola with cod is a Sardinian favorite that really brings out the tender side of salted cod and the special texture of fregola—those little round pasta bits unique to Sardegna. Folks from the island love using fregola in first-course dishes. Why? It soaks up all the flavors and adds just the right chew. This combo with baccalà, or salted cod, is classic in Sardinian kitchens, for sure. It stands out with its moist, flavorful fish and those bits of sweet cherry tomato that break up the saltiness. Really good stuff.

And listen, add a handful of olives and capers, and you get this mix of bright, briny tastes that really really reminds you of Sardinia’s coastal food. The golden fregola picks up the juices and colors from the sauce—making every bite pop with flavor. Dishes like this show why cod recipes are so popular in Italian regions and why people keep looking for new seafood pasta recipes that feel both simple and special.

In Sardegna, everyone has their own tweaks for this cod and fregola recipe. Some folks toss in extra capers or use local olives for a sharper bite, while others go heavier on the cherry tomatoes for more sweetness. Pretty much. Sardinian pasta recipes like this one are all about working with what’s fresh and local, which is why the flavors always seem so colorful and balanced. The baccalà itself, with its strong taste and tender flesh, turns every forkful into something memorable—seriously good—especially with fregola’s nutty background.

When you want to branch out from usual seafood pasta recipes or try something that feels rooted in real Italian home cooking, this dish hits the mark. Can't go wrong. And it’s the kind of food that brings folks together around the table. Every plate ends up full of color, moist textures, and bold flavor. Try a few Sardinian touches, and soon you’ll be exploring even more creative ideas with cod or fregola for easy weeknight dinners or get-togethers with friends. With every bite, you'll taste a piece of Sardinian tradition, where simple ingredients come together to create something memorable—no question.

How to prepare Fregola with cod

To prepare fregola with cod, first take the cod already desalted and remove the bones 1, then cut it into small pieces. Crush a clove of garlic and put it in a pan to brown with 1 ½ tbsp of oil 2, then remove it. Add the cod in the pan and deglaze with white wine 3.

Cook for 7 minutes, then set aside 4. In the same pan pour another 1 ½ tbsp of oil 5, heat slightly, then add the fregola 6.

Toast it 7 and continue cooking as if it were a risotto, by pouring hot vegetable broth as needed until covered 8, allowing it to be absorbed before adding more. Check the fregola's cooking after 12 minutes. Soak the capers in lukewarm water 9 after rinsing them well under water to desalt them.

Wash and cut the cherry tomatoes into wedges, season them with 1 ½ tbsp of oil, salt, marjoram, and thyme 10. After 12 minutes of cooking the fregola, add the cod 11, the cherry tomatoes, capers, and olives, let them flavor for a minute 12, taste and adjust with salt if needed. Complete with chili to taste, a drizzle of oil, and a grated lemon zest. The fregola with cod is ready to be enjoyed.

Preparation