Coconut Shrimp Stew ~ Moqueca de Camarão

Coconut Shrimp Stew or Moqueca de Camarão, is a delicious traditional dish in Brazil. It's a creamy stew with coconut milk and vegetables.

This Coconut Brazilian Shrimp Stew recipe is inspired by Moqueca de Camarão, which is one of the many traditional delicious recipes in Brazil. It's a thick and creamy stew with coconut milk, chunks of hearty vegetables and succulent shrimp.

It starts with the shrimp that are perfectly seared to give the dish it's base flavor. Then garlic, onion, and green pepper are added for aromatics and deep flavor. The seasonings, as with most Brazilian food, are simple but flavorful. Cumin, cilantro, and lime juice bring smoky and acidic notes. Finally diced tomatoes, coconut milk, and broth give the stew it's creamy, tangy, and full finish. Serve this easy shrimp stew with Brazilian Rice and it's a wonderful dinner!

I do want to acknowledge that traditional Moqueca uses a shrimp or fish stock that cooks for hours using shrimp shells or fish and aromatics. My version definitely takes a couple shortcuts, such as using store bought stock or broth so you can make it anytime you want!

Background

Moqueca is a traditional Brazilian dish usually made with seafood. It can have a variety of fish and/or shellfish, such as shrimp. I first tried Moqueca at A Vista Restaurante, the rooftop restaurant in the Sao Paulo Museum of Modern Art.

There are two versions of Moqueca in Brazil and this recipe is a combination or inspiration from both of them. First, there is Moqueca Baiana (from the state of Bahia, Brazil) that was influenced by African and Portuguese cuisines by adding dendê oil (a red palm oil) and coconut milk, respectively. Second, there is Moqueca Capixaba, which is a combination of Brazilian and Portuguese cuisine and is made with lighter oils, such as extra-virgin olive oil, instead of dendê oil.

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Ingredients and Swaps for Brazilian Shrimp Stew

Shrimp and Vegetables

• Raw shrimp, 26-30/lb (peeled, deveined, tail removed) - You can buy frozen or fresh shrimp. To save time, buy deveined and no shells. If you use frozen large shrimp, you want to thaw them in the fridge overnight or under running (not standing) cold water.
• Coconut oil or olive oil - Coconut oil adds even more fantastic coconut flavor. You can substitute with olive oil or vegetable oil. You can also use Azeite de dendê, Palm Oil, for deeper flavor and orange color.
• Fresh Garlic cloves, minced – Fresh is best when it comes to garlic, but you can buy pre-minced garlic to save time or mince it in bulk and freeze it for use when you need it!
• Medium Onion diced - You need about ½ of a medium-size onion or 1 small onion. You can substitute with white onion, red onion, shallot, or even scallions, green or spring onions.
• Green bell pepper diced - Green pepper is a common ingredient in Brazilian stews, but you can substitute any bell peppers, such as red bell pepper. Other mild peppers, such as poblanos would also work. Or hot peppers, such as jalapeno or red chilis.
• Diced Tomatoes - I used canned diced tomatoes. I like the chunks of tomato that you get with diced. However, you can substitute in pureed, crushed, diced, or whole tomatoes that you crush with your hands. Tomato sauce will work too. You can also add a tablespoon of tomato paste for more deep flavor.

Other Ingredients

• Ground Cumin - Cumin gives a wonderful, subtle smoky flavor. If you don't have cumin, you can substitute in smoked paprika or ground coriander.
• Fresh cilantro chopped - In my personal opinion, there is no substitute for the vibrant flavor of fresh cilantro. However, if you do not have it, you can use parsley for the color or basil leave for the herby flavor.
• Cayenne pepper - Cayenne gives just a slight kick to the recipe. You can substitute in your favorite hot sauce or red pepper flakes.
• Coconut Milk, unsweetened - Not all coconut milks are created equal. Some brands will give you a grainy consistency and texture that is not appealing.  I used a whole can of coconut milk from A Taste of Thai, First Pressing, which is smooth and creamy and blends into the sauce evenly. If you don't have coconut milk, you can substitute in half and half or heavy cream.
• Vegetable broth or Chicken broth - You can also use vegetable stock or chicken stock or of course seafood stock if you have it!
• Lime Juice juice from 1 lime - The fresh lime zest gives such wonderful brightness to this dish. However, if you absolutely cannot get a lime, you can use lime juice or zest and juice from half of a lemon. Last resort, you can add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
• Cornstarch - This is the thickener in the sauce and is great because it can be mixed into cold liquid to dissolve and create a slurry. Then add it’s added to hot liquid to thicken it. It’s much easy than making a flour roux and saves lots of time and fuss!
• Optional: You can add a bay leaf to impart more herby depth.

I recommend serving this Moqueca Shrimp Stew with white rice and Brazilian Rice is a perfect option.

Simple Equipment and Tools

I used a large skillet/frying pan for this Coconut Shrimp Stew. My 12″ Ceramic Pan was perfect for the quantity. You can also use a cast iron skillet.

However, you could also make it in the oven in a dutch oven or large saucepan or large pot. Especially if you double the quantities.

Oh, and mincing garlic is made super easy with a Garlic Press.

TIP: How to Make Brazilian Shrimp Stew Ahead

If you want to make this Moqueca recipe ahead of time, here is what I recommend. Shrimp is best when eaten freshly cooked. When reheated, it tends to get rubbery. Therefore, if you want to make the stew (without the shrimp) up to 4 days in advance, you can do that. Then, when you are ready to serve, sear the shrimp and transfer to a plate, as in the instructions. To the same pan or pot, add the premade stew and scrape up any of the shrimp bits left in the bottom. Bring the stew back up to a simmer and add the shrimp back in before serving.

How to Make this Coconut Shrimp Stew

To make this Brazilian shrimp stew recipe, start with the shrimp. Peel and clean the shrimp, if not already cleaned. Remove the vein (dark line along back of shrimp) and discard. Remove the tails as well.

Season with Salt and Pepper.

Peel and mince the garlic. Dice the onion. Dice the green pepper. Chop the cilantro. Cut the lime in half and juice it.

Mix the cornstarch and water to make a Slurry. This will be added to the sauce near the end, so set aside for now.

Heat the coconut or olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute on each side. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate. Cook them in batches so you don’t overcrowd the skillet.

To the same pan, add the onion, garlic, and the green pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent.

Add the broth, diced tomatoes, coconut milk (shaken vigorously in the can ir whisked to mix the liquids and the solids before adding), cornstarch slurry, Ground Cumin, Cayenne pepper, lime juice, and Fresh cilantro. Mix together.

Mix and bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened.

Finally, add the shrimp and any juices back to the stew and warm through for just 1-2 minutes. Serve with or without rice and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. Enjoy!

Brazilian Shrimp Stew Recipe FAQs

Be sure to check out the web story for this delicious Coconut Shrimp Stew!