• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Laylita's Recipes

  • Home
  • En Español
  • Recipe Index
  • About Laylita
  • Videos
  • Ecuadorian Recipes
    • Ecuadorian Breakfast Dishes
    • Ecuadorian Street Food
    • Ecuadorian Soups
    • Ecuadorian Main Meals
    • Ecuadorian Appetizers
  • Latin Recipes
    • Ceviches
    • Empanadas
    • Plantain Recipes
    • Fish and seafood
    • Latin desserts
  • Sites
    • Receitas da Laylita
    • Recettes de Laylita
    • Travel
    • Viajes
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
X

Laylita's Recipes

  • Home
  • En Español
  • Recipe Index
  • About Laylita
  • Videos
  • Ecuadorian Recipes
    • Ecuadorian Breakfast Dishes
    • Ecuadorian Street Food
    • Ecuadorian Soups
    • Ecuadorian Main Meals
    • Ecuadorian Appetizers
  • Latin Recipes
    • Ceviches
    • Empanadas
    • Plantain Recipes
    • Fish and seafood
    • Latin desserts
  • Sites
    • Receitas da Laylita
    • Recettes de Laylita
    • Travel
    • Viajes
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Laylita's Recipes

Recipes from Latin America and around the world.

  • Home
  • En Español
  • Recipe Index
  • About Laylita
  • Videos
  • Ecuadorian Recipes
    • Ecuadorian Breakfast Dishes
    • Ecuadorian Street Food
    • Ecuadorian Soups
    • Ecuadorian Main Meals
    • Ecuadorian Appetizers
  • Latin Recipes
    • Ceviches
    • Empanadas
    • Plantain Recipes
    • Fish and seafood
    • Latin desserts
  • Sites
    • Receitas da Laylita
    • Recettes de Laylita
    • Travel
    • Viajes
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Home » All » By Ingredient » Fish » Ecuadorian pescado encocado or fish with coconut sauce

Ecuadorian pescado encocado or fish with coconut sauce

By Layla Pujol 54 Comments

Recipe for fish with coconut sauce or Ecuadorian pescado encocado – this delicious coastal dish consists of fish seasoned with citrus and spices and then cooked in a sauce of cilantro, onions, bell peppers and coconut milk.

Jump to Recipe
Fish in coconut sauce {Ecuadorian pescado encocado}

En Español

This Ecuadorian fish with coconut sauce, called pescado encocado, is a traditional coastal dish of fish seasoned with citrus and spices and then cooked in a sauce of cilantro, onions, bell peppers and coconut milk.

Encocado de pescado recipe

My memories of the beaches in Ecuador always include fresh seafood and fresh coconuts, sometimes separate and sometimes together like in this delicious recipe for fish cooked in a coconut sauce, which in Ecuador is called pescado encocado or just encoca’o, which literally translates as coconutted fish.

Pescado encocado or fish with coconut sauce

In Ecuador this dish is made with corvina, a type of sea bass, I used halibut but any fresh fish would go well with this sauce, I’ve made it before with snapper, cod and salmon, and of course there are variations of fish encocado using shrimp, clams, crab, squid, etc.

Fish encocado

You can use a fresh coconut to make the sauce, use both the coconut water and grated coconut flesh, but if you are in a rush – like me – you can use canned coconut milk for convenience.This is a very easy dish to make and the coconut gives it a nice twist, we eat a good amount of fish and I am constantly trying to prepare the fish in new dishes so that each time we have something a little bit different than the previous meal.

Fish in coconut sauce

I served this pescado encocado with rice and fried ripe plantains, you can also serve it with patacones or green plantain chips instead of the sweet ripe ones, just like many Ecuadorian and South American seafood dishes having rice as a side is a must, especially when there is a rich sauce as there is nothing better than soaking it up with rice.

Fish in coconut sauce {Ecuadorian pescado encocado}

Pescado encocado or fish with coconut sauce

Pescado encocado or fish with coconut sauce is an Ecuadorian coastal dish of fish seasoned with citrus and spices and then cooked in a sauce of cilantro, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers and coconut milk.
4.78 from 370 votes
Print Pin Your Questions and Comments
Course: Fish, Main Course
Cuisine: Ecuadorian, Latin, South American
Keyword: Coconut, Ecuadorian encocado, Fish with coconut sauce, Pescado encocado
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Marinating time: 1 hour
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ lbs halibut or any other fresh fish cut in medium size chunks
  • ¼ cup lime juice from about 2 limes
  • Juice from 2 oranges
  • 4 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp paprika or achiote powder
  • 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
  • 2 tbs oil
  • 1 medium sized onion diced or sliced
  • 2 bell peppers diced or sliced
  • 4 roma tomatoes peeled and chopped
  • 14 oz can of coconut milk
  • 3 tbs cilantro finely chopped
  • Fresh shredded coconut – optional
  • Salt to taste

Side dishes:

  • Ecuadorian style rice
  • Fried ripe plantains

Instructions

  • Mix the lime juice, orange juice, crushed garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander powder and salt in a small bowl.
  • Marinate the fish chunks for at least an hour if possible.
  • Heat the oil to prepare a refrito or base for the sauce, add the onions, tomatoes, bell peppers and salt, cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
  • Add the coconut milk to the refrito, mix it in well and cook for about 10 minutes, if you prefer a thicker sauce you can thicken the sauce by adding ½ tsp of tapioca starch or corn starch.
  • Add the fish fillets, with the marinade, cover partially and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes. The exact time will vary based on the thickness of the fish. You can also reduce the cooking time by increasing the heat if you want it ready faster.
  • Add some freshly grated or shredded coconut (optional and if you have it available).
  • Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with rice and fried ripe plantains.

Step by step preparation photos for Ecuadorian pescado encocado or fish with coconut sauce

Marinade for pescado encocado
Marinade for pescado encocado
Preparation of encocado de pescado
pescado-encocado
pescado-encocado
Pescado encocado or fish in coconut sauce
Pescado encocado or fish in coconut sauce
Pescado encocado or fish in coconut sauce
Pescado encocado or fish in coconut sauce
Pescado encocado or fish in coconut sauce
Ecuadorian fish with coconut

Other Latin American variations of fish/seafood with coconut sauce to try :
Dominican Pescado con Coco recipe
Brazilian Moqueca Bahian-Style Seafood stew recipe

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Similar Recipes

Filed Under: All, Coconut, Comfort food, Ecuador, Fish, Kid friendly, Main dishes, Meatless, Recipes for Lent, Seafood, South America

Previous Post: « Raspberry, goat cheese and almond empanadas
Next Post: Quinoa and cheese soup {Locro o sopa de quinua con queso} »

Subscribe via Email

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Instagram

{Repe lojano} Creamy green banana soup with cheese, cilantro, and avocado. This soup always takes me back to my hometown of Loja, just the way the kitchen smells when I cook it makes me feel like I’m back home.
Cranberry pisco sour cocktails {Pisco sour de arándanos rojos}
Quick lunch salad with smoked salmon, avocado, tomato, cucumber, pickled onions and a soft boiled egg - on top of a bed of salad greens (tossed with a simple lemon olive oil dressing)
Baked ripe plantains stuffed with bacon and cheese {Canoas de plátano con tocino y queso}
Grilled shrimp skewers – with a passion fruit achiote marinade {Pinchos de camaron}
Thin beef skewers {Carne en palito}

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Comments

  1. Natalia says

    July 17, 2022 at 9:42 am

    Made it for the very first time, got amazing complements from an Ecuadorian! Thumbs up!

    Reply
  2. Nicole says

    March 31, 2022 at 1:43 pm

    This is nothing short of amazing. Definitely making this again

    Reply
  3. karla Melo says

    March 26, 2021 at 5:54 pm

    Pascao en coco is called in Venezuela!!! Delicious

    Reply
« Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to my blog!

My name is Layla Pujol, my family and friends call me Laylita. I was born in Vilcabamba, Ecuador and currently live in Luxembourg. Read More…

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

CATEGORIES

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

SEARCH THIS SITE

Subscribe via Email

Instagram

{Chocolates y dulces ecuatorianos - cuál es tu favorito?}
{Pan de yuca con cafecito} Freshly baked cassava cheese breads - I made a big batch over a month ago when I bought a massive chunk (2kg) of cheese from @mitierralux and frozen most of them(shaped but unbaked). Especially so that I can bake them on demand during these days when we need a quick breakfast/snack/appetizer.
{Feliz Navidad} Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 🎄
{Visitando los mercados navideños de Luxemburgo}
{Comida reconfortante para este frío: plátanos maduros fritos + huevo frito + quesito, con sal prieta}
{Locro de coliflor} Ecuadorian style locro soup made with cauliflower, potatoes and lots of cheese
{Por fin está actualizada mi cocina} My kitchen update is finally done! Last two photos show the before.
{Ecuadorian llapingacho potato patties stuffed with cheese - served with peanut sauce, fried egg, chorizo, tomato onion curtido salsa, and avocado}
{Ceviche de camarón} 🇪🇨🇪🇨🇪🇨Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche to watch the big game today!

CATEGORIES

  • Ecuadorian Recipes
  • En Español
  • En Français
  • Em Português
  • Recipe Index

© Laylita.com 2022, all rights reserved. No copy without authorization. Privacy policy | Contact

 

Loading Comments...