Ecuadorian sudado de pescado or fish stew with plantains
Ecuadorian Sudado de Pescado, aka Fish Stew with Plantains, is an easy recipe featuring tender, flaky white fish stewed in a flavorful sauce with plantains. Serve with fluffy white rice, a lime wedge, and fresh avocado!
If you have never had sudado de pescado, you are in for a real treat! The word “sudado” literally means “sweating”. We call this fish stew “sudado” de pescado since the fish is poached or gently cooked in the sauce as if it was sweating.
It is a classic Ecuadorian dish that is full of comforting, warming flavors. This is a dish you would typically see on the coast of Ecuador. This Ecuadorian fish recipe is similar to another dish called seco de pescado, prepared just like seco de pollo is. This “sudado” style dish is fairly common in Latin America, but especially in Ecuador, Colombia and Peru!
It is very simple to make, starting off with a refrito, also known as sofrito, of achiote (annatto), onion, garlic, green pepper, tomato, and cilantro. Then, the fish is added to take on all the flavors and cook gently in the sauce. Not only is this an easy dish to make, it is also so quick! Once the fish is flaky, you are done!
The final touch of flavor in this Ecuadorian fish stew recipe is with the slices of plantain. Since the plantains take a little bit longer to cook, I cooked them separately. Then, you can add as many plantains as you’d like to the fish stew at the same time that you add the fish.
Ingredients You Need
- Plantains: Typically, green plantains are used here. If you can only find yellow plantains, they will be delicious as well. Green plantains are starchy and savory, while yellow plantains are soft and sweet!
- Fish Filets: You can use your favorite fish! I prefer to use a white fish like mahi mahi or corvina.
- Lime: Lime is used to season the fish along with salt and pepper before cooking it!
- Achiote (Annatto): Achiote can come in a few different forms. In Ecuador, you can find it already in the form of achiote cooking oil. If you are outside of Ecuador, you can find it ground into a powder or in its original form of small red seeds. If you use the powder, simply add one teaspoon to 2-3 tablespoons of your favorite neutral cooking oil (sunflower, avocado, or other vegetable oil). If you find achiote seeds, heat the oil over low heat and add a few tablespoons of the seeds. Let them simmer until the seeds release their color and flavor, then use a slotted spoon to remove the seeds from the oil with a spoon.
- Vegetables & Aromatics: You will need diced red onion, green pepper, garlic, and tomatoes. While green peppers are traditional, you can use any bell peppers you have on hand.
- Water: Water is perfect for creating the sauce here. If you prefer, you can use chicken or vegetable broth!
- Cilantro: Cilantro provides a light, herby flavor. It is very important to add fresh cilantro to this fish stew recipe! However, if you are not a cilantro fan, you can use fresh parsley instead.
- Salt & Pepper: To taste.
What type of fish is best for this Sudado Fish Stew with Plantains?
Really, you can use almost any kind of fish in this recipe. It is most common to use white fish. Anything like mahi-mahi, corvina or hake, red snapper, tilapia, halibut, cod, or sea bass will work great! You can also use salmon or trout, which is less common but would also be delicious! Personally, I find it easier to use filets, but you can also prepare this using a whole fish.
If you are using frozen fish, be sure to allow the fish to thaw in the fridge overnight before using it in this recipe.
How to Make Sudado de Pescado
- Prep the Plantains: Peel the plantains and cut them into medium slices. Boil them in slightly salted water for 15-20 minutes or until soft.
- Season Fish: Season the fish filets with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of lime juice.
- Cook the Refrito: To prepare the refrito or sofrito, heat the annatto oil in a deep sauté pan. Add the diced onion, crushed garlic, and diced green bell pepper. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the onion turns translucent. Add the grated tomatoes and chopped cilantro stems, along with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add Water: Add ½ cup to 1 cup of water, the exact amount depends on your preference and how juicy you want the fish stew.
- Add Plantains and Fish: Next, add the cooked plantain slices and place the fish filets on top. You can also use a spoon to put a little of the onion tomato refrito sauce on top of the fish filets.
- Cover & Cook: Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the filets.
- Taste & Season: When the fish is cooked, taste and adjust the salt to taste. Sprinkle the rest of the chopped cilantro leaves and lime juice on top.
- Serve: Serve with rice and salad or tomato and avocado slices! Enjoy!
Sudado de Pescado Recipe Variations:
- With a whole fish: In some countries, it is very common to use the whole fish instead of just a filet! Feel free to use a couple of small or medium-sized whole fish in this Ecuadorian fish stew recipe. Cooking time will just be a little bit longer!
- Try blending the refrito: Refrito is the combination of aromatic vegetables that create the base of the sauce here. You can dice up the onions, green peppers, tomato, and garlic into small cubes, or you can simply add it all to a blender and blend! Then let it simmer a little bit before adding the plantains and fish.
- With peanut butter: Sometimes this Ecuadorian fish stew is made with a little bit of peanut butter added! If you want to try this version, add about ½ tbsp of peanut butter and taste before adding more. I prefer to use natural plain peanut butter that doesn’t have added sugar.
- With different seafood: You can switch out the fish here with shrimp, crab, squid, or mussels!
- Peruvian style: Sudado de pescado is a popular South American dish. In different countries, there are different ways of preparing it! Try it Peruvian-style with a spoonful of ají Camarillo (Peruvian yellow pepper paste) and a fermented corn drink called chicha. They also served it with boiled yuca (cassava).
- Colombian style: The Colombian variation called sudado de Pollo is made with with chicken and has diced potatoes added in!
How to Serve Ecuadorian Stewed Fish with Plantains
You definitely want to serve your Ecuadorian fish stew with some piping hot rice. The rice soaks up the sauce beautifully! Since you already have plantains there, there is not need to serve them on the side. Unless you prefer to prepare the fish stew without the boiled plantains! In that case, serve this with a side of patacones (fried plantain) or fried ripe plantains.
For some freshness, serve this with lime wedges and fresh avocado, or a salad like this onion and tomato curtido or this simple garden salad!
Sudado de pescado or fish stew with plantains
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small green plantains
- 2 large fish fillets or 4 small fillets – you can use of mahi mahi, corvina or hake, red snapper, halibut, sea bass
- ½ lime
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of achiote oil
- ½ large red onion – finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 small green bell pepper – finely chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes grated or crushed
- ½ to 1 cup water adjust to your preference
- 1 large bunch of cilantro finely chopped, use the chopped stems for the refrito/sofrito and the chopped leaves to garnish before serving
- Salt and pepper to taste
Recommended side dishes:
- Ecuadorian-style white rice
- Lime slices
- A simple garden salad or avocado and tomato slices
Instructions
- Peel the green plantains and cut them into medium slices.
- Boil green plantains in slightly salted water for ~15-20 minutes or until soft.
- Season the fish fillets with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of lime juice.
- To prepare the refrito or sofrito, heat the annatto oil in a deep saute pan. Add the diced onion, crushed garlic, and diced green bell pepper. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the onion turns translucent.
- Add the grated tomatoes and chopped cilantro stems, along with salt and pepper, and cook for ~5 minutes.
- Add ½ cup to 1 cup of water, the exact amount depends on your preference and how juicy you want the fish stew.
- Add the cooked green plantain slices
- Place the fish fillets on top of the boiled plantain slices. You can also use a spoon to put a little of the onion-tomato refrito sauce on top of each fish fillet.
- Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of the fillets).
- When the fish is cooked, taste and adjust the salt to taste, sprinkle with the rest of the chopped cilantro leaves and lime juice.
- Serve with rice and salad or tomato/avocado slices.
Step-by-step preparation photos for Ecuadorian fish stew with plantains or sudado de pescado:
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Very nice!!!
Muy rico!!