Fish Stews can be so boring…but not a BRAZILIAN Fish Stew!! With a fragrant tomato coconut sauce with a fresh hit of lime, this is such a different exotic way to serve up fish that is off the charts delicious – yet simple to make.
Brazilian Fish Stew
When I think of Brazilian food, I immediately have visions of grilled meat. Specifically, Churrasco. Serious quantities of grilled meat on giant skewers with the waiters walking from table to table, slicing the meat straight from the skewer onto my plate.
Carnivore heaven. 🙂
Because of the strong association of Brazilian food with Churrasco (and also because I don’t have a giant grill with a rotisserie) I thought sharing this traditional Brazilian fish stew would be nice for something a bit different!
The sauce of Brazilian Fish Stew is essentially a coconut curry sauce. Lightly spiced with a hit of lime, great depth of flavour!
What Brazilian Fish Stew tastes like
It tastes like a mild version of Thai Red Curry – and requires a whole lot less ingredients to make! The flavour of the sauce isn’t as kapow in-your-face, it is slightly more refreshing and not quite as rich.
While the flavour isn’t as intense, it doesn’t mean that it’s not as tasty! You will be amazing at the flavour you get from the relatively short list of ingredients. The key to this recipe is searing the fish first, and letting the sauce simmer down.
What you need
Here’s what you need to make Brazilian Fish Stew. See? I promised they were all “normal” ingredients!!!
Virtually any fish fillets will work here, though I’d avoid fish that dries out easily such as swordfish, kingfish, bonito and tuna. I’ve used snapper below. Other popular fish that will work well here include: tilapia, salmon, cod, basa, catfish, barramundi, bream, ling, John dory / Silver dory. See the recipes notes for more suggestions.
(Tip: These fish selection guidelines are good for any recipes where fish are braised or poached like this, such as Chinese Rice Soup and Goan Fish Curry.)
I remember the first time I saw this Brazilian Fish Stew recipe, I was a bit dubious that the sauce would have sufficient flavour with so few ingredients for the sauce. It gets a helping hand by searing the fish in the pan first. The golden bits left in the pan (it’s called fond) after searing the fish adds a good hit of savoury flavour into the sauce.
How to make Brazilian Fish Stew
And here’s how to make it. It takes around 1 hour all up including a brief marinating time for the fish, and simmering time to reduce the sauce.
What to serve with Fish Stew
Serve this over rice or mashed potato so you have something to soak up that glorious sauce. If you want to up the ante, try it with this Lime Rice – and a crusty hunk of bread to mop your plate clean wouldn’t go astray either (try this quick no-yeast Irish Bread).
If you’re going low carb, serve it over Cauliflower Rice or Creamy Mashed Cauliflower.
For a side salad, this Cucumber Salad with Herb & Garlic Dressing would go really well. The fresh, juicy, crunchy cucumber goes really well with this creamy coconut sauce. Otherwise, serve it alongside a leafy green salad with a vinaigrette (rather than creamy dressing) such as French Dressing, Italian or Balsamic Dressing.
Enjoy! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca Baiana)
Ingredients
Fish
- 1 lb / 500g firm white fish fillet , no skin, cut into 1″/2.5cm cubes (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Broth
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil (Note 4)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 small onion , finely diced (brown, yellow or white)
- 1 red capsicum / bell pepper (large), halved and sliced
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar (any)
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 14 oz / 400ml coconut milk (full fat best, Note 2)
- 14 oz / 400ml canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup fish broth/stock (or chicken or vegetable, Note 3)
Finishes
- 1 – 2 tbsp lime juice , plus more for serving
- 3 tbsp roughly chopped fresh cilantro / coriander , plus more for serving
Instructions
Fish
- Combine the fish, lime juice, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Heat the 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the fish and cook until just cooked through and light golden brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Broth
- Reduce the stove to medium high and heat 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil in the same skillet. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 1 1/2 minutes or until the onion is starting to become translucent.
- Add the bell peppers and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the remaining Broth ingredients. Bring to simmer, then turn down to medium. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until it thickens. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Return the fish to the broth to reheat – about 2 minutes.
- Stir through lime juice.
- Garnish with cilantro/coriander and serve with rice or Lime Rice. For a low carb option, try Cauliflower Rice!
Recipe Notes:
a) Feast Magazine – Fish soup (moqueca baiana)
b) Brazilian Foodie – Moqueca Baiana
c) Saveur – Brazilian Fish Stew
d) Simply Recipes – Moqueca – Brazilian Fish Stew 6. Nutrition per serving assuming 4 servings, excludes rice.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published September 2015. Updated with new photos, brand new video and of course, a Life of Dozer section added!!
Less meat, more fish!
Life of Dozer
The one place in the new house he’s not allowed – the SPA. Can you imagine how much of his hair would come out with jets blasting on him?? Major filter clogging!!!
Maybe I missed it, but when do you add the coconut milk and the tomatoes?? Before returning the fish to the pan?
Hi there! Step 3 – add remaining Broth ingredients 🙂
Trying to make traditional Brazilian dish for my neibor help I’m Irish
Hi Norm! this is traditional! 🙂
Question. I’m looking at this and want to make it, but am out of coconut milk. Could I use regular cow’s milk and add extra coconut oil to it? Would it change the taste/texture too much?
It’s quite simple to do coconut milk. Put one part of coconut and one part of water in a blender, mix it and then sift. Save the liquid to do the moqueca.
I’m from Bahia and I have to say that moqueca without palm oil is not moqueca (just the oil made with the pulp of the Palm fruit)
The key is the Palm oil, not the coconut milk.
Hi Lindsey, I’m afraid it would – the coconut milk is quite key to the flavour base of the soup. 🙁
Hi Nagi! I just came across this recipe… right away it caught my Brazilian eyes Lol. It’s delightful to see one of my favorite recipes growing up in Bahia through the eyes of other. This recipe was nicely done! I mostly cook with palm oil, as you mentioned but when it’s all out, I sure use olive oil as well and like to add some hot peppers (pimenta). It’s quite the flavor!
I’m so glad you approve of this Silvia! 🙂 I keep meaning to find palm oil, thanks for the reminder!
Hi Nagi, made this Tuesday night for dinner & it was a big hit! Super easy for a mid week meal I used the coconut oil as suggested and its really fragrant and tastes delish! I also threw in some chopped sweet potato and zucchini for a veg hit and they went wonderfully. I added some prawns as well (just in the last 5 mins) as I was heading out for dinner the following night with my girlfriends and wanted there to be enough leftovers for The Husband to eat again for dinner! He is a connoisseur of leftovers (loves eating everything cold from the fridge!!) I left instructions to “heat it up!” and he messaged me at dinner to say it was even better the next day! Thanks again, another one to add to the rotation!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Vikki! THANK YOU for coming back to let me know! N x
There is no need to add any extra stock, the vegetables already release enough water.
Otherwise, it’s a decent approach to the traditional recipe.
Thanks for your feedback Gerson! 🙂 The reason I add extra stock is that unless I make this with really high quality organic vegetables, I find that the broth can lack flavour. I whole heartedly agree that if you have amazing fresh produce vegetables, then you probably don’t need extra stock!
This sounds so delicious and I would really love to try it! However, I’m just not a big fan of the texture of tomato “chunks”…so I’m hesitating because of the crushed tomatoes. Do you get those chunks of tomatoes in this or do they break down mostly when it simmers? Could I use some tomato sauce instead? Thanks!
Hi Jessica! Yes, the tomato breaks down but you could also use tomato passata – I think it IS called tomato sauce in the US! It’s just tomatoes that have been pureed, no seasonings added 🙂
Hi Nagi,
I really struggled with this recipe and getting it thick like yours. It ended up being more fish soups than fish stew. Still tasted lovely and full of flavour! I cooked it longer than suggested timings too.
Any tips?
Thank you!
Hi Linn! So glad you enjoyed the flavour! Did you use crushed tomato, not diced?? That’s the key to this. But the liquid actually isn’t super thick, not like a curry. It is more like a soup!
Ah! I did use diced tomato! I will go crushed tomato a go 🙂 Thank you
No problems! 🙂
Hi Nagi,
Loved this recipe and shared it on my weekly meal planner recently
http://gillianskitchen.com/weekly-meal-plan-week-13/
Can’t wait to make it again.
Gillian
I’m so glad you like this so much Gillian!!! It’s become one of my favourite fish stews 🙂
I just want to say as an afro brasileira from bahia, your take on mocquea baiana is very creative. If you were having trouble obtaining palm oil you can order it from amigo foods online or visit your local whole foods store. Overall this recipe was great. thanks for sharing. Since you are trying out brazilian dishes you should try XinXim de galinha. I Think you will enjoy it.
Thank you for the tip Jenea! I’m going to check out XinXim de galena! 🙂
this was delicious (and fast!)! My 7 year old son had 2 bowls! Told me that I must make this again! Will definitely make this again!
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback Erin! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 N x
I made this yesterday and it was absolutely delicious. It took a while to thicken, longer than the recipe says but it was great! Thank you!
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback Jaike! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 N x
It is always a challenge to cook something new and healthy. Especially my boyfriend, because if it looks too healthy, he finds it way too hipster.
The problem with not thickening is probably because of the Dutch products. (I am Dutch) They slightly differ from American products.
Thanks for posting this – it is an amazing recipe that I will make again. So easy to find the ingredients but it comes together as a really special dish. I found this recipe on pinterest when I looked for a good fish stew recipe. Now I am going to check out what other great ideas you have on your blog. Well done!
Woo hoo!!! SO GLAD you loved it Sigrid! Thanks for letting me know! N x
I loved this recipe. I used catfish. I sliced my onions instead of finely diced. Will use brown sugar instead of white sugar next time I cook this recipe. I have found in cooking that coconut milk and lime juice is more flavorful with brown sugar.
No cayenne pepper. I used diced tomatoes with diced chilies for a mild spiciness. Definitely use fish broth, if you can. Added pieces of ham for additional saltiness and to finish leftover ham from this holiday season. This stew is delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know! N x
Really good! A bit spicy for the kids, but perfect for the parents!
I’ll do it again, for sure!
I have young children and I always replace cayenne with chili powder! A little trick from mom to mom! 😉
I’m so glad Cathy!! Sorry the kids found it a wee bit spicy. 🙂
This recipe looks really interesting. I love fish and am always looking for new ways to have it. I’ll definitely be trying this soon
I’m the same! Fish is what I have the least recipes for so I get super excited when I find unique, easy new ways to make it. 🙂 This is my latest discovery! I hope you do consider giving it a go! 🙂
Oh what a wonderful dinner this was! I made it tonight and it was delicious. Cumin and paprika is my favorite spice combination so I knew I had to try this recipe and it did not disappoint. I could almost eat the sauce like a soup. Thanks for another great recipe.
Hi Nguyet! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know you loved it!! I’m SO HAPPY!! N x
Hi Nagi,
I’m getting to be your big fan 🙂
This is a great recipe! I made 2 portions and though I substituted 1 can of evaporated milk for 1 can of coconut milk, it still turned out wonderfully tasty. The only downside was the sauce was quite liquid but I thickened it with a mixture of corn flour and chia seed. It was such a hit with my friend! Thank you!
Hi Christine! I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes! 🙂 Evaporated milk does not thicken quite as much as coconut milk when reduced which is why you found the sauce a bit liquid. So you nailed it to thicken it with corn flour and chia seeds! Thanks for coming back to let me know you loved it! N x
Nagi! This recipe is perfect in every way and your photography is simply beautiful. Seafood is my fav and you have made it even better! Thanks for a great recipe 🙂
Thank you Robyn! You are so kind! 🙂 <3
Hi Nagi,
Needless to say how beautiful your photos are!! As Olivia said you need to try this dish with Dendê oil it just gives the perfect color and distinct flavor. I bought your book and I am learning so much!! Thank you for sharing all your knowledge!!
Thank you for purchasing my book Ludmilla! I am glad you are finding it useful. 🙂 I am keeping an eye out for Dende oil!