A simple Brazilian Fish Stew called Moqueca made with your choice of firm white fish simmered in coconut milk with onion, tomatoes, chilies, and lime. Easy, fast, and full of flavor! Serve with rice. Video.
This simple Moqueca recipe (pronounced “mo-KEY-ca”) is easy to make, takes about 35 minutes, and is perfect for busy weeknights and elevated enough for entertaining.
I love making Moqueca when I have guests over because it’s one of those recipes that’s truly simple to make but feels very elevated. You can make part of it ahead of time and finish it up quickly right before serving.
This recipe is a family favorite it's so versatile. It appears at request, every year at our Christmas eve dinner party, as a base for mussels. We make it throughout the year, with cod, or salmon, or shrimp and sometimes a combination. It is well loved.
Why you’ll love this Moqueca recipe!
Quick and easy! What I love about this Brazilian Fish Stew is how fast it is to prepare, and it’s made with simple, familiar ingredients. Ready in 35 minutes, it’s quick enough for weeknights, yet special enough for Sunday supper.
Bold, Brazilian flavor. Made with your choice of white fish, aromatic veggies, jalapeño for heat, savory tomatoes, cooling coconut, and fresh lime, this stew is layered in satisfying flavors!
Makes delicious leftovers. The flavor of the stew gets even better the next day. Leftovers keep for a few days, or you can freeze it! If making this ahead, leave out the fish and nestle it in when reheating.
What is Moqueca?
Moqueca is a Brazilian fish stew with coconut milk, tomatoes, and peppers. The dish is traditionally served over rice with lime and cilantro.
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.
Ingredients in Moqueca
- White fish: Use halibut, black cod, sea bass, cod, or escolar. Thicker cuts are best. Even shrimp or shellfish (clams or mussels) would work here.
- Lime: You’ll need both lime zest and lime juice to season the fish and the broth.
- Oil: My preference is Dende, a Brazilian red palm oil, for the best flavor. But coconut oil or olive oil works well too!
- Vegetables: Onion (red, white, or yellow), carrot, red bell pepper, garlic cloves, and jalapeño are sautéed for savory, aromatic flavor and subtle heat.
- Tomato paste and diced tomatoes: Freshly diced tomatoes are preferred for their juicy texture and fresh flavor.
- Spices: Paprika and ground cumin (or whole cumin seeds) add depth and warmth.
- Stock: Use fish or seafood stock, or chicken stock.
- Coconut milk: Use both the liquid and the solids.
- Fresh herbs: Finish with chopped cilantro, scallions, or Italian parsley.
The best fish for Moqueca
Use firm white fish that will hold their shape and not disintegrate in the liquid. Here are the best fish (and seafood) to use in this recipe and soups and stews in general!
- Halibut
- Pacitid Wild Cold or Haddock
- Sea Bass
- Black Cod
- Escolar
- Red snapper
- Scallops or Shrimp
Where to find the best fish
If you’re looking for a good source of wild-caught, sustainably-raised fish or seafood with no antibiotics, I highly recommend Seatopia!
How to make Moqueca
1. Season the fish. Rinse the fish and pat it dry thoroughly. Cut into 2-inch pieces and place in a bowl. Add salt, zest from half a lime, and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Massage the seasoning lightly into the fish to evenly coat all pieces.
2. Sauté vegetables. In a large sauté pan, clay pot, Dutch oven, or other large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and salt, and sauté 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium, add carrot, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeño, and cook 4-5 more minutes.
3. Simmer. Add tomato paste, spices, and stock, and mix. Bring to a simmer, then add tomatoes. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 5 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Add coconut milk, taste, and add more salt if needed.
4. Add fish. Nestle the fish in the flavorful coconut stew, pouring the remaining marinade over the fish and into the stew, and either continue cooking on the stovetop, spooning the flavorful liquid over the fish for about 4-6 minutes (or until desired doneness), or for thicker cuts, place in a 350F oven for 8-10 minutes.
Once done, the Moqueca will have thickened beautifully.
5. Season and serve. Taste and adjust, adding salt and lime as needed. Serve over rice, sprinkle with fresh cilantro, scallions, or Italian parsley, and garnish with a wedge of lime.
Chef’s Tips
- Use firm, thick-cut fish. Choose sturdy fillets, like halibut, cod, or sea bass, and cut them into large chunks so they hold their shape and stay tender.
- Pat the fish very dry. Removing excess moisture helps the seasoning adhere better and prevents watering down the broth.
- Use full-fat coconut milk. For the best texture and flavor, don’t substitute light coconut milk. It won’t give the same silky, luxurious broth.
- Don’t overcook the fish. Gently nestle it into the simmering stew and cook just until opaque and flaky. Overcooking will make it tough and dry.
- Spoon the flavorful broth over the fish as it cooks. This keeps the fish moist and infuses it with all the flavors of the stew.
- Use dendê oil if you can find it. It adds authentic color and a distinctive depth that really defines traditional Moqueca.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Moqueca over cilantro lime rice, basmati rice, black rice, or everyday quinoa. We enjoyed this with a simple green salad, dressed with lemon, olive oil, and salt.
Crusty bread makes a nice vehicle for leftover pan juices. Trust me, you won’t want to waste this! So much flavor!
Storage
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the stew for up to 3 months. If planning to make ahead, prepare the stew without the fish. When reheating, nestle the fish in to cook just before serving.
Please let me know what you think of this Moqueca Recipe in the comments below!
More Seafood Recipes You Might Like
- Tuna Tostadas
- Simple Authentic Cioppino Recipe
- Broiled Miso Salmon
- Mediterranean Baked Cod
- Peruvian Minestrone Soup
- Jambalaya
- 100+ Low-Carb Recipes
Happy week, friends! xoxo Sylvia
Watch How to make Moqueca
⭐️ After you try this Moqueca recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Sylvia
Moqueca Recipe (Brazilian Fish Stew)
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: 30 minute Dinner, easy dinner, entertaining, fish, healthy dinner, Main
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American, South American
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Keto, Low-Carb
Description
Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca) with coconut milk, lime and jalapeño – a flavorful seafood stew that the whole family will love.
Ingredients
- 1 – 1 1/2 pounds firm white fish- Halibut, Black Cod, Sea Bass ( thicker cuts are best)
- 1/2 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
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, scallions or Italian parsley
- squeeze of lime
Instructions
- Prep the fish. 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.
- Saute. 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.
- Simmer. 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. 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).
- Season. Taste and adjust salt and squeeze with lime.
- Serve. Serve over rice, sprinkle with cilantro or scallions and a squeeze of lime. Drizzle with a little olive oil if you like.
Notes
Serve with rice or crusty bread to mop up all the juices.
If making this ahead, I recommend making the stew ahead (without fish), refrigerating it for up to 3 days, reheating it, and then nestling it in the fish to cook right before serving.
Leftovers will keep up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 ounces fish plus ¼ of the stew
- 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
This recipe doesn’t fail to impress. I have made it with cod fish and each time I taste the finished product, nostalgia hits!! Thank you so much!
Great to hear Añia! Appreciate you taking time to review.
This recipe is a family favorite it’s so versatile. It appears at request, every year at our Christmas eve dinner party, as a base for mussels. We make it throughout the year, with cod, or salmon, or shrimp and sometimes a combination. It is well loved.
Great to hear Bonnie!
Very good, fish just melted in your mouth! Next time I will cut down on coconut milk, was a bit too much. Great dish, I will make it again!
Glad you enjoyed! Yes adjust to taste!
Just made this tonight- was amazing! Relatively quick to bring together. I made the following substitutions due to what I had on hand: used shrimp vs fish; Fresno chili vs jalapeño and for extra spice- I added about 2 teaspoons of red pepper and 1 tbs of a Peruvian spicy marinade. It was yummy! Served with additional roasted veggies (zucchini; Brussels sprouts and chick peas) and quinoa. Toppings included lime juice; green onions and parsley. Will be placing this on repeat!
Sounds amazing Audrey, happy you enjoyed!
Awesome
Great to hear Alex!
This looks amazing. I was gifted several pounds of Tilapia. Do you think it would work in this recipe?
Hi Jilly, I think Tilapia should work fine. It won’t need as long to cook because it is a thinner fish, so just watch that. 🙂
We just LOVE this delicious stew! This time, since I had salmon, I used that. I prefer cod, personally, but the salmon was yummy in this recipe, too!
Appreciate the review Janet! Helpful to hear.
I have made this recipe more times than I can count. I usually use cod buy may try some other fish this next time. I just wanted to say that it freezes and reheats beautifully! Thank you
Good to hear Debbie! So glad you are enjoying.
Such a great recipe! Would make more often if my husband liked fish better ;).
Ha. Well-glad you like it!
I cook lots of your recipes, and this is another winner that I can’t wait to make again! The sauce is so versatile and I can’t wait to try it with other fish & seafood (I used cod & scallops), veggies, chickpeas, tofu…so tasty & easy.
So glad to hear this Vicky!
I trust your recipes so much that I decided to make this for 20 without even testing it out! I was a bit worried when I tasted the stew before I put the halibut in as it seemed a bit boring but as soon as I added the fish (and added more salt and lime), it was perfect! I also made a version with tofu. And added green beans and baby potatoes. Yum and thank you!
Such a wonderful compliment Nicole. Glad it all worked out!
Quick and excellent
Glad you enjoyed!
12/10, thank you for helping me recreate a memorable dish!
Great to hear Mikey!
Delicious! As someone who likes a fair amount of spice in their dishes, I’d recommend substituting the half of a jalapeño pepper with 1.5 to 2 serrano peppers. This dish reminds me of Thai coconut curries, but I vastly prefer this dish to those curries. The flavor is very unique – sweet, umami, and acidic. The red palm oil gives this dish a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ – Afican markets sell this, if you’re having trouble finding it. One of the best dishes I’ve made 🙂
Love it Colton. Thanks for the helpful review!
Another fantastic fish soup! We already loved your sinigang recipe, and this one will be added to our heavy rotation as well. So flavorful! Lots of vegetables, but also surprisingly craveable. Yum!
Great to hear! Thanks for leaving a review. 🙂
great recipe!
Glad you liked this one Ann!
Outstanding dish! The whole family loved it. Great for anyone, but especially pescatarian and lactose- intolerant folks. I made the sauce a day ahead and used sea bass and scallops; served with rice. Making it again this weekend with mahi mahi and scallops; maybe serving with polenta.
Sounds great! Happy to hear you are playing around with it. Thanks so much for the review!
i usually can’t follow a recipe, but this one i did and it was perfection. i have a little leftover sauce which i will use to cook a bit more fish or Argentinian red shrimp. I added hot sauce when serving for myself, my guests loved it as it was.
So great to hear this Sharon! Appreciate your review.
This was SOOOO good! I used Chilean sea bass and lemon instead of lime. I served it over rice to my family and without anything for myself. Everyone loved it.
Great to hear V! Appreciate the review!
Delicious! I used smoked basa, and lemon instead of lime, also omitted the jalapeño as we’re not fans of too much heat. Definitely needs bread to soak up the last of the sauce! This recipe will be going into my regular repertoire!
Love how you adapted! Thanks for taking the time to review.
Another fantastic recipe! It came together quickly and made for a delicious meal. The black cod I had in the freezer was a perfect match. I served it with black rice and homemade sourdough for our resident bread lovers. Fantastic—thank you!
Sounds perfect MaryAnn!
Wonderful! We skipped the red palm oil, and used halibut for the fish. We also used a whole chopped jalapeno without seeds, 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes plus 4 chopped Campari tomatoes, and smoked paprika. This is as good as or better than the Moqueca we had in Brazil!
Awesome! So happy you adapted and enjoyed. Thanks for taking time to review!