Brazilian recipe

Moqueca Baiana

Name: Moqueca Baiana
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Brazilian cuisine
Ingredients: 800 g firm white fish, boneless and in large chunks; 300 g raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 2 limes, juiced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 30 ml olive oil; 1 red onion, thinly sliced; 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced; 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced; 450 g ripe tomatoes, half chopped and half sliced; 400 ml unsweetened coconut milk; 30 ml red palm oil (dendê); 15 g cilantro, chopped; 8 g fine salt; 2 g black pepper; 600 g cooked white rice, to serve

Firm white fish and shrimp simmer with tomatoes, peppers, coconut milk, cilantro and red palm oil in a bright Bahian seafood stew.

Bahia, northeastern Brazil

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 50 min
Servings: 4

Bahian moqueca with fish, shrimp, coconut broth, peppers and cilantro — **Real finished-dish photograph**Photograph by BRSource page · Original file · CC BY-SA 4.0Cropped, resized, and compressed by Recipe Nest Vault.

Ingredients

800 g
firm white fish, boneless and in large chunks
300 g
raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2
limes, juiced
4
garlic cloves, minced
30 ml
olive oil
1
red onion, thinly sliced
1
red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1
green bell pepper, thinly sliced
450 g
ripe tomatoes, half chopped and half sliced
400 ml
unsweetened coconut milk
30 ml
red palm oil (dendê)
15 g
cilantro, chopped
8 g
fine salt
2 g
black pepper
600 g
cooked white rice, to serve

Method

01
Season the seafood
Toss the fish and shrimp with the lime juice, half the garlic, 4 g salt and the pepper. Cover and chill for 15 minutes while preparing the pot.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
02
Soften the aromatics
Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, both peppers and the remaining garlic for 5 minutes until softened but not browned.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
03
Add the tomato base
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until they slump into a chunky sauce. Stir in the coconut milk and red palm oil.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
04
Layer the seafood
Arrange half the sliced tomatoes and half the cilantro in the sauce, then nestle in the fish and shrimp. Finish with the remaining tomato slices and cover.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
05
Simmer without stirring
Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, then cook covered for 12–15 minutes until the fish flakes easily and the shrimp are pink and opaque. Do not stir; shake the pot gently if needed.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
06
Finish the broth
Remove the lid, taste, and add the remaining 4 g salt if needed. Fold in the remaining cilantro and rest the pot for 5 minutes off the heat.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
07
Serve with rice
Spoon the moqueca into warm bowls with plenty of broth and serve immediately with white rice and lime wedges.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph

Practical notes

Tips

Use firm fish and add delicate seafood late; the sauce should simmer while the fish stays in distinct, moist pieces.
Arrange the pot so the seafood is mostly surrounded by liquid, then avoid vigorous stirring once fish has been added.

Common mistakes

Overcooking turns shrimp rubbery and makes fish crumble into the broth.
Salting seafood heavily before a long rest can draw out moisture; season lightly and adjust the finished sauce.

Substitutions

Replace firm white fish with another boneless firm-fleshed variety of similar thickness and start checking it early.
Coconut milk can be replaced with an unsweetened plant cream, though the aroma will be less traditional.

Storage

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours at 0–4°C for up to 3 days. Reheat only the portion needed until piping hot throughout.

Cultural context

Moqueca has distinct regional forms in Brazil. This Bahian profile highlights coconut milk and dendê, while the dish’s careful layering protects the fish from breaking apart.

Sources and photo credit

This standardized method was independently rewritten after cross-checking the references below. Recipe Nest Vault does not claim that the credited photographer cooked from this exact version.

Recipe references

Moqueca.jpg — Photograph by BR; CC BY-SA 4.0.

Step illustrations: Original illustrations created by Recipe Nest Vault with OpenAI image_gen.

Back to Brazilian recipes

Moqueca Baiana

Ingredients

Method

Season the seafood

Soften the aromatics

Add the tomato base

Layer the seafood

Simmer without stirring

Finish the broth

Serve with rice

Sources and photo credit

Recipe references

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