Brazilian Fish Pirão — Creamy Manioc Porridge

Name: Brazilian Fish Pirão — Creamy Manioc Porridge
Prep time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Française
Ingredients: 300 g white fish fillet (cod, tilapia, or snapper); 250 g manioc flour (farinha de mandioca); 2 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped; 2 medium onions, diced; ½ red bell pepper, finely sliced; 3 shrimp or fish stock cubes; 2 tbsp smoked paprika; 1 mild chili, chopped; 1 hot chili, chopped (optional); Black pepper and salt to taste; 6 tbsp palm oil (or olive oil); 2 liters water; Fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, chopped

By Marie Lefebvre · Updated September 17, 2026

A beloved comfort food from Brazil's coastline, pirão is a thick golden fish porridge made by simmering fish with aromatic spices, then thickening the rich broth with manioc flour. Hearty, warming, and surprisingly simple to make, it pairs beautifully with white rice and braised fish.

Prep⏱️ 50 min

Servings👥 10 servings

Difficulty📊 Easy

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🛒 Ingredients

10 servings

300 g white fish fillet (cod, tilapia, or snapper)
250 g manioc flour (farinha de mandioca)
2 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 medium onions, diced
½ red bell pepper, finely sliced
3 shrimp or fish stock cubes
2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 mild chili, chopped
1 hot chili, chopped (optional)
Black pepper and salt to taste
6 tbsp palm oil (or olive oil)
2 liters water
Fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, chopped

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Directions

1
Place the fish, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, stock cubes, paprika, chilies, and palm oil in a pressure cooker with 2 liters of water.
2
Lock the lid, bring to pressure and cook for 40 minutes over medium heat.
3
Allow pressure to release naturally, then strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing the solids firmly to extract maximum flavor. Discard the solids.
4
Pour the strained broth into a clean saucepan. Before turning on the heat, gradually whisk in the manioc flour to prevent lumps from forming.
5
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Once boiling, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, adjusting thickness to your liking.
6
Taste and adjust seasoning, then stir in fresh herbs.
7
Pour into a serving bowl, garnish with extra herbs, and serve immediately alongside white rice and braised fish.

💡 Chef's Tip

Using fish heads and bones instead of fillets produces an even richer, more gelatinous broth. Control thickness by adding more flour for a stiffer set, or using less for a pourable consistency.