A simple Brazilian Fish Stew called Moqueca made with your choice of fish and simmered in coconut milk with onion, tomatoes, chilies and lime. Easy, fast and full of flavor! Serve this with rice! Video.

Looking for more? Check out  50+ Best Fish Recipes!  and  50+ Easy Dinner Ideas!

A simple Brazilian Fish Stew called Moqueca made with your choice of fish, simmered in coconut milk with onion, tomatoes, chilies and lime. Easy, fast and full of flavor! Serve this with rice! #Moqueca #fishstew #brazilianfishstew

This simple recipe for Brazilian Fish Stew is easy to make and takes about 35 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights! Brazilians call this dish Moqueca (pronounced “mo-KEY-ca”) and it can vary a bit from region to region.

This version hails from Salvador, a bustling city on the coast of Brazil, just north of Rio de Janeiro, that offers up delicious seafood prepared using African influences and techniques. This part of Brazil is known for pairing fish with spicy chilies, lime, and cooling coconut milk, a lovely combination.

What I love about this Brazillian Fish Stew is how simple it is, and how quick it is to make! Quick enough for weeknights and special enough for Sunday supper….either way, I think you will like this recipe for Moqueca. Serve it with rice or a simple green salad, or both!

We have several other popular fish stews on the blog all super delicious; Portuguese Fish Stew (Caldeirada)Sea Bass with Cannellini Bean Stew and Peruvian Seafood Stew with Cilantro Broth


How to make Moqueca! | 45-second video


A simple Brazilian Fish Stew called Moqueca made with your choice of fish, simmered in coconut milk with onion, tomatoes, chilies and lime. Easy, fast and full of flavor! Serve this with rice! #Moqueca #fishstew #brazilianfishstew

What is Moqueca?

Moqueca is a Brazillian Fish stew with coconut milk, tomatoes and peppers. It’s traditionally served over rice with lime and cilantro.

Ingredients in Moqueca:

  •  White fish- Halibut, Black Cod, Sea Bass , Cod, escolar, etc.  (thicker cuts are best)
  •  Dende – Brazillian Red Palm oil ( or coconut oil)
  • Onion
  • Carrots
  • red bell pepper
  • garlic
  • chili peppers
  • tomato paste
  • spices
  •  fish or chicken stock
  • Tomatoes
  •  coconut milk ( liquid and solids)
  • Lime

A simple Brazilian Fish Stew called Moqueca made with your choice of fish and simmered in coconut milk with onion, tomatoes, chilies and lime. Easy, fast and full of flavor! Serve this with rice!

The best firm fish for soups or stews:

You generally want to use firm white fish for most stews and soups, because they will hold their shape and not disintegrate in the liquid. Here are 10 the best fish (and seafood) to use in soups and stews.

  1. sea bass
  2. halibut
  3. black cod
  4. haddock
  5. escolar
  6. ono
  7. red snapper
  8. salmon
  9. scallops
  10. shrimp

Where to find the best fish!

If looking for a good source of wild-caught, sustainably-raised fish or seafood with no antibiotics, I highly recommend Seatopia!

How to make Moqueca

It starts with seasoning the fish. Use black cod, halibut, sea bass, black cod, escolar or any firm white fish ( or shrimp) you like.

A simple Brazilian Fish Stew called Moqueca made with your choice of fish, simmered in coconut milk with onion, tomatoes, chilies and lime. Easy, fast and full of flavor! Serve this with rice! #Moqueca #fishstew #brazilianfishstew

Even shrimp or shellfish (clams or mussels) would work well here.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and salt, and sauté 2-3 minutes.

Turn heat down to medium, add carrot, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno pepper and cook 4-5 more minutes.

A simple Brazilian Fish Stew called Moqueca made with your choice of fish, simmered in coconut milk with onion, tomatoes, chilies and lime. Easy, fast and full of flavor! Serve this with rice! #Moqueca #fishstew #brazilianfishstew

Add tomato paste, spices and stock.

Mix and bring to a simmer and add tomatoes.

Cover and simmer gently on medium-low for 5 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Add the coconut milk and taste and add more salt if necessary.

Nestle the fish in the flavorful coconut stew, pouring the remaining marinade over the fish and into the stew, and either continue cooking stovetop, spooning the flavorful liquid over the fish for about 3-5 minutes ( until the desired doneness)  or for thicker cuts, place in a 350F oven, for 8-10 minutes.

A simple Brazilian Fish Stew called Moqueca made with your choice of fish, simmered in coconut milk with onion, tomatoes, chilies and lime. Easy, fast and full of flavor! Serve this with rice! #Moqueca #fishstew #brazilianfishstew

Once done, the Moqueca will have thickened beautifully.

Sprinkle with fresh cilantro or Italian parsley and serve with a wedge of lime.

A simple Brazilian Fish Stew called Moqueca made with your choice of fish, simmered in coconut milk with onion, tomatoes, chilies and lime. Easy, fast and full of flavor! Serve this with rice! #Moqueca #fishstew #brazilianfishstew

We enjoyed this with a simple green salad, dressed with lemon, olive oil and salt and rice.

A simple Brazilian Fish Stew called Moqueca made with your choice of fish, simmered in coconut milk with onion, tomatoes, chilies and lime. Easy, fast and full of flavor! Serve this with rice! #Moqueca #fishstew #brazilianfishstew

Crusty bread makes a nice vehicle for left-over pan juices. Trust me, you won’t want to waste this! So much flavor!

A simple Brazilian Fish Stew called Moqueca made with your choice of fish, simmered in coconut milk with onion, tomatoes, chilies and lime. Easy, fast and full of flavor! Serve this with rice! #Moqueca #fishstew #brazilianfishstew

Please let me know what you think of this Moqueca Recipe in the comments below!

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Happy week friends!

xoxo

 

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A simple Brazilian Fish Stew called Moqueca made with your choice of fish, simmered in coconut milk with onion, tomatoes, chilies and lime. Easy, fast and full of flavor! Serve this with rice! #Moqueca #fishstew #brazilianfishstew

Brazilian Fish Stew – Moqueca

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 221 reviews
  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Braise
  • Cuisine: South American

Description

Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca) with coconut milk, lime and jalapeño – a flavorful seafood stew that the whole family will love.


Ingredients

Units

Fish:

  • 11 1/2 pounds firm white fish- Halibut, Black Cod, Sea Bass ( thicker cuts are best)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • one lime- zest and juice

Stew/ Sauce:

  • 23 tablespoons coconut or olive oil (or use Dende – Brazillian Red Palm oil for the best flavor!)
  • 1 onion- finely diced ( red, white or yellow)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup carrot, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves- rough chopped
  • 1/2 jalapeno, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin (or whole seed)
  • 1 cup fish or chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced ( preferably fresh)
  • 1 14 ounce can coconut milk ( liquid and solids)
  • more salt to taste
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, scallions or Italian parsley
  • squeeze of lime

Serve over cilantro rice,  basmati rice, black rice or everyday quinoa.


Instructions

  1. Rinse and pat dry the fish and cut into 2 inch peices. Place in a bowl. Add salt, zest from half the lime and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Massage lightly to coat all pieces well. Set aside.
  2. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and salt, and sauté 2-3 minutes. Turn heat down to medium, add carrot, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno and cook 4-5 more minutes. Add tomato paste, spices and stock. Mix and bring to a simmer and add tomatoes. Cover and simmer gently on medium low for 5 mintues or until carrots are tender.
  3. Add the coconut milk and taste and add more salt if necessary.
  4. Nestle the fish in the stew and simmer gently until it’s cooked through, about 4-6 minutes.  Spoon the flavorful coconut broth over the fish and cook until desired doneness or longer for thicker pieces. ( You can also finish this in a 350F oven).
  5. Taste and adjust salt and squeeze with lime.
  6. To serve, serve over rice, sprinkle with cilantro or scallions and a squeeze of lime.
  7. Drizzle with a little olive oil if you like.

Notes

Serve with rice or crusty bread to mop up all the juices.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4 ounces
  • Calories: 290
  • Sugar: 4.2 g
  • Sodium: 429.9 mg
  • Fat: 17.4 g
  • Saturated Fat: 9.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 11.4 g
  • Fiber: 2.3 g
  • Protein: 23.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 50.1 mg

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Comments

  1. I absolutely love this recipe! It’s absolutely delicious. I’m cooking for clients Monday and she has a ton of yellow tail tuna. I always use barrimundi or halibut. What do you think? Thank you.
    Every recipe of yours I have ever tried has been wonderful

    1. Hi Denise, do you mean Yellow tail as in Hamachi? If it is the pale tuna ( not dark red) I think it would be delicious and buttery!

  2. Yours are the only recipes I don’t bother testing in advance of delivering a top-taste meal.

    Once again, you hit it out of the park. The friend I made this for raved about it, and now she has. your website too.

    I did as you suggested and used real tomatoes, also bought a good fish stock, and hake and halibut. The result was exquisite, especially with additional lime, and cilantro.

    I love having this resource for all the flavours I’d like to produce.






    1. You could use regular milk or cream, also could try cashew or almond milk. Keep in mind the flavor will be different so adjust recipe if needed- like adding a pinch of sugar. Let us know what you try!

    1. Here is what one commenter said-” I now make a large pan of the stew, freeze it in meal sized portions (about 10 servings), and defrost and add and cook the fish as required”.

  3. Absolutely delicious, my husband fishes every weekend, this was a beautiful way to use his catches of the day!

  4. Perfect summer dish. Family loved it. Replaced bell pepper with fresh sweet peppers from the garden. Thanks for the recipe!






  5. Took me back to my days in Bahia! A wonderful recipe that comes together quickly with ingredients I usually have on hand. I like mine a little thicker, so I don’t add the cup of fish stock–I just sprinkle in some dashi granules to add more fish taste to the coconut milk. I also vary the fish/shellfish according to what’s on hand. Thanks for making this recipe available! My partner, who’s never been to Brazil, is a huge fan of this as well.

  6. Wow! Delish! I made this tonight and followed the directions exactly, and it turned out great! My husband said it’s his new favorite fish dish…win!






  7. Amazing
    Everyone in the family loved it. Even my toughest little critic who was so bummed to learn we were having “fish soup” 🤣. She went and got seconds!!






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