I made this Brazilian Fish Stew for dinner last night, and earlier on in the day I had gone through this here blog to take inventory of what was missing, recipe-wise. The big void was definitely among the fish and seafood recipes, so I made a note to create more of those.
Brazilian Fish Stew
And I will, I promise. But for now, I wanted to share one that I love so much it’s in both of my cookbooks; The Zenbelly Cookbook and Paleo Soups and Stews. This is exactly the type of recipe that you’ll find in them: My goal in writing cookbooks is always to share recipes that I believe will help the home cook feel like more of a pro- simple to execute with clear instructions, with all the tips I can squeeze onto the page.
If you like this recipe, you just might like my cookbooks, so I’d love for you to check them out if you don’t already have them. I am truly grateful for your support! ❤
And if there are any fish or seafood recipes (or any recipes, for that matter) that you’d like to see here, let me know in the comments! In the meantime, there’s Ceviche and Cilantro-Lime Shrimp and Crispy Skin Salmon for your seafood recipe needs.
Update: I have since added Coconut Green Curry Salmon, which is one of my favorite, nearly foolproof fish recipes.
Brazilian Fish Stew
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: South American
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, (divided)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest, (divided)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, (divided)
- 1 pound firm mild white fish, (such as cod, snapper, or halibut, cut into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch pieces)
- 1 pound large shrimp, (peeled and deveined)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 large onion, (sliced)
- pinch sea salt
- 2 cloves garlic, (minced)
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, (depending on how spicy you like your stew)
Instructions
- In a large, non-reactive bowl, combine 1/2 teaspoon of the lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon of the lime zest, the lemon and lime juices, and 2 tablespoons of the chopped cilantro. Toss in the fish and shrimp and refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Melt the coconut oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté for 10 minutes, or until translucent and softened but not browned. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more.
- Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, fish sauce, and cayenne pepper and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Add the fish and shrimp, along with the marinade to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 6-8 minutes, or until the fish starts to flake and the shrimp are cooked through
- Serve the stew garnished with the remaining cilantro and citrus zest.
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Kristin Lindsey says
I would like to see mussels on here! I haven’t made this yet, because I live in Bakersfield and buying fish inland freaks me out. But I found a sustainable seafood company on line (vital choice) amd I’m excited to eat seafood again!
Joanne says
Another superb recipe. So easy and fast to make and delicious. Thanks!
Mariah says
Do you think I can make with with cooked leftover fish? I have frozen trout that I cook from frozen on the grill in a closed packet, so it basically steams. It makes a nice moist white meat.
zenbelly says
You could, but I’d shorten the marinating and cook time to practically nothing so it doesn’t dry out.
Patrizia says
Every one of your recipes that I’ve made from your books and from here have turned out delicious! I want this in my mouth now! But I’m allergic to shrimp… would it still be tasty if I make it with only fish? Should I add something else?
Thank you!!!!
zenbelly says
Thanks Patrizia! You can definitely use only fish or add any other seafood that you tolerate. The stew is so flavorful that whatever you put in it will be great. 🙂
Mariah says
What adjustments should I make if I can only find shelled, frozen, pre-cooked shrimp?
zenbelly says
Are you also using fish or just the shrimp?
Mariah says
I am using fish. I managed to get some frozen wild-caught mahi mahi. Raw shrimp is hard to find here though and my experience with cooked and frozen is that it gets mushy…
I may have just found a store that has some though (pricey) in which case I could use suggestions for the precooked frozen shrimp in a recipe where the texture won’t be so noticeable.
zenbelly says
Got it. With fish, I always say to use what looks good (and is affordable) Shrimp isn’t necessary in this, so I would just use the mahi. If you wanted to disguise the texture of the pre cooked shrimp, shrimp cakes or shrimp salad would do the job!
Mariah says
Thank you!
I made this last night with Mahi Mahi (frozen raw) and shrimp (unfortunately cooked and frozen) and it turned out well although precooked shrimp is pretty flavorless, I think it needs to be raw to pick up the good flavors from the broth.
In future I will use raw shrimp and use the shells in the broth cooking to enhance the flavor.
I think I’ve learned that this recipe can be made with various seafood/shellfish choices and it will be wonderful.
It’s pretty simple/low time involvement and my husband loved it. Score!