Among the ancient Egyptian recipes that have survived in archaeological record, preserved fish stands out as one of the most consistent. The Nile was abundant — tilapia, perch, mullet, catfish — and the Egyptians salted and dried their catch on an industrial scale, feeding workers, soldiers, and temple offerings alike. This is that same instinct, applied to bacalao: salt cod, soaked and flaked, dressed with garlic, coriander, and cumin. Not a Pharaonic recipe in the strict sense — Atlantic cod never swam the Nile — but the logic is identical, and the flavours are genuinely Egyptian.

Ancient Egyptian Food and the Preservation Tradition

Fish was central to ancient Egyptian food in a way that went beyond nutrition. The Nile flooded annually, fish were plentiful, and preservation was essential — a civilisation that size needed food that lasted. Workers who built the pyramids were paid partly in dried fish. Temple reliefs show fish being gutted, salted, and hung to dry in the sun. The method was simple and effective: salt draws out moisture, drying does the rest, and the result keeps for months without refrigeration.

Nile perch and tilapia were the primary catches. Atlantic cod came later, carried by Mediterranean and European trade routes into a world the pharaohs never knew. But bacalao — salt cod — is the closest modern equivalent to what those dried Nile fish would have tasted like once rehydrated and cooked. Dense, saline, with a texture that holds up to strong flavours. It earns its place here.

Ancient Egyptian Recipes — Salt Cod with Herb Dressing

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 150g salt cod (bacalao), soaked for 24–36 hours, water changed three or four times
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• Small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Good glug of olive oil
• Flaky sea salt and black pepper

Method

Soak the cod
Place the salt cod in a bowl and cover with cold water. Leave for 24–36 hours in the fridge, changing the water three or four times. The cod should be pleasantly saline but not aggressively salty by the end. Taste a small piece to check.

Cook the cod
Drain the soaked cod and place in a pan. Cover with fresh cold water, bring gently to a simmer, and poach for 10–12 minutes until the flesh is just cooked through and beginning to flake. Drain and leave to cool slightly.

Make the herb dressing
While the cod cools, combine the grated garlic, parsley, coriander, and cumin in a small bowl. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and stir well. Taste — it should be sharp, herby, and fragrant.

Flake and dress
Remove any skin and bones from the cod and flake the flesh into a bowl. Spoon over the herb dressing and turn gently to coat. Taste and adjust — a little more lemon, a little more oil, black pepper to finish.

Serve
Eat at room temperature. This is not a hot dish.

Ancient Egyptian recipes rarely come with instructions. What survives is evidence — reliefs, residues, administrative records — and from that evidence, a picture of how people ate. Preserved fish, garlic, herbs, oil. The ingredients are simple. The tradition behind them is four thousand years old.

Footnote:

This ancient Egyptian salt cod recipe is featured in my Cooking Through History hub, where I cook my way through the ancient world — from Mesopotamian flatbreads to Medieval English pottage.
You'll also find it in my Fish & Seafood Recipes hub.
Find more recipes and food adventures here.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef