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Fish, Americas

Shrimp vatapá with rice

Shrimp vatapá with rice is a Brazilian dish made with shrimp simmered in a thick cream of bread, coconut milk, peanuts and cashews. It serves 4 in 50 minutes, at a medium difficulty level, for about €4.40 per person. The key to getting it right is blending the cream while it's hot and letting it thicken as it cools, rather than overcooking it.

Tonight, a vatapá from Bahia, a creamy blend of bread, peanuts and cashews, with shrimp and rice.

Shrimp vatapá with rice
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.40
Calories per person
760 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer, Fall

Vatapá is a dense, fragrant cream that comes from Bahia, where bread, peanuts and cashews blend with coconut milk to carry the shrimp. The result is surprising the first time around, somewhere between creamy and slightly crunchy, with ginger and garlic quietly lifting the whole dish. It's not an everyday meal, it's a little getaway served over a plate of rice.

Plan on a good half hour of focused prep, between soaking the bread, blending the paste and slowly cooking the cream. This is a dish for an evening when you have some time ahead of you, whether for yourself or for curious guests, rather than a rushed weeknight. Kids used to simpler flavors might find the peanuts and ginger a bit much.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Peeled shrimp 600 g

Bakery

  • Sandwich bread 4 slices

Pantry

  • Coconut milk 40 cl
  • Unsalted peanuts 80 g
  • Cashew nuts 50 g
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Tomato 1
  • Fresh ginger 1 tsp
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Fresh cilantro 6 sprigs

Allergens Shellfish, Gluten, Peanuts, Tree nuts, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Soak the sandwich bread in a bit of coconut milk. 5 min

    Remove the crusts, the cream will turn out smoother.

  2. Blend the bread, peanuts, cashews, onion, tomato, garlic and ginger into a paste.

    Blend in batches if needed, the paste should be very smooth.

  3. Pour the paste into a saucepan with the rest of the coconut milk and simmer gently, stirring. 15 min

    Stir with a spatula to keep the cream from sticking.

  4. Add the shrimp to the cream and let them cook for a few minutes. 5 min

    If the vatapá is too thick, loosen it with a bit of hot water.

  5. Cook the rice in salted water, then serve the vatapá over the rice with cilantro. 11 min

    Add a squeeze of lime to brighten up the dish.

Our tips to get it right

  • Trim all the crusts off the sandwich bread before soaking it, otherwise they'll leave a grainy texture instead of a smooth cream.
  • Taste the cream before adding the shrimp and adjust the salt or ginger then, it's your last easy chance to fine tune it.
  • If your blender isn't very powerful, push the paste through a sieve after the first blend to catch any leftover peanut bits.

The variations

  • Swap the shrimp for firm white fish cut into cubes, it holds together well in the thick cream.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the shrimp with chunks of hearts of palm or mushrooms, the bread and nut base stays just as rich.
  • To save time, use bread that's already a bit stale so it needs less soaking, and blend the nuts into a powder ahead of time.

What to serve it with

  • Lime wedges
  • Farofa for crunch
  • Fresh tropical fruit juice

Storage

Vatapá keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, ideally stored separately from the rice. It doesn't freeze well since the nut based cream can turn grainy once thawed. Reheat it gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of hot water to bring back its texture.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the vatapá cream ahead of time?

Yes, make the cream without the shrimp up to a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Reheat it gently, then add raw shrimp just before serving so they stay tender.

Can you swap the peanuts for another nut?

You can replace the peanuts with almonds or hazelnuts, the texture stays close to the original. The flavor will be a little less typical, but the cream will keep its richness.

Why is the cream so thick and how can you fix it?

The bread and nuts swell as they cook and naturally thicken the cream as it cools. If it gets too dense, loosen it with a splash of hot water or coconut milk.

Is vatapá a kid friendly dish?

It's really more of an adult dish, since the ginger and mix of nuts can surprise younger palates. For curious kids, serve a small amount of the cream alongside some plain rice.

How long does it take to make a shrimp vatapá with rice?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a shrimp vatapá with rice?

About 760 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a shrimp vatapá with rice cost?

About €4.40 per serving, or €17.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains shellfish, gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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