Brazilian Seafood Recipes: Moqueca, Bobó de Camarão & Vatapá

🇧🇷 Brazil

Brazilian Seafood Recipes

From the coconut-rich simmer of moqueca to crispy codfish fritters, discover the seafood dishes that define Brazil's coastal cooking.

9 seafood dishes, each with a recipe ↓

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Brazil's long Atlantic coastline and Afro-Brazilian culinary heritage come together in dishes like moqueca, vatapa, and caruru - all built on palm oil, coconut milk, and shrimp - while bolinho de bacalhau carries a Portuguese legacy of salt cod fritters.

Brazil's Most Iconic Seafood Dish

Moqueca

Brazil's iconic fish stew simmered in coconut milk, palm oil, and peppers, with two beloved regional styles — the coconut-rich Bahian version and the lighter Capixaba version from Espirito Santo.

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More Brazil Seafood Dishes to Try

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Bolinho de Bacalhau

Crispy Brazilian codfish fritters made with salted cod, potato, and parsley, a beloved bar snack rooted in Portuguese tradition.

Casquinha de Siri

Brazilian crab meat baked in its own shell with a rich, creamy sauce, topped with breadcrumbs and parmesan.

Bobó de Camarão

A velvety Bahian shrimp chowder thickened with cassava puree and coconut milk, colored golden with palm oil.

Vatapa Brazilian food in a bowl with spoon

Vatapá

A rich Bahian shrimp stew thickened with bread, ground peanuts and cashews, coconut milk, and palm oil.

Caruru

A West African-rooted Brazilian shrimp and okra stew seasoned with palm oil and toasted nuts.

Moqueca Baiana

Bahia's fish stew in coconut milk and dendê oil with peppers and cilantro.

Moqueca Capixaba

The clay-pot moqueca of Espírito Santo, colored with annatto and no coconut.

Tacacá

Amazonian tucupi broth with dried shrimp and tongue-tingling jambu.

A Guide to Brazilian Seafood

Brazilian seafood is Bahian seafood: coconut milk, dendê oil, lime and chile. Moqueca is the fish stew that defines the style, bobó de camarão thickens shrimp with cassava, and vatapá and caruru are the shrimp-and-okra pastes served with acarajé. From the beach bars come casquinha de siri, crab baked in its shell, and the Portuguese-descended bolinho de bacalhau.

Start with the recipes above, then see the full roundup of best Brazilian seafood dishes, or explore all Brazilian food and recipes from across Latin America and Spain.

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