Bobó de Camarão: Creamy Brazilian Shrimp Stew Recipe

Bobó de Camarão is an iconic Brazilian Shrimp Stew that combines shrimp, palm oil, coconut milk and yuca root. This vibrant, comforting one-pot dish has a delicate balance of creaminess and texture thanks to the shredded yuca and coconut milk. Serve it over rice for a family-style meal—everyone will love it.

This Afro-Brazilian favorite carries history and flavor from the state of Bahia. I’m honored to share it as part of Eat the Culture’s Black History Month Virtual Potluck, a collaboration celebrating Black foodways and the African diaspora through recipes, culture and imagination.

Bahia – Brazil’s Culinary Treasure

Bobó de Camarão comes from Bahia, a northeastern Brazilian state known for its deep cultural roots and bold cuisine.

Bahia sits at the heart of many of Brazil’s most beloved dishes—moqueca, vatapá and bobó de camarão among them. The region blends African, Indigenous and Portuguese influences, creating the flavors that define Brazilian food today.

The Nordeste (Northeast) of Brazil is rich in traditional ingredients: coconut, sugarcane, hot peppers, abundant seafood and cachaça. Many African recipes were adapted with local produce and techniques, and over time these dishes became distinctly Brazilian.

Bobó de Camarão – An Iconic Brazilian Dish

Bobó de Camarão is a perfect example of African culinary techniques married with Brazilian ingredients. In West Africa and its diaspora, starchy porridges and mashed staples are common; in Brazil, yuca (cassava) often performs that role as a thickener.

The classic stew uses dendê (palm oil), coconut milk and peppers alongside yuca and shrimp. The palm oil contributes a deep orange color and distinctive aroma, while coconut milk and peppers add creaminess and brightness. The dish balances a gentle sweetness from peppers and coconut with a touch of heat—essential to Bahian cuisine.

Traditionally, yuca is cooked separately and mashed, then added to the pot. For convenience, shredded raw yuca can be added to the pot to cook with the other ingredients; this produces the same soft, porridge-like texture with less fuss.

Bobó de Camarão is intended to be shared—comforting, communal and satisfying. I hope you try and love this recipe. Beijinhos!

Ingredients

• Yuca root—a primary ingredient; no true substitute. Available at Latin markets and many grocery stores.
• Palm oil (azeite de dendê)—adds color and flavor. If unavailable, use coconut oil but expect a paler result. Use sparingly.
• Large shrimp, peeled and deveined (fresh or frozen, thawed)
• Red, yellow and green bell peppers—for color and flavor.
• Hot peppers—pimenta malagueta, dedo de moça, aji or serrano for heat, to taste.
• Coconut milk—use canned coconut milk for richness (not boxed).
• Cilantro—for flavor and garnish (substitute curly parsley if needed).
• Fresh lime juice
• Brazilian sofrito or minced garlic
• Tomatoes—cut into chunks
• Fresh ginger, grated
• Onion and green onion
• Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

• Vegetable peeler
• Food processor with a shredding attachment or box grater (for the yuca)
• Large heavy pot or Dutch oven (5.5 qt or larger)

How to Make this Bobo de Camarao Recipe

Prep the ingredients

Dice the onions and bell peppers relatively small; cut tomatoes into larger chunks so their juices melt into the stew. Grate the ginger and reserve the juices. Rough-chop cilantro—large pieces are fine. For the chili, remove seeds if you prefer less heat; if you like spice, include seeds and membranes for full flavor.

Peel and shred the yuca

Use a sturdy vegetable peeler to remove the thick skin. Cut yuca into manageable pieces and remove the fibrous core that runs down the center. Shred by hand with a box grater or with a food processor shredding disc.

Sauté and simmer

Heat a small amount of dendê in your Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft. Stir in the Brazilian sofrito (or garlic) until fragrant, then add the bell peppers and cook until softened. Add tomato chunks, a pinch of salt and gently mash them as they break down.

Add grated ginger and cilantro, then stir in the shredded yuca. Pour in the canned coconut milk and about 2 cups of water. Cover and simmer gently on low for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If the mixture becomes too thick, add another cup of water or a splash of shrimp stock. About halfway through cooking, add the green onions and chopped chili peppers.

The yuca should soften and mostly disintegrate into a loose, porridge-like mash while retaining occasional stringy bits of texture—that’s normal and delicious.

Add the shrimp

Toss the peeled and deveined shrimp with fresh lime juice. After the yuca is cooked through, stir the shrimp into the pot and cook gently for 10–15 minutes, until just pink and plump. Avoid overcooking.

How to serve Bobo de Camarao

Serve the stew over white rice, scatter chopped cilantro on top and add extra heat if desired. Some enjoy it with farofa made with dendê for extra texture. For a garnish, pan-fry a few whole shrimp with tails on for presentation.

This is a great weekend family meal and freezes well for up to three months—defrost in the refrigerator before reheating. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4–5 days.

Recipe (summary)

Servings: 6 • Prep: 15 mins • Cook: 50 mins • Total: 1 hr 5 mins

Ingredients (short)

• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 tsp palm oil
• 1 tbsp Brazilian sofrito or 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.3 lb yuca root, peeled and shredded
• 2 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 tomatoes, chunked
• 1/4 cup each red, green and yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1–2 hot peppers, chopped
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk + 2 cups water
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions (short)

1. Heat palm oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft.
2. Add sofrito or garlic and cook until fragrant, then add bell peppers and sauté.
3. Add tomatoes and mash as they soften. Stir in ginger and cilantro.
4. Add shredded yuca, season with salt and pepper. Pour in coconut milk and 2 cups water. Cover and simmer on low for ~25 minutes, stirring occasionally; add water if too thick.
5. Halfway through, add green onions and chili peppers. When yuca is tender and mostly broken down, toss shrimp with lime juice and add to the pot. Cook 10–15 minutes until shrimp are pink and just cooked.
6. Serve over white rice, garnish with cilantro and extra heat if desired. Bom apetite!

Other Brazilian Classics to Try

• Brazilian Collard Greens with Bacon
• Brazilian Black Beans
• Yuca Fries
• Mashed Yuca
• Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)
• Canjica
• Brazilian Tapioca

FOR MORE BRAZILIAN FOOD INSPIRATION, FOLLOW THE ORIGINAL RECIPE AUTHOR ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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