Name: Brazilian Fish Stew - Moqueca
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: South American
Ingredients: 1 – 1 1/2 pounds firm white fish- Halibut, Black Cod, Sea Bass ( thicker cuts are best); ½ teaspoon salt; one lime- zest and juice; 2-3 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; ½ cup chopped cilantro, scallions or Italian parsley; squeeze of 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! 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

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.

sea bass
halibut
black cod
haddock
escolar
ono
red snapper
salmon
scallops
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.

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.

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.

Once done, the Moqueca will have thickened beautifully.

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

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

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

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