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!!!
Sabrina says
This stew looks and sounds amazing!! Also, I just purchased your book :). So excited to start reading.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks Sabrina! Can’t wait to hear what you think about the book! 🙂
Anna Dawson says
Hi Nagi,
I like the sound of your recipe but would like to know if you could do this with other seafood ie. prawns?
Thank you
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Anna! Absolutely 🙂 In fact, there is also a seafood stew version which uses the same base but adds other seafood in like prawns, mussels, calamari. YUM! 🙂
Lucia says
Thank you for this recipe. I am a Brazilian living in the States for close to 40 years. My only suggestion would be to use, instead of olive oil, coconut oil which is actually the consistency of margarine and readily available at better grocery stores. I am sure it is available in Australia. It will certainly enhance the taste of this lovely recipe. Coconut oil is in the news nowadays as a cure to all maladies, though I am not so sure of the validity of the claims.
Also, at the end of your rice cooking, you can dabble the surface with 1 or 2 teaspoons of coconut oil.
Enjoy!!!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Lucia! Thank you so much for that tip, I will add it to the recipe! I am so glad you approve of this, I always worry when I share traditional dishes from other cuisines that I am not as familiar with. Though I’m confident about Asian dishes, I must say Brazilian is not one I know well but I am enjoying learning about!! Thank you again for your help! <3
mila furman says
Wow Nagi what a fabulous dish! I bet this would taste really great with chicken as well!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Absolutely! I was even thinking vegetables would be great with this! 🙂
Christine@ Apple of My Eye says
You have got me DROOLING over this recipe, Nagi! I bet the combination of spices and coconut really blend beautifully in this dish and I can’t wait to try it! Passing it along to my mom as well since I know she would adore your recipes + photos 🙂
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Aww, thank you Christine! I really do love the combination of flavours in this dish, it is rather different to the usual coconut milk based dishes I make! 🙂
Kevin | KevinIsCooking says
Beyond luscious looking and coconut milk, perfecto! Yes, we are on the same wavelength with BRAZIL! How funny, huh? Carnivore heaven indeed, we love going to those restaurants…. just keep that grilled meat coming. What I love here though is it’s a fish stew. What a refreshing change of pace and one I may have to make… I actually had to take a few days off from the site and step away with this weekend (as I see you did as well with the camping).
After my site was hacked a second time and all my email deleted I wanted to throw in the towel but have learned to step away. A break was good but I had so many blogs to catch up on and comment on!
Staying positive and with today as the last of a three day weekend here, I’m relaxing and have some short ribs simmering away on the stovetop. Hopefully my hosting company will sort this BS out or it’s one more call to fix this issue.
Hope your weekend camping was a relaxing getaway and thanks for chatting me up around the campfire! 🙂
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Did you ask your hosting company to install a second layer of password protection for you? That is so terrible, it is SO annoying. I had problems where hackers were trying to get in so often that it was chewing up loads of server capacity. That’s why I got the second layer of protection – another password that has to be entered before getting to the WP admin login.
Becky Chaffee says
YES! We have a freezer full of halibut that my husband catches in Alaska. Can’t wait to make this. I am finally making your salted caramel brownies today for visitors. What a nice break to receive your recipes amongst all this other email stuff!!!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
I am literally green with envy that you have a freezer full of fish your husband caught for you. From Alaska of all places. I dream of such a life!! 🙂
Kathi @ Laughing Spatula says
This looks like my kind of Seattle food! We love our fish stew up here and I’ve been looking for a good recipe to steal…I mean borrow 🙂
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Oooh! I can’t believe i haven’t visited Seattle yet, it’s been on my list for ages!!
Kathi @ Laughing Spatula says
Well if you ever visit – call me! We are restaurant junkies and would love to show you some seriously good food!
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Nagi! ALL of your dishes catch my eye (and taste buds)! This, as usual, sounds fantastic! Trust your weekend was as well! 🙂
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks Dorothy!! Yup, weekend was fabulous. Cooked up a storm on the campfire!! Hope you had a wonderful weekend too. 🙂 Bet you cooked something wonderful!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Oh this is something I have never tried!!! But it looks amazing!
I am reading the ingredients and trying to work out why I have never eaten Brazilian before!!!! It has everything I love in it.
I cannot wait to try this out! My aunt is flying down from Groote Island this weekend so I think it might be perfect for serving whilst she is here.
Yum!!!!!!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Groote Island? Sounds so exotic! Hope house rebuilding is going ok 🙂 I made your sticky chicken AGAIN the other night – I’m obsessed!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hehe. I am so happy you like it 🙂
And there are far worse things to be obsessed about….like cheese and pasta…oh wait 😉 LOL
I made this last night and it was sensational!!!!!! Just so delicious. Totally different to anything I have cooked before but totally and utterly amazing. I am still trying to work out how I have never cooked Brazilian before!
I am in love with this recipe 🙂
john | heneedsfood says
I’ve only tried this once and really liked it. My kind of food! A bit of rice, loads of crusty bread … bring it on!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
It’s fab, isn’t it? So different to the usual Brazilian food we know – and much lighter than most coconut based broths! 🙂