What is ackee and saltfish?

Ackee and saltfish is Jamaica's national dish — a combination of salted codfish sautéed with onions, escallion, tomato, scotch bonnet and ackee fruit. It is traditionally eaten for breakfast in Jamaica.

What does ackee taste like?

Ackee has a mild, creamy, slightly nutty flavour with a buttery texture similar to scrambled eggs or firm tofu. It is neutral enough to take on surrounding flavours while adding its own distinctive richness.

Is ackee safe to eat?

Canned ackee is completely safe to eat — it has been prepared and processed correctly. The edible part is the yellow aril. Raw ackee must be fully open and ripe before eating, as unripe ackee contains toxins.

Ackee and Saltfish Recipe — Jamaica's National Dish

Name: Ackee and Saltfish
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Jamaican
Ingredients: 1/2 lb salted codfish; 1 can Grace Ackee drained; 4 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 medium onion; 2 cloves garlic; 2 stalks escallion; 1 tomato diced; 1/2 bell pepper; 1 tsp scotch bonnet; 1 tsp black pepper

Why Ackee and Saltfish Is Jamaica's National Dish

Ackee arrived in Jamaica from West Africa in the 18th century, brought on slave ships. It became so deeply embedded in Jamaican food culture that it was eventually declared the national fruit and the basis of the country's national dish. Today, ackee and saltfish is eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner across the island.

The saltfish component reflects Jamaica's colonial history — salt-preserved cod was traded between Europe and the Caribbean for centuries and became a staple protein. The combination of these two ingredients — one African, one European — is fundamentally Jamaican.

The Most Important Technique: Fold the ackee in gently at the very end using a wooden spoon. Do not stir aggressively. The delicate arils crush easily, and crushed ackee looks and tastes different — you want the bright yellow pieces to stay whole and distinct.

Ingredients

½ lb salted codfish (saltfish)
1 can Grace Ackee, drained safely
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks escallion, chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
½ sweet bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 tsp scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp black pepper

How to Make Ackee and Saltfish

1
Desalt the fish. Boil the saltfish in water for 20 minutes to remove excess salt. Pour off the water, taste, and repeat if it is still too salty. Cool, then remove any skin or bones and flake into bite-sized pieces.
2
Build the base. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, escallion, tomato, bell pepper and scotch bonnet for 3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
3
Add the saltfish. Stir in the flaked saltfish and black pepper. Mix well to infuse the fish with the seasoned oil and aromatics.
4
Fold in the ackee. Gently add the drained ackee. Toss lightly with a wooden spoon — do not stir hard. Cover and simmer on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.

Washing the fish: Like all meats in a Jamaican kitchen, the saltfish is always washed — in this case the boiling process serves the dual purpose of washing and desalting. Never skip the desalting step or your dish will be too salty to eat.

What Ackee Tastes Like

Ackee has a mild, creamy, slightly nutty flavour with a buttery texture. Its closest comparison is scrambled eggs or firm tofu — neutral enough to take on the flavours around it but with its own distinctive richness. This is why it works so well with the robust, salty saltfish.

The bright yellow arils are the edible part of the ackee fruit. The red pod and black seeds are toxic and must never be eaten — which is why canned ackee, which is prepared safely, is the reliable choice for cooking outside Jamaica.

What to Serve with Ackee and Saltfish

The traditional Jamaican breakfast pairing is ackee and saltfish with boiled green bananas, fried dumplings (also called johnnycakes), or hard dough bread. Rice and peas is the classic dinner pairing. Festival — a lightly sweet fried dough — is another traditional accompaniment.