Vatapá

Name: Vatapá
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 500g shrimp, peeled and deveined; 200g dried shrimp, ground; 400ml coconut milk; 150g roasted peanuts, ground; 100g cashew nuts, ground; 4 slices stale bread, soaked in coconut milk; 1 large onion, chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 3 tbsp dendê oil; 1 piece fresh ginger, grated; 2 malagueta peppers, minced; 1 bunch cilantro, chopped; Salt to taste; Juice of 1 lime

Vatapá (vah-tah-PAH)

Shrimp and Coconut Cream

⏱ Prep Time 1 hour

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 434 kcal

A rich, thick Bahian cream of ground shrimp, coconut milk, peanuts, and dendê oil thickened with bread, spiced with ginger and malagueta pepper — a luscious Afro-Brazilian delicacy.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 22.0g

Carbs 28.0g

Fat 26.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Allergen Warnings

⚠ shellfish ⚠ peanuts ⚠ coconut ⚠ gluten

Equipment Needed

blender heavy pot wooden spoon

Presentation Guide

Vessel: deep plate over rice

Garnishes: cilantro, dendê oil

Accompaniments: white rice, farofa, acarajé

Ingredients

500g shrimp, peeled and deveined
200g dried shrimp, ground
400ml coconut milk
150g roasted peanuts, ground
100g cashew nuts, ground
4 slices stale bread, soaked in coconut milk
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp dendê oil
1 piece fresh ginger, grated
2 malagueta peppers, minced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lime

Instructions

1
Blend soaked bread with coconut milk until smooth. Set aside.
2
Sauté onion and garlic in dendê oil until golden. Add ginger and malagueta peppers.
3
Add ground dried shrimp, ground peanuts, and ground cashews. Stir well for 3 minutes.
4
Pour in the bread-coconut mixture and stir continuously over medium-low heat for 15 minutes until thick and creamy.
5
Add fresh shrimp and cook for 5-7 minutes until shrimp are pink and cooked through.
6
Finish with lime juice and cilantro. Adjust salt.
7
Serve over white rice with additional dendê oil drizzled on top.

💡

Did You Know?

Vatapá is so important to Bahian identity that it appears in the lyrics of numerous Brazilian songs and is an essential offering in Candomblé ceremonies honoring the orixá Oxalá.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

blender
heavy pot
wooden spoon

Garnishing

cilantro, dendê oil

Accompaniments

white rice, farofa, acarajé

The Story Behind Vatapá

Vatapá is a cornerstone of Bahian cuisine with deep African roots, brought to Brazil by enslaved peoples from West Africa who adapted their cooking traditions using local ingredients. The combination of coconut milk, dendê oil, and dried shrimp forms the holy trinity of Bahian cooking. Vatapá is both everyday food and sacred offering, crossing the line between kitchen and temple in Candomblé religion.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed lunch, religious festivals 📜 Origins: Afro-Brazilian, colonial era

Comments (0)

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!