Name: Quick Jamaican Saltfish And Butter Bean Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 cup boiled, deboned, and flaked saltfish. The star. Use the kind you like, but expect more salt in boned versions.; 1 can of butter beans, drained and rinsed. I prefer canned (tinned) because they’re pre-cooked and consistent, but dried works too if soaked.; 1 small onion, diced (or sliced if preferred); ½ bell pepper, diced; 1 tomato, chopped (add more if you like it saucy); 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp fresh thyme, minced (or use whole sprigs); ½ scotch bonnet pepper, minced (adjust to taste); 2 stalks scallion; 2 chopped orka; 1 tbsp ketchup ( To add sauce); 1–2 tbsp cooking oil; Black pepper to taste; Splash of water (optional, for moisture)

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One of my favorite breakfast dishes is saltfish and butter beans. Saltfish is cooked in many delicious ways, like with ackee, cabbage, callaloo, or even made into fritters.

My mother will always make this when she needs to stretch a tiny piece of saltfish into a full meal for our large family. What I love about this recipe is that you do not need a lot of ingredients to make this tasty dish.

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And the best part, you don’t have to add okra. I personally do not like cooked okra, but my husband does. So, I just take out my share and add the okra to the end.

Over time, I learned how to make a little gravy in this dish by adding some black pepper, a tbsp of water, all-purpose seasoning, and ketchup. This creates the yummiest little sauce and gravy for this dish. And it’s good, because I enjoy eating mine with provisions. Jamaican salt fish and butter beans are perfect if you are not eating meat for Lent and want something quick and delicious.

Why You’ll Love This Dish

This is a recipe that works for any time of day. It’s a flavorful dish that does not need any chicken or beef, and I love how it’s budget-friendly, too.

You can make a full pan of this with just a few ingredients, and to make it even more filling, eat it along with dumplings, provisions, and green figs.

And honestly, the best part is that I have been eating saltfish and butter beans since I was a child. It is a comfort food that comes together in no time.

You Need To Rid The Salt From Salt Fish

Most Caribbean people know that the easiest way to remove salt from saltfish is to either soak it or boil it. I usually combine the two when I do not want to spend too much time boiling my saltfish.

I rinse the fish, then soak it in cold water overnight in the fridge, changing the water a few times, which will draw out the salt. However, my quicker method is to rinse and boil the saltfish for 10–15 minutes, then taste and repeat with fresh water when needed. Once I overboiled the fish and removed the salt. It was tasteless. I had to add more salt when cooking. Don’t do that.

Butter beans, also known as lima beans, are soft, creamy, and perfect for soaking up flavor. You can use dried beans if you have time to soak and cook them, but canned butter beans are super convenient and work beautifully in this dish. Just drain and rinse before adding.

Ingredients

1 cup boiled, deboned, and flaked saltfish. The star. Use the kind you like, but expect more salt in boned versions.
1 can of butter beans, drained and rinsed. I prefer canned (tinned) because they’re pre-cooked and consistent, but dried works too if soaked.
1 small onion, diced (or sliced if preferred)
½ bell pepper, diced
1 tomato, chopped (add more if you like it saucy)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced (or use whole sprigs)
½ scotch bonnet pepper, minced (adjust to taste)
2 stalks scallion
2 chopped orka
1 tbsp ketchup ( To add sauce)
1–2 tbsp cooking oil
Black pepper to taste
Splash of water (optional, for moisture)

Instructions

Ingredients for salt fish and butter bean

Desalting the Saltfish

Rinse the saltfish under cold running water to remove surface salt and soak it in plenty of cold water overnight (6–8 hours) if possible.

If you didn’t soak overnight, just boil the saltfish for ~15–20 minutes, discard the water, then rinse. (Some people do this 2–3 times). After that, flake (or debone + skin, if needed).

Prepare Beans

As I said above, I prefer to use canned butter beans: drain and rinse. For those who are using dried beans: soak overnight & boil until tender (but not mushy).

Sauté Aromatics & Veggies

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Then, add onion, garlic, scallion, thyme, and scotch bonnet. Sauté until fragrant and the onion is translucent. Add tomato, bell pepper (and optional veggies like okra). Let them soften a bit.

Time for the Saltfish

Add your flaked saltfish. Stir gently, allow fish to mingle with aromatics for 3–4 minutes. If the pan feels dry, move the ingredients to the side and add a little oil to the center.

Add Beans & Simmer

Add the butter beans, followed by ketchup and a splash of water. Adjust moisture based on your preference—more water and ketchup for a saucy finish, less for a dry version.

Cover, lower the heat, and let it simmer ~10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Taste & Adjust

Taste carefully (you might want to sample a bean + fish together). Adjust salt (very carefully, if needed), pepper, maybe a squeeze of lime or fresh herbs.

Finish & Serve

Let it rest off the heat for a few minutes so flavors meld. Garnish with fresh scallion, parsley, or extra pepper if desired.

Serve with rice, boiled ground provisions (yams, cassava, etc.), or even breadfruit, plantains.

Tips for Perfect Saltfish and Butter Bean Every Time

Don’t overboil your saltfish. You’ll lose the flavor.
Use scotch bonnet sparingly. It’s flavorful but intense.
Butter beans break easily. Stir gently so they stay whole.
Add ketchup last. It balances saltiness and adds color.
Customize it. Toss in cabbage or spinach for a heartier version.

This dish is full of flavor and comes together quickly. No extra salt needed, and the saltfish does the job. Try it with fried dumplings, breadfruit, or boiled ground provisions. If you haven’t had this combo before, give it a go and let me know what you think!

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