This unique Spanish recipe, called Malaga salad (ensalada malagueña), is a wonderful mixture of potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, oranges, and salt cod dressed with oil and vinegar. It might sound unusual, but it's a tasty way to enjoy potatoes in the traditional Malaga way!
If you love potato salad, make sure to try our recipe for ensalada rusa (Russian potato salad), which is just as delicious.
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Introduction
When people in Spain talk about potato salad, they usually think of ensalada rusa (Russian salad), which is similar to what we make in the US. However, in Malaga, we have a different kind of potato salad with salt cod, olives, and oranges added to the mix.
It might sound a bit odd to make a salad with fish, oranges and potatoes, but the result is delicious and a perfect choice when the weather is warming up. The best part, in my opinion, is that it is very easy to make and you can prepare it ahead of time, so it’s the ideal starter!
Ingredients
Fortunately, you only need 9 simple ingredients for this Malaga salad--and most of them you probably already have on hand. Let's go through the key ingredients!
- Salt Cod: Dried, salted cod is a popular way to preserve cod in Spain. You'll need to soak it in cold water to rehydrate and desalinate it before you use it.
- Potatoes: I recommend using a waxy type of potato that will hold up well after being boiled, such as Yukon Gold potatoes.
- Oranges: Peel a fresh navel orange, then cut the slices into bite-sized wedges. This adds a bright touch of freshness to the salad.
- Olives: I like use add green olives without pimentos inside. You can also use black olives for a different twist.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Malaga Salad
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Soak the salt cod for about 24 hours. Dry it with paper towel and carefully remove any skin or bones. (image 1)
- Wash and peel the potatoes, then put them in a pot and bring to a boil. Add salt, then boil for 20-25 minutes or until fork tender. (image 2)
- Boil the eggs for about 10 minutes. (image 3)
- Peel the eggs, then slice them into quarters. (image 4)
- Once the potatoes are finished cooking, cut them into bite-sized pieces. (image 5)
- Mix the potatoes, eggs, onion, orange slices, olives, and salt cod in a large bowl. (image 6)
- Drizzle with olive oil, sherry vinegar, and salt to taste. (image 7)
- Enjoy the Malaga salad! (image 8)
Recipe FAQs
Malaga salad (ensalada malagueña) originated in the province of Málaga, which is a part of Andalusia. No one knows who invented the dish, but we now that it's a popular summer salad in this area.
Yes, you can! This delicious summer salad will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Serve
Malaga salad is a popular appetizer, especially during the summer, when it's a refreshing way to start a meal. Pair it with some fried fish and you will have a typical Malaga lunch. It would also be lovely to eat this salad along with other Andalusian dishes, like flamenquínes cordobeses, albóndigas de choco, or a bowl of salmorejo.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to soak the salt cod in water for about 24 hours to remove a lot of the salt, and remove the skin and bones before flaking.
- I recommend using waxy potatoes, like Yukon Gold or red potatoes, for this recipe, as they keep their shape well when boiled.
- Try using black olives instead of green olives for a unique twist.
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Malaga Salad Recipe (Ensalada Malagueña)
Ingredients
- 10 ½ ounces salt cod
- 2 ¼ pounds potatoes peeled
- 1 tablespoon sea salt plus more to taste
- 4 hard-boiled eggs quartered or diced
- 4 oranges peeled and wedged
- green olives to taste pitted and sliced
- 1 onion diced
- olive oil to taste
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Instructions
- Soak the salt cod for about 24 hours, depending on its thickness. Once it's desalinated, dry the cod with paper towel and carefully remove any skin or bones.
- Wash and peel the potatoes, put them into a large pot, and cover with water. Cook over high heat and the sea salt right when the water boils. Cook the potatoes until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes. Let them cool and then cut into bite-sized pieces.
- When the potatoes are halfway done, hard boil 4 eggs, cooking them for about 10 minutes. Peel and cut the eggs into bite-sized pieces.
- Mix the potatoes, eggs, onion, orange slices, olives, and salt cod in a large bowl.
- Dress with olive oil, sherry vinegar, and sea salt to taste. Be careful here, as the cod itself is salty, so you may not need to add salt depending on your preferences.
- Serve the salad at room temperature or chilled and enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure to soak the salt cod in water for about 24 hours to remove a lot of the salt, and remove the skin and bones before flaking.
- I recommend using waxy potatoes, like Yukon Gold or red potatoes, for this recipe, as they keep their shape well when boiled.
- Try using black olives instead of green olives for a unique twist.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Thomas
Suggestions:
- Instead of vinegar, use orange juice + olive oil + black pepper to make a vinaigrette (tastes even better imho).
- Instead of the salted cod, you can use canned tuna (easier, less salt).
- For a Keto version, just skip the potatoes; you wont miss them.
Arni Sholihah
It was my favourite food during my stay in Malaga. So refreshing yet still filling ...
James
You don’t need to cook the cod? Just buy raw salt cod, soak it and then add it raw to the dish?
Lauren Aloise
Exactly, it is cured from the salt.
Alan Anderson
We are this prior to having sardines at the La Caracola Restaurant in Fuengirola. It was unbelievably delicious and a refreshing starter prior to the sardines.
5 stars