Moqueca (Bahian-Style Seafood Stew)

Moqueca is a bright orange and spicy Brazilian seafood stew recipe made with fish, shrimp, and veggies cooked in coconut milk. One of the best dishes you’ll ever taste!

Have you ever visited the state of Bahia, Brazil?  Or better yet, tried Moqueca, One Pot Bahian-Style Seafood Stew?

If not, you have been missing some of the best travels and food in all of Brazil.

I have visited Bahia more than once… and all I can say is that I miss its happy people, nice beaches, Capoeira, and most of all, its unique food.

Bahian Cuisine was mainly influenced by the Africans who were brought to Brazil centuries ago.

Typical ingredients such as coconut milk, palm oil, and malagueta pepper, the so-called “holy trinity of Bahian Cuisine,”  are also present in moqueca.  

The dendê oil (red palm oil) gives this dish its bright orange color and a distinct flavor, while malagueta pepper lends a great kick. 

In fact, malagueta pepper packs about 60,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units, pretty much in line with Thai peppers. They are two times hotter than cayenne pepper, or about 23 times spicier than the average jalapeño.

The best thing is to practice some capoeira first and then to devour stew… Mmmm, so good!

Just thinking about this Brazilian shrimp and fish stew makes my heart smile and my mouth water.

Sorry, but I can’t hold back any longer.  A plate of pure goodness awaits for me!

HOW TO MAKE BRAZILIAN MOQUECA (ONE POT BAHIAN SEAFOOD STEW) 

To make this moqueca recipe, season both the fish fillets and the shrimp with 2 tsp salt,  pepper to taste,  and cumin. 

Heat a large cast iron skillet or a no-stick pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of oil and cook the onion and bell pepper for about 3 minutes. 

Then, cook the garlic and tomatoes for about 2 minutes. Transfer cooked veggies to a blender and add coconut milk, broth, and 1 tsp salt. Blend until smooth. Set aside!

Using the same pan, add 1 more tbsp of oil if needed, and cook fish fillets for about 2-3 minutes. 

Flip fish. Pour blended mixture over the fish fillets and stir in palm oil and the chili pepper. Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and let cook for about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and the reserved slices of bell peppers and tomatoes and let cook over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes. 

Remove from the heat, stir in the lime juice and then the cilantro. Serve warm with white rice and farofa.  Enjoy!

TRADITIONAL TYPES OF MOQUECA

• Moqueca Capixaba (from Espirito Santo state) – this is a dish with Native and Portuguese influences, made in a black clay pot using olive oil and annatto (instead of palm oil), and seafood such as fish, shrimp, crabs, sea crab, or lobsters. Serve it with pirão, a paste made with coarse cassava flour and the moqueca gravy.
• Moqueca Baiana (from Bahia state) — it’s a variant from the original moqueca capixaba, adapted with ingredients heavily used by Africans, such as palm oil, coconut milk, and malagueta pepper.  Serve it with rice and farofa. 

MOQUECA VARIATIONS

Fish, shrimp, and a mixture of both (moqueca mista) are the most popular moquecas. Yet depending on the state,  there is also Brazilian moqueca made with chicken, crab, lobster, egg, or banana.

Recent vegetarian versions use cashew fruit, plaintains, jackfruit, heart of palm, mushrooms, tofu, eggplant, cauliflower, and so on.

INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTES

Both red palm oil and malagueta pepper are available at Latin supermarkets and also online (e.g. Amazon.com).  

Red palm oil is also available in the Asian or cooking oil section of better stocked gourmet supermarkets, as well as Asian markets.

But, if needed, replace these two ingredients. Instead of palm oil, use a mixture of olive oil with annatto or achiote (in the Latin or spice aisle of most supermarkets), or turmeric for coloring purposes only.  

Moreover, replace malagueta pepper with Thai chili or a few drops of hot sauce. 

Choose white flesh fish such as tilapia, cod, bass, grouper, haddock, catfish, or snapper — which are cheaper, mild flavored, and cook quickly. 

STORAGE OF MOQUECA

Moqueca is a seafood stew.  So keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up 2-3 days.

Although freezing is possible, I would avoid it because seafood may get some off flavors, and the coconut gravy may become thin and break apart.

OTHER SEAFOOD DISHES

• Shrimp in Coconut Sauce
• Seafood in Pesto Sauce
• Shrimp Taco Fajitas 
• Baked Cod in Cheese Sauce
• Brazilian Shrimp Stew
• 10-Minute Healthy Fish Stew Packets (Moqueca en Papillote)
• Oyster Stew from Canned Oysters

Read more about traditional Brazilian food here.

PIN & ENJOY!

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5 from 6 votes

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Moqueca (Bahian-Style Seafood Stew)

Moqueca is a bright yellow-orange and spicy Brazilian seafood stew made with fish, shrimp, and veggies cooked in coconut milk. One of the best dishes you'll ever taste!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Brazilian

Keyword moqueca

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 725 kcal

Author Denise Browning

Ingredients

• 1 pound tilapia fillets thawed and pat dry
• 1 pound extra large shrimp deveined, shell and tail-off
• 3 tsp salt
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 white or yellow onion large and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper medium, de-seeded and sliced (reserve a couple of slices)
• 1 green bell pepper medium, de-seeded and sliced (reserve a couple of slices)
• 1 yellow bell pepper medium, de-seeded and sliced (reserve a couple of slices)
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 large tomatoes sliced (reserve a couple of slices)
• 2 cups coconut cream (or a thick coconut milk)
• 1/2 cup vegetable or fish broth
• 1 tbsp red palm oil
• 1 tsp malagueta pepper (or Thai clili peper or a few drops of hot sauce)
• 1 1/2 lime juiced
• 2 tbsp cilantro or parsley chopped

Instructions

1. Season both the fish fillets and the shrimp with 2 tsp salt,  pepper to taste,  and cumin.   

2. Heat a large cast iron skillet or a no-stick saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the onion and bell pepper for about 3 minutes. Then, sauté the garlic and tomatoes for about 2 minutes.

3. Transfer cooked veggies to a blender and add coconut milk, broth, and 1 tsp salt. Blend until smooth. Set aside! Using the same pan, add 1 more tablespoon of oil if needed, and cook fish fillets for about 2-3 minutes.

4. Flip fish. Pour blended mixture over the fish fillets and stir in palm oil and the malagueta pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let cook for about 2 minutes. 

5. Add the shrimp and the reserved slices of bell peppers and tomatoes and let cook over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lime juice and then the cilantro. Serve warm with white rice and farofa. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

1. SUBSTITUTIONS: Both red palm oil and malagueta pepper are available at Latin supermarkets and also online (e.g. Amazon.com). But, they can be easily replaced. Instead of palm oil, use a mixture of olive oil with annatto or achiote (in the Latin or spice aisle of most supermarkets), or turmeric.   Replace malagueta pepper with Thai chili or a few drops of hot sauce.  Give preference to white flesh fish such as tilapia, cod, bass, grouper, haddock, catfish, or snapper -- which are affordable, mildly flavored, and cook quickly. 
2. STORAGE: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up 2-3 days. Although freezing is possible, I would avoid it because seafood may develop some off flavors, and coconut gravy might become thin and brake apart.
3. ★ Did you make this recipe? Please, give it a star rating below!! 

Nutrition Facts

Moqueca (Bahian-Style Seafood Stew)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 725 Calories from Fat 450

% Daily Value*

Fat 50g77%

Saturated Fat 41g205%

Cholesterol 342mg114%

Sodium 2814mg117%

Potassium 1224mg35%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 6g24%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 52g104%

Vitamin A 1705IU34%

Vitamin C 146.2mg177%

Calcium 221mg22%

Iron 6.8mg38%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.