Quick Brazilian Vatapá: A Creamy Coconut Seafood Stew
This streamlined vatapá is a rich Brazilian-inspired seafood stew made with shrimp, firm white fish, coconut milk, bread crumbs, peanuts, and optional dendê palm oil. It delivers a velvety, savory dinner with beginner-friendly steps and familiar grocery-store ingredients.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil 15 mL, plus 1 tablespoon dendê palm oil (15 mL) if available
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped (about 1 cup / 150 g)
- 1 red bell pepper finely chopped (about 1 cup / 150 g)
- 3 garlic cloves minced (about 1 tablespoon / 9 g)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste 15 mL
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste (0.5 g)
- 1 can full-fat unsweetened coconut milk 13.5 ounces / 400 mL
- 1 cup low-sodium seafood or chicken broth 240 mL
- 3/4 cup soft fresh bread crumbs or plain panko about 45 g
- 1/4 cup creamy unsweetened peanut butter 64 g
- 1/4 cup finely ground unsalted roasted peanuts 30 g
- 1 pound large raw shrimp peeled and deveined (454 g)
- 12 ounces firm white fish such as cod, halibut, or mahi-mahi, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (340 g)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 15 mL
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste (3 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 0.5 g
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus more for serving (10 g)
- Cooked white rice for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp and fish dry with paper towels. Keep the seafood refrigerated while you prepare the sauce.
- Heat the neutral oil and dendê palm oil, if using, in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. If you do not have dendê oil, use 2 tablespoons (30 mL) neutral oil total. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and cayenne. Cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Pour in the coconut milk and broth. Whisk in the bread crumbs, peanut butter, and ground peanuts until no lumps remain. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until thickened and creamy.
- For a smoother vatapá, use an immersion blender to briefly blend the sauce directly in the pot. Alternatively, leave it slightly textured. Keep the heat at a gentle simmer; do not boil vigorously.
- Add the shrimp and fish in an even layer. Cover and cook gently for 4 to 6 minutes, turning the fish pieces once if needed, until the shrimp are opaque and the fish flakes easily. Avoid stirring hard so the fish stays in pieces.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the lime juice, salt, black pepper, and cilantro. Taste and adjust the salt, lime, or cayenne. Serve hot with white rice and extra cilantro, if desired.