Guatemalan Seafood Stew

Tapado costeño is a fish, shellfish, and plantain stew in coconut milk, typical of the department of Izabal, with strong Garífuna influence.

It’s one of the most representative dishes of Guatemala’s Afro-descendant Caribbean coast cuisine, with a characteristic flavor from the combination of coconut, spices, and fresh seafood.

Guatemalan Seafood Stew

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Guatemalan

Print Recipe

---

Ingredients

• 500 g of firm fish, in pieces (about 1.1 lb)
• 300 g of shrimp (about 10.5 oz)
• 200 g of crab (about 7 oz) (optional)
• 500 ml of coconut milk (about 2 cups)
• 2 of green plantains, in pieces
• 1 of yuca (cassava), in pieces
• 4 of tomatoes, chopped
• 1 of onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 of bell pepper, in strips
• 1 sprig of cilantro
• to taste of salt

---

Instructions

1. Make the base, sauté the onion, garlic, tomato, and bell pepper in a large pot.
2. Add the coconut milk, pour in the coconut milk and bring to a gentle boil.
3. Add the root vegetables, add the yuca and green plantain in pieces, and cook until they begin to soften.
4. Add the seafood, add the fish, shrimp, and crab, and cook until just done.
5. Add aromatics, add the cilantro toward the end of cooking.
6. Adjust seasoning, correct the salt to taste.
7. Serve, serve hot, in a deep bowl.

Tips for getting it right

• Cooking the yuca and plantain before adding the seafood ensures the root vegetables turn out well tender.
• Adding the seafood toward the end keeps it from overcooking and losing its texture.
• Coconut milk is this dish’s distinctive ingredient, adding creaminess and a characteristic flavor.
• Tapado costeño can be made with just fish or by combining different shellfish depending on availability.

Traditional variations

• It’s a typical dish of the department of Izabal, with strong influence from Garífuna culture.
• Similar variants exist in other Central American countries with a Caribbean coastline.

How to serve

Tapado costeño is served hot, in a deep bowl, as a main dish.

It’s one of the most representative dishes of Garífuna cuisine on Guatemala’s Caribbean coast.

Recommended sides

• White rice
• Coconut bread

Did you know?

Tapado costeño reflects the strong influence of Garífuna culture on the cuisine of Izabal, on Guatemala’s Caribbean coast.

It’s a dish similar to the rondón prepared in other Central American countries with a Caribbean coastline, such as Costa Rica.