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Overview

Cazuela Ecuatoriana

Cazuela de Pescado, Cazuela de Mariscos, Ecuadorian Plantain and Peanut Casserole

This cazuela ecuatoriana recipe is the clay-pot casserole of Ecuador's coast: grated green plantain and peanut butter simmered into a thick golden sauce with a tomato refrito, folded with white fish and shrimp, then baked in individual clay pots until the top turns golden. It is the dish Manabí families cook for Sunday lunch. One serving is about 512 g.

Cazuela is the clay-pot casserole of Ecuador's Pacific coast, cooked in Guayas, Manabí and Santa Elena, where green plantains and peanuts have been kitchen staples for centuries. The dish takes its name from the cazuela, the individual earthenware pot it is baked in. This cazuela ecuatoriana recipe follows the coastal method: grated green plantain stirred into ground peanut with a refrito of onion, tomato and achiote, baked until the top turns golden. Fishing families fill it with whatever the boats brought in — corvina, albacore, shrimp or a mix of seafood — and serve it straight from the pot with rice, lime and pickled onion.

Pairs well with: Serve hot in the clay pot with white rice, patacones, lime wedges and pickled red onion, and a cold beer or a glass of dry white wine.

Provenance

Ecuador flag Ecuador

Manabí Coast Heritage

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

1h 10m

25m prep • 45m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

560 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 512 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Clay-Pot Casserole)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

High Protein Occasions: Sunday lunch, family gatherings, coastal holidays, dinner parties Cost: Medium — about $6–8 per serving at home
Tags: Seafood Fish Cheese Savory Rich Baked
A black clay pot of cazuela ecuatoriana, shrimp and white fish in a thick golden green-plantain and peanut sauce with herbs, on a wooden board

Manabí Coast Heritage

Photo: Paborbor, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Medium — about $6–8 per serving at home (USD)

A good cazuela ecuatoriana is thick enough to hold its shape on the spoon, golden from peanut and achiote, with tender fish and shrimp — never watery, never gritty.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 10m
P

Prep Stage: Grate the Plantain, Marinate the Fish & Chop the Refrito

25 Mins • Grating & Chopping

Do everything before the stove gets hot: peel and grate the green plantains, cut the fish into chunks and toss it with half the lime juice and a pinch of salt, peel and devein the shrimp, and chop the onion, pepper, tomato and garlic. Stir the peanut butter until smooth and measure the milk, stock and achiote oil. The plantain sauce thickens fast once it hits the heat, so nothing can wait.

Maestro Tip: Rub a little achiote oil over the grated plantain as soon as you grate it — it stops the plantain darkening and keeps the sauce golden.

  1. 1

    Cook the Refrito

    10 Mins Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)

    Heat the achiote oil in a large wide pot over medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook for 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and sweet-smelling. Add the tomato, garlic and cumin and cook for 4 minutes more until the tomato has broken down and the pot smells rich and earthy.

    Let the tomato fry until it darkens slightly — a pale, raw refrito makes a pale, flat sauce.

    Done when: Vegetables soft and glossy; tomato broken down and fragrant.

  2. 2

    Build the Plantain and Peanut Sauce

    15 Mins Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)

    Stir the peanut butter into the refrito until smooth, then pour in the milk and fish stock a little at a time, stirring all the while so no lumps form. Add the grated plantain and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the sauce is thick, glossy and golden and pulls away from the sides of the pot.

    Do not stop stirring — grated plantain sticks and scorches within seconds if it sits on the heat.

    Done when: Sauce thick enough to hold its shape on the spoon; golden and glossy.

  3. 3

    Add the Fish and Shrimp

    5 Mins Gentle simmer, ~90°C (195°F); fish to 63°C (145°F)

    Fold the fish chunks and shrimp gently into the thick sauce, cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, just until the fish turns opaque and flakes and the shrimp turn pink. Squeeze in the rest of the lime juice and stir in half the cilantro. Taste and add salt if it needs it.

    Take the pot off the heat the moment the shrimp turn pink — they keep cooking in the hot sauce.

    Done when: Fish opaque and flaking; shrimp pink and just curled.

  4. 4

    Bake in the Clay Pots

    20 Mins Oven at 190°C (375°F)

    Divide the cazuela ecuatoriana mixture evenly among four individual clay cazuelas or ovenproof dishes, scatter the grated queso fresco over the top and set the pots on a baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes until the tops are lightly golden and the edges are bubbling.

    Put the pots on a tray before they go in — the sauce bubbles up and the tray catches any drips.

    Done when: Tops lightly golden; edges bubbling; pots steaming hot.

  5. 5

    Rest and Serve

    5 Mins Serve hot, above 60°C (140°F)

    Rest the pots for 2 minutes, then scatter the rest of the cilantro over the top and carry them to the table in their clay pots, with white rice, patacones, lime wedges and pickled red onion alongside. Serve one pot per person and let everyone squeeze lime over their own.

    Serve it in the pot it was baked in — the cazuela is part of the dish, and it keeps the sauce hot at the table.

    Done when: Cheese just set and golden; every pot full of fish and shrimp in thick golden sauce.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Bring the clay pots to the table while the tops are still golden and let everyone help themselves — this cazuela ecuatoriana recipe is at its best the moment it comes out of the oven, with lime squeezed over each pot.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

560

kcal / serving

Protein

47g

Complete AA

Carbs

50g

Complex

Fats

23g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 512 g)
Energy560 kcal
Protein47 g
Carbohydrates50 g
Fat23 g
Fibre6.2 g
Sugar23.0 g
Sodium819 mg
Per 100g
Energy109 kcal
Protein9.2 g
Carbohydrates9.8 g
Fat4.4 g
Fibre1.2 g
Sugar4.5 g
Sodium160 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Provides selenium and vitamin B12 from the fish and shrimp, vitamin C from the peppers and lime, potassium from the plantain, and calcium from the queso fresco. Nutrition values are estimated.

High-Protein Main Course

One serving gives about 46.9 g of protein from the fish and shrimp, which makes this a genuinely filling lunch.

Selenium, B12 and Potassium

Fish and shrimp are rich in selenium and vitamin B12, and the green plantain adds potassium — nutrients that are hard to get from one plate alone.

Peanuts and Plantain for Staying Power

Peanut butter and green plantain give the sauce healthy fats, fibre and slow-release carbohydrate, so the meal keeps you full for hours.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

White Rice

Plain white rice is the classic partner — it soaks up the thick peanut sauce and balances the richness of the pot.

Patacones (Fried Green Plantain)

Crisp, salty patacones give crunch against the soft, thick sauce, and they are made for scooping.

Pickled Red Onion

Sharp, vinegary pickled onion cuts through the rich peanut sauce and wakes the whole plate up.

Drinks

Cold Beer or Dry White Wine

A cold lager or a dry white wine cuts through the peanut richness and refreshes the palate between spoonfuls.

Complete menu

One clay pot of cazuela with white rice, patacones, pickled red onion and a cold beer makes a complete coastal Ecuadorian lunch.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Do Not Use Ripe Plantains

Yellow or spotted plantains turn sweet and soft and will not thicken the sauce — the cazuela comes out runny and sugary instead of thick and golden. Use very green plantains only. This is general cooking guidance, not medical advice.

Do Not Overcook the Seafood

Fish and shrimp turn dry and rubbery in minutes in a hot sauce — take the pot off the heat as soon as the fish flakes and the shrimp turn pink. This is general food-safety and cooking guidance, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA rich, filling lunch — about 560 kcal and 46.9 g of protein per serving.
  • ChildrenSuitable from age 3+ in a small pot; the fish and shrimp are soft, but keep the portion small and check for any small bones.
  • ElderlySuitable in a small portion; the fish is soft and easy to eat, but the dish is rich and salty.
  • Pregnant womenGenerally suitable if all the fish and shrimp are cooked through — the fish must reach 63°C (145°F) and the shrimp must turn pink right through. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Breastfeeding womenGenerally suitable; the protein, iodine and B12 are useful. Keep to one pot because the dish is rich.
  • AthletesA strong post-training meal with about 46.9 g of protein per serving — add white rice for more carbohydrate.
  • Weight gainA strong choice — a full pot with white rice and patacones is an easy way to add energy.
  • Weight lossKeep to about half a pot with a big green salad instead of rice, and go light on the peanut butter. Ask your clinician about portions.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesOne serving carries about 50.1 g of carbohydrate, mostly from the green plantain — the sauce itself is starchy, and the rice on the side adds a lot more. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • High blood pressureOne serving carries about 819 mg of sodium from the salt, fish stock and queso fresco — use low-sodium stock and skip the extra salt. Ask your clinician about your daily sodium limit.
  • Kidney diseaseThe dish is high in protein and the plantain adds potassium; keep to a small portion and ask your clinician whether it fits your plan.
  • GoutShrimp and fish are high in purines and can trigger gout flares — keep the portion small and ask your clinician before eating a full pot.
  • Stomach issuesA thick, rich peanut sauce can feel heavy on a sensitive stomach — eat slowly and keep the portion small. Ask your clinician if symptoms persist.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseThe dish is rich in fat from the peanut butter, so keep it an occasional dish and fill half the plate with salad. Ask your clinician about how often it fits your diet.
  • Fatty liverKeep the portion small and favour the fish and shrimp over the sauce, and go light on the peanut butter. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Food allergiesContains shellfish (shrimp), fish, peanut and milk (whole milk, queso fresco). Do not serve to anyone with a peanut, shellfish or fish allergy.
  • Special therapeutic dietsIf you follow a prescribed low-sodium diet, use unsalted stock, skip the added salt and leave off the queso fresco, and check with your clinician before eating a full pot.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store in an airtight container; keep the rice and patacones separate.
In the fridge
Cooked cazuela keeps 2 days in the fridge at 4°C (40°F) or below.
In the freezer
Do not freeze — the plantain sauce turns grainy and the seafood turns rubbery.
How to reheat
Reheat gently in a pot over low heat until steaming hot throughout, to 74°C (165°F), adding a splash of milk if the sauce has thickened too much; do not boil.
Freezing recommended
No — the plantain and peanut sauce splits and turns grainy on freezing and thawing.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour or fishy smell, slimy seafood, or a sauce that has separated into oil and solids — discard if any appear.

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