There is no Brazilian Zepbound recipe: Zepbound is a prescription medicine, not a food or cooking ingredient. For a Brazilian meal instead, make this fish moqueca, a coconut-and-tomato stew with peppers, herbs, and rice; recipes vary across Brazil, and this version is a practical home-style take.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (190 g) long-grain white rice
- 1 ½ lb (680 g) firm white fish fillets, such as snapper, cod, or haddock, cut into roughly 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
- 1 medium lime, juiced, about 2 tablespoons (30 ml), plus wedges for serving
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt (about 4 g), divided, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (about 0.5 g)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced, about 1 ½ cups (150 g)
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced, about 1 ½ cups (150 g)
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced, about 1 ½ cups (150 g)
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped, about 1 tablespoon (9 g)
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (about 2 g)
- 1 can (14.5 oz/411 g) diced tomatoes, with their juice
- 1 can (13.5 fl oz/400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, well shaken
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dendê oil, optional; use red palm oil if available, or another 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- ½ cup (15 g) chopped fresh cilantro, divided
- 2 tablespoons (8 g) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced, optional
- 1 cup (240 ml) water for the rice, or the amount specified on the package
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cool running water until the water looks mostly clear. Drain well. Slice the onion and peppers, chop the garlic and herbs, and cut the fish into similar-size pieces so it cooks evenly. Pat the fish dry, then season it with the lime juice, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Keep it refrigerated while you start the vegetables; the short lime seasoning adds flavor but is not a way to cook or make raw fish safe.
- Set a medium saucepan with the rinsed rice, water, and a small pinch of salt over high heat. Bring it to a boil, stir once, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook according to the rice package, usually 15 to 18 minutes, until tender and the water is absorbed. Take it off the heat and leave it covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Do this while the stew simmers so the rice and moqueca finish at about the same time.
- While the rice cooks, warm the olive oil in a wide, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and both bell peppers. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring now and then, until they soften but still hold their shape. If the vegetables begin to brown before softening, lower the heat; the goal is a gently cooked base, not charred edges.
- Stir in the garlic, paprika, and jalapeño, if using. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes and their juice, coconut milk, dendê oil if using, parsley, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir gently and bring the mixture to a steady, gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the peppers soften and the tomato and coconut flavors come together. Avoid a hard boil, which can make the sauce look separated.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the salt. Nestle the fish pieces into the simmering liquid in one layer as much as possible, spooning a little sauce over the tops. Cover the pan and cook gently for 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Start checking thin pieces at 6 minutes. The fish is ready when it is opaque and flakes easily, and a food thermometer inserted into the thickest piece reads 145°F (63°C), the USDA FSIS safe minimum temperature for fish. Do not stir vigorously; lift or turn pieces carefully if needed.
- Turn off the heat and fold in half of the cilantro. Let the stew stand for 2 minutes while you uncover and fluff the rice. Serve the moqueca in shallow bowls with rice, the remaining cilantro, and lime wedges. Spoon plenty of the coconut-tomato sauce over the rice, and offer extra lime for anyone who wants a brighter finish.
Tips
- Choose fish that holds together. Snapper, cod, haddock, and other firm white fillets work well. Very thin fillets can break apart before the sauce is ready, so cut them into larger pieces and check them early. If using frozen fish, thaw it in the refrigerator first and pat it dry so extra water does not thin the stew.
- Use dendê oil if you can find it, but do not let it stop dinner. Dendê, also called red palm oil, is a traditional ingredient in many Bahian versions of moqueca. It contributes a distinctive earthy flavor and orange color. It is not stocked everywhere; olive oil is a practical substitute, though the result tastes milder and less characteristic.
- Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer. A rolling boil can make coconut milk appear grainy and can break delicate fish into flakes. Lower the burner if bubbles are vigorous, and move fish pieces with a spoon only when necessary. A wide pan helps the pieces sit in the sauce without stacking.
- Adjust heat and acidity at the end. Leave out the jalapeño for a mild stew, or serve sliced chile separately. Lime varies in tartness, so taste the finished sauce before adding more juice. Salt in canned tomatoes and coconut milk also varies; season gradually rather than adding all the salt at once.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the stew hot over plain white rice, which catches the loose coconut-and-tomato sauce. For a fuller Brazilian-inspired table, add farofa, a toasted cassava-flour side that brings a dry, lightly crisp contrast. Farofa is sold in some Latin American and Brazilian grocery stores; if it is unavailable, toasted breadcrumbs can provide crunch, although they do not have cassava’s flavor or texture. A simple green salad with a mild vinaigrette is another fresh counterpoint.
Put lime wedges, extra cilantro, and sliced chile on the table rather than mixing everything into the pot. This lets each person choose a sharper or hotter bowl without changing the whole batch. The stew is rich, so a modest portion of rice alongside a ladle of sauce and fish makes a balanced plate in the everyday sense of having a few contrasting textures and flavors, not a nutritional claim.
Variations
Make a shrimp version: Replace the fish with 1 ½ lb (680 g) peeled and deveined shrimp. Add them only after the sauce has simmered; cook until they are opaque and firm, usually 3 to 5 minutes depending on size. Avoid simmering them for the full fish cooking time, because shrimp toughen quickly. Check doneness with a thermometer and follow the USDA FSIS safe minimum of 145°F (63°C) for seafood.
Use a mixed seafood combination: Combine firm fish with a smaller amount of shrimp or scallops, adding each according to how quickly it cooks. Keep the pieces large enough to lift from the sauce, and check every type for its safe temperature rather than relying only on appearance. The exact timing changes with the size and thickness of the seafood, so use the thermometer and add the quickest-cooking pieces last.
Make the stew without coconut milk: Use 1 ½ cups (360 ml) fish stock or water in place of the coconut milk. The sauce will be thinner and more tomato-forward, with less sweetness and richness. Simmer it uncovered a few extra minutes if you want it to reduce; do not add flour or cornstarch unless you specifically want a thicker, less traditional texture.
Change the fish carefully: A mild, firm fish is easiest to manage, but you can use another boneless fillet that holds its shape. Oily fish such as salmon has a stronger flavor and makes a richer stew, while delicate fillets may break up more. If the fillet is very thick, cut it into evenly sized portions so the outside does not overcook while the center reaches a safe temperature.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftover fish stew and rice within 2 hours of cooking, storing them in separate shallow, covered containers so they cool promptly. Keep them refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below and use within 3 to 4 days. For best texture, freeze the stew without the rice for up to 2 months; coconut milk can separate slightly after thawing, but gentle stirring while reheating usually brings the sauce together. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a covered saucepan over low heat, stirring the sauce gently and adding a splash of water if it has thickened. Heat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking the center with a food thermometer. Microwave portions in a covered, microwave-safe dish in short intervals, stirring the sauce between intervals and checking the temperature in more than one spot. Fish can become firm if reheated too long, so stop once it reaches the safe temperature. Reheat rice separately with a teaspoon or two of water to loosen it, and do not leave either dish at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Brazilian Zepbound recipe?
No. Zepbound is a prescription medicine, not a Brazilian dish or recipe ingredient. This page offers a Brazilian-style fish moqueca as a food recipe instead; it is not connected to, made with, or a substitute for any medication. Use prescription medicine only as directed by the prescribing professional and its official instructions.
Is this an authentic Brazilian moqueca?
Moqueca is a Brazilian seafood stew with regional and household variations. Bahia-style recipes are often associated with coconut milk and dendê oil, while other regional versions use different ingredients and techniques. This recipe takes inspiration from the coconut-rich style, but ingredient choices and shortcuts make it one home version, not the only authentic one.
Can I prepare the stew ahead?
You can slice the onion and peppers, chop the garlic and herbs, and portion the fish earlier in the day; keep the fish covered in the refrigerator. The sauce base can also be cooked a day ahead and refrigerated, then brought back to a gentle simmer before adding the fish. For the best texture, cook the fish just before serving rather than leaving it to sit in hot sauce.
Can I use light coconut milk?
Yes. Light coconut milk works, but the sauce will be thinner and less creamy. Simmer the tomato and coconut mixture for a few extra minutes before adding the fish to reduce it slightly. Keep the heat gentle, since reducing it with a vigorous boil may affect the texture.
How do I know the fish is cooked without breaking it open?
Insert an instant-read food thermometer sideways into the thickest part of a piece; it should read 145°F (63°C). The fish should also look opaque and separate into flakes with gentle pressure, but appearance alone is less reliable than checking the temperature. Start checking early because smaller pieces cook faster.
What can I serve if I cannot find farofa or dendê oil?
Neither is essential for making this meal. Serve the stew with rice and a salad, and use toasted breadcrumbs if you want a crunchy topping in place of farofa. Substitute olive oil for dendê; the stew will lose some of the traditional oil’s distinctive flavor and color, but the tomato, coconut, pepper, and herbs still make a flavorful sauce.
Related
- Brazilian Recipes for Kids: Pão de Queijo Cheese Bread
- Brazilian Stroganoff Recipe with Creamy Beef and Mushrooms
- Brazilian Food in Rio de Janeiro: Feijoada Recipe Guide
More recipes to cook
Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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