Peixe a Brasileira (Brazilian Fish in Coconut Sauce)

About This Recipe

Peixe a brasileira, or moqueca-style Brazilian fish, is a coastal dish built around white fish fillets gently simmered in a sauce of coconut milk, tomato, bell pepper, and onion, brightened with fresh cilantro and lime. It's closely related to moqueca, Brazil's more famous regional fish stew, and reflects the country's Afro-Brazilian and coastal culinary influences, particularly strong in Bahia where coconut milk and dende (palm) oil define much of the regional cuisine. The technique that matters is building the sauce first and poaching the fish gently within it rather than pan-frying it separately: onion, garlic, tomato, and bell pepper are cooked down into a fragrant base, coconut milk is added and brought to a gentle simmer, and the fish fillets are then nestled into the sauce to poach through in just a few minutes, keeping them delicate and moist rather than overcooked. A finishing drizzle of dende oil, if available, adds the distinctive orange color and earthy flavor characteristic of Bahian cooking. Served over white rice with a side of farofa, peixe a brasileira showcases Brazil's coastal cooking tradition -- fresh fish gently cooked in a rich, aromatic coconut sauce rather than heavily fried or grilled.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4white fish fillets(cod, tilapia, or snapper)
• 2limes(juiced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspsalt
• 3 tbspolive oil or dende oil
• 1onion(sliced)
• 1red bell pepper(sliced)
• 1yellow bell pepper(sliced)
• 2tomatoes(diced)
• 1 cancoconut milk
• 0.5 cupfresh cilantro(chopped)
• 2 cupscooked white rice(for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the fish

   Toss fish fillets with lime juice, half the garlic, and salt. Let marinate 15-20 minutes.

2. 2

   Saute the vegetables

   Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook onion and peppers 8-10 minutes until softened.

3. 3

   Add tomato and garlic

   Add remaining garlic and diced tomatoes, cooking 5 minutes until the tomatoes break down slightly.

4. 4

   Add coconut milk

   Pour in coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer.

5. 5

   Poach the fish

   Nestle marinated fish fillets into the simmering sauce. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes until the fish flakes easily.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Stir in fresh cilantro just before serving. Serve hot over white rice, spooning extra sauce over each portion.

Variations

• •

  Add shrimp along with the fish for a more substantial seafood version.

• •

  Use a firmer fish like halibut or grouper if you want the fillets to hold their shape more robustly.

• •

  Add a diced chile pepper with the bell peppers for extra heat.

Storage

Best eaten fresh, as the fish can become mushy on reheating. If needed, refrigerate up to 2 days and reheat very gently over low heat.

Frequently Asked Questions