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creamy brazilian fish stew (moqueca Baiana) {Recipe & Video}

By: Author Marwin Brown

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3 from 2 votes

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This Moqueca aka Brazilian fish stew is a rich, creamy curry-like fish stew made with shrimp that is perfect for a festive holiday dinner or a Sunday dinner change-up.

The seafood is slowly simmered in the most amazing broth that the fish and shrimp flavors add to. Garlic, onions, and bell peppers are the building blocks of the dish but it's the coconut milk and red palm oil give this version its character.

This moqueca baiana is a cornerstone of Brazilian food, born in Bahia where African, Indigenous, and Portuguese influences simmer in the same pot. Built on coconut milk, palm oil, and fresh seafood, this seafood stew delivers bold flavor without heavy technique—no browning, no rushing, just layered aromatics and gentle heat. In about 35 minutes, you’ve got a vibrant stew that feels special but cooks easy.

If you like this creamy fish stew, you'll love Colombia's classic fish stew Cazuela de Mariscos or Caribbean shrimp and okra stew.

brazilian fish stew (moqueca baiana) in a bowl

What is moqueca?

Moqueca is a fish stew and basically one of the national dishes of Brazil along with couve mineira aka Brazilian collard greens.

Beats and Eats: Music to pair with moqueca

Now playing: “Que Beleza” – Tim Maia

This song glides—warm, joyful, and effortlessly cool—just like moqueca baiana when it’s done right. Tim Maia’s groove is rich without being loud, soulful without strain. Let it play while the coconut milk and palm oil meld; both reward patience and vibe over force.

Tim Maia's "Que Beleza" makes for the perfect song pairing to Moqueca. "Beleza" translated to English means beauty, but as slang depending on context can have different interpretations from "how beautiful" to "awesome." The song itself is bass-heavy, fun, and super funky which is also how I would describe this moqueca. It's also deeply soulful and when you taste good moqueca you can definitely taste it.

Flavor Profile: What Makes Moqueca Baiana Special

This Brazilian fish stew is creamy, gently tangy, and deeply aromatic, with richness balanced by citrus and natural seafood sweetness. Unlike many stews, moqueca relies on layering and freshness instead of browning, keeping flavors bright and clean.

Key Flavor Ingredients (and Why They Matter)

  • Palm Oil (Dendê) – The heart of moqueca baiana. It brings red color, aroma, and unmistakable Afro-Brazilian depth.
  • Coconut Milk – Adds lush creaminess and rounds out heat and acidity.
  • Lime Juice – Brightens the stew and sharpens seafood flavors.
  • Fire-Roasted Tomatoes – Provide gentle acidity and smoky undertones.
  • Shrimp – Add sweetness and briny richness to the broth.
  • Halibut – Firm, clean-tasting fish that holds together while absorbing flavor.

Serving Suggestions

Serve moqueca baiana with some steamed white rice, or coconut ginger rice. It's great at soaking up all that rich broth/gravy. I also keep a side of black beans on hand as well; it's either Brazilian black beans stew or Cuban style black beans.

If you need an appetizer pairing to go with this, go with this delicious smoked fish dip and top things off with a refreshing glass of Brazilian lemonade.

Recipe Variations & Ingredient Substitutions

  • No Palm Oil: Use olive oil, but expect a lighter flavor.
  • Different Fish: Cod, snapper, or sea bass work well.

Test Kitchen Tips for Best Results

  • Add seafood in stages. Fish first, shrimp last to avoid overcooking.
  • Simmer gently. Boiling toughens seafood.
  • Finish with lime. Acid at the end keeps flavors alive.
  • Palm oil can be found in specialty grocery stores focused on African or Caribbean foods
  • None of the ingredients except for the habanero chili contain any spicy elements. Since we only use the chili whole there is no risk of heat.
  • I'm team halibut. The firmer the fish the better. Bass, snapper, and grouper also work well.
brazilian fish stew (moqueca baiana) in a bowl

If you’ve been curious about Brazilian food or want a seafood dish that feels both comforting and transportive, this Brazilian fish stew delivers. Moqueca baiana isn’t just a recipe—it’s rhythm, heritage, and warmth in a bowl, best enjoyed with music playing and nowhere to be but right here.

If you make this moqueca baiana recipe, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.

You can also keep up with my food exploits as well as original recipes! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated monthly playlists.

brazilian fish stew (moqueca baiana) in a bowl

Brazilian Fish Stew (moqueca Baiana)

Author: Marwin Brown
305kcal
3 from 2 votes
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Prep 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour
Total 1 hour 10 minutes
Moqueca Baiana aka Brazilian fish stew that is vibrant, colorful & full of flavor reflecting the fusion of African and Portuguese cuisines.
Servings 6 people
Course Main Course
Cuisine Brazilian

Ingredients

  • 3 medium cloves garlic smashed
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
  • 1 lb halibut
  • ½ lbs fresh shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 2 tablespoon palm oil
  • 1 medium white onion thinly sliced
  • 2 medium bell peppers any color, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup epis
  • 14 oz can coconut milk
  • 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
  • ½ cup cilantro leaves and thin stems coarsely chopped

Method

  1. Remove the skin from the fish if present. Cut the fish into 1 inch chunks and place into a mixing bowl. Add the unpeeled shrimp and season with the spices, garlic, and lime juice. Allow to marinate refrigerated for 30 minutes.
  2. While the seafood marinates, chop/slice your vegetables and mix the spices together in a small bowl or ramekin.
  3. Heat a large skillet on low heat. Add the palm oil and make sure it covers the bottom of the skillet fully. Add the garlic and allow it to cook on low 30 seconds. Add the onions for 1 minute and then add the sliced bell peppers. Cook just long enough for the vegetables to soften some. add a third of the spice mix.
  4. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, epis seasoning, and half the remaining spices. Mix well and reduce the sauce so that it thickens. This should take about 8-10 minutes.
  5. Add the cilantro and mix in well. Remove about 1 cup of sauce from the pan and set aside.
  6. Add shrimp and cook 2 minutes per side.
  7. Add the chunks of fish. Top with the reserved sauce and simmer 2-3 minutes until fish is cooked through. Serve.

Nutrition

Calories305kcalCarbohydrates13gProtein17gFat22gSaturated Fat17gPolyunsaturated Fat1gMonounsaturated Fat3gCholesterol37mgSodium555mgPotassium656mgFiber4gSugar6gVitamin A1942IUVitamin C59mgCalcium51mgIron2mg

Video

Youtube video

Notes

Do not forget to cook the palm oil on low heat. It has a low smoke point, meaning if you cook it too high it would become rancid and add a bitter unpleasant taste.
Halibut is my preferred fish for seafood stew. However other meaty white fish will work. Cod, snapper, grouper, etc. work great. The emphasis should be on firmness. You want fish that will not disintegrate during cooking. Scallops make a great fish alternative.
I prefer to use the habanero chili whole. You only want the natural sweet flavor of the chili not the heat! Excluding the veins and seeds removes the potential for spicy heat. Heat changes the character of this dish completely. I prefer to cut a few slits into the sides of the chili to allow the non-heat flavors of the chili to infuse flavor into the stew.
This dish is meant to look as good as it tastes. It's a very colorful dish and that color adds to the flavor appeal. After all we eat with our eyes. I used multiple colored bell peppers as well as leveraged the green from the cilantro.
Do Not add the seafood to the sauce until you've reduced the sauce sufficiently. Proper reduction concentrates the flavor in the sauce, but more importantly, you need the thicker concentration to withstand any watering down which can happen from the condensation that occurs when adding the shrimp and fish.
Add the shrimp first as it will take slightly longer to cook.
After reducing the sauce you will not have enough to cover the finish entirely so only parts of it will cook in the rich delicious sauce. To counter this, don't skip the step of removing about a cup of the sauce before adding the shrimp. You can top the fish with the reserved sauce.
Serve the Moqueca Brazilian Seafood Stew with sides like black beans and collard greens. I like to serve it over rice or even the West African super grain fonio.

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3 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




  1. Marwin Brown says:
    April 11, 2022 at 8:06 pm

    Sounds delicious and filling with the potatoes!

    Reply
  2. Antonio says:
    February 27, 2022 at 8:46 pm

    1 star
    Original moqueca is from Vitória- ES State.
    And also doesn't use coconut oil.

    Reply
    • Marwin Brown says:
      March 1, 2022 at 3:17 pm

      Never claimed this was "original" and coconut oil isn't listed in the ingredients. This style of Moqueca is similar to the style in the Bahia region where they definitely use coconut milk due to African cultural influences. Did you even make the dish? Or did you just rate it low because it's not made the way they make it in Vitoria-ES State.

      Reply