Saltfish and Rice Cook-up
This Caribbean saltfish and rice cook-up is an easy one-pot meal made with seasoned rice, ochro, and saltfish simmered in coconut milk. Make it on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot for a flavorful Caribbean meal without a whole lot of fuss.
This is one of those easy one-pot meals I like when I want something filling without making a whole set of separate dishes. I originally made this saltfish and rice in the Instant Pot, but I’ve now tested it on the stovetop too, so you can use whichever method works for you.
What is cookup rice?
Cook-up rice is a Caribbean one-pot rice dish made by cooking the rice together with ingredients like peas, vegetables, meat, or salted fish. There are many versions across the Caribbean, and what goes into the pot can change depending on where you’re from or simply what you have on hand.
You might find cook-up rice made with peas, callaloo, pumpkin, ochro, or different meats and salted fish. Some versions combine several of these ingredients in the same pot.
For this version, I make the cook-up with saltfish and ochro, with the rice simmered in coconut milk. I’ve seen similar saltfish cook-ups often in Guyanese cooking, but variations of one-pot rice dishes are made throughout the Caribbean.
What is saltfish?
Saltfish is dried and salted fish, commonly cod, that’s used in many Caribbean dishes, from saltfish and bake to stews and one-pot meals like this cook-up.
Before cooking with it, you need to remove enough of the salt so it doesn’t overpower the dish. For this recipe, I soaked my saltfish in water for 30 minutes, drained it, then soaked it again before breaking it into smaller pieces.
How long you need to soak saltfish can vary depending on how salty it is. You can taste a small piece after soaking to check the salt level before adding it to the rice.
For more ways to prepare it, check out my Saltfish 101 guide, where I go through different methods for desalting and preparing saltfish.
How to make saltfish and rice cookup
Ingredients you’ll need
- Saltfish (salted cod) – Desalt the fish before cooking, then break it into smaller pieces. The amount of salt left in the fish will also affect how much, if any, additional salt the finished rice needs.
- Parboiled rice – My preferred rice for this cook-up because it holds its shape well as it cooks with the coconut milk and other ingredients.
- Ochro (okra) – I use frozen chopped ochro for convenience, but fresh can also be used.
- Coconut milk and water – These provide the cooking liquid for the rice, with coconut milk adding flavor and richness.
- Onion, garlic, and celery – The aromatics I sauté before adding the rice when making the stovetop version.
- Black pepper and sugar – Black pepper adds a little spice, while a small amount of sugar helps balance the salty flavor of the fish.
- Whole hot pepper – Add it whole for flavor and some heat without chopping it into the rice. Keep the pepper intact while the cook-up simmers unless you want it much hotter.
- Pimento peppers (flavor peppers) – Add chopped pimento peppers for their mild, aromatic pepper flavor. I didn’t have any when I made my stovetop version this time, so you can leave them out if needed.
- Oil – Used to sauté the onion, garlic, and celery for the stovetop method.
Instructions
Prepare the saltfish
Desalt the saltfish before you begin. For this batch, I soaked mine in water for 30 minutes, drained it, then covered it with fresh water and soaked it again. Drain the fish and break it into smaller pieces before cooking.
Stovetop method
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, and pimento peppers, if using. Sauté for about 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
- Add the rice. Stir in the washed parboiled rice and sauté briefly, mixing it well with the aromatics.
- Add the ochro. Stir in the chopped ochro until combined with the rice.
- Add the liquid and saltfish. Pour in the coconut milk and water, then add the saltfish, black pepper, and sugar. Stir everything together.
- Add the hot pepper and simmer. Place the whole hot pepper on top. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Check the rice. After 15 minutes, check the rice and the amount of liquid remaining. If the rice still needs more time and the pot is getting dry, add a small amount of water. Cover and continue cooking until the rice is tender and has reached the dryness you prefer. Mine needed about another 8 minutes.
- Taste and serve. Remove the hot pepper and fluff the rice. Taste before adding salt, since the saltfish may provide enough.
Instant Pot method
- Add everything to the pot. Add the rice, coconut milk, water, garlic, pimento peppers, chives, celery, ochro, sugar, black pepper, and prepared saltfish to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
- Add the hot pepper. Place the whole hot pepper on top without breaking it.
- Pressure cook. Close the lid and use the Rice setting. If using a pressure cooker without a Rice setting, cook on low pressure for 12 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally. Once the cooking cycle is finished, allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the lid.
- Fluff and taste. Remove the hot pepper and gently fluff the rice. Taste before adding any additional salt.
Storage and reheating tips
Store leftover saltfish and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Refrigerate leftovers promptly after serving rather than leaving the rice sitting out for an extended period.
You can also freeze the cook-up for up to 1 month. Keep in mind that the ochro may become softer after freezing and reheating.
To reheat in the microwave: Add a small splash of water or coconut milk, cover loosely, and microwave in 1-minute intervals until heated through.
To reheat on the stovetop: Add the rice to a pan with a small splash of water or coconut milk. Cover and warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. I use frozen chopped ochro because it’s convenient, but fresh ochro works too. Chop it before adding it to the rice.
I use parboiled rice for this recipe. It holds its shape well while cooking with the coconut milk, saltfish, and ochro and gives me the texture I want in my cook-up. The liquid amounts and cooking times in this recipe are tested specifically with parboiled rice.
Taste a small piece after soaking it. You want to remove enough salt that it won’t overpower the rice, but the fish should still have some salty flavor. Because the salt level varies from one piece of saltfish to another, wait until the cook-up is finished before deciding whether it needs additional salt.
This saltfish and rice cook-up is an easy one-pot meal whether you make it on the stovetop or pull out the Instant Pot. The saltfish, ochro, and coconut milk all cook together with the rice for plenty of flavor without needing a long list of steps.
If you make it, let me know in the comments how it turned out. And tell me, are you adding extra ochro or keeping it just like this?
More Caribbean recipes to try
If you enjoyed this saltfish and rice cook-up, try my Stew Saltfish for another easy way to prepare saltfish, or Saltfish Rundown simmered in coconut milk.
For another one-pot rice dish, try my Caribbean Chicken Pelau. You can also check out my Tobago Crab Callaloo for another Caribbean favorite.
Recipe
Saltfish and Rice Cook-Up
Ingredients
Method
- Desalt the saltfish before cooking. Soak it in water, drain, and repeat with fresh water until the salt level is where you want it. For my stovetop batch, I soaked the saltfish for 30 minutes, drained it, then soaked it again in fresh water. Drain and break the fish into smaller pieces before cooking.
- Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, and pimento peppers, if using. Sauté for about 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
- Add the washed rice and stir briefly to coat it with the oil and aromatics.
- Stir in the chopped ochro.
- Add the coconut milk and water, followed by the prepared saltfish, black pepper, and sugar. Stir to combine.
- Place the whole hot pepper on top. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Check the rice after 15 minutes. If the rice still needs more cooking and the liquid has dried out, add a small amount of water. Cover and continue cooking until the rice is tender and as dry as you like it. Mine took about another 8 minutes.
- Remove the hot pepper and fluff the rice. Taste before adding salt and add only if needed.
- Add the washed rice, water, coconut milk, garlic, pimento peppers or pimento sauce, chives, celery, ochro, sugar, black pepper, and prepared saltfish to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
- Place the whole hot pepper on top without stirring it into the rice.
- Close the lid and select the Rice setting. If cooking manually, set the Instant Pot to Low Pressure for 12 minutes.
- When the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Open the lid and remove the hot pepper. Fluff the rice, taste, and add salt only if needed.
- Serve warm.
Nutrition
Recipe Printed From ThisBagoGirl.com
Blasphemy! Where is the coconut milk?!
You mean besides the 1 cup of coconut milk listed in the ingredients?
thank you! it's the best instant pot meal I've ever tasted and I've made plenty. and it's so easy!
It is definitely easy. Thank you Lena for trying.
I think 1 cup of water and 1 cup coconut milk is not enough liquid for 2 cups of parboiled rice. To my knowledge I use 1 can of coconut milk which is about 1 3/4 cups and add water to make up approx. 4 cups liquid in total.
Hi. In the Instant Pot, I ALWAYS use 1:1 for liquid to rice. It gives me a drier texture which I prefer. Since this is really a steam versus a boil when using the stove top. Even if you prefer a "wetter" mix, 4 cups of water would be too much in the IP.