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Overview

Sudado de Pescado

Sudado de Corvina; Peruvian Steamed Fish; Pescado Sudado

Sudado de pescado is Peru's coastal comfort dish: white fish steamed in its own juices with tomato, red onion, garlic and aji amarillo, finished with lime and cilantro. The fish stays moist, the broth turns savoury-sweet, and the whole pot takes less than half an hour. One serving is about 381 g, fish and broth together.

Sudado means 'sweated' in Spanish, and the name describes the method: fish and vegetables are covered and cooked gently in their own steam, with barely any added liquid. It is the everyday fish dish of Peru's Pacific coast, where the catch is cooked the same day it is landed — corvina is the favourite, but any firm white fish works. The tomato and onion broth is the point of the dish: it is ladled over rice, and nothing is wasted.

Pairs well with: Serve with steamed white rice and boiled yuca to soak up the broth.

Provenance

Peru flag Peru

Peruvian Coastal Classic

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

45m

20m prep • 25m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

235 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 381 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (One Pot)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Weeknight dinner, coastal family meal, light summer supper Cost: Medium — about $4–5 per serving at home
Tags: Fish Savory Steamed
A bowl of sudado de pescado: white fish in a tomato and onion broth, scattered with fresh herbs.

Peruvian Coastal Classic

Photo: tacowitte, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Medium — about $4–5 per serving at home (USD)

The fish is steamed, never boiled hard, so it stays moist and flakes in large pieces.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 45m
P

Prep Stage: Fish Seasoned, Vegetables Cut

20 Mins • Knife Work

Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper and set aside. Chop the tomatoes, slice the onion into thick half-moons and slice the garlic. Measure the aji paste, lime juice and water so everything is ready before the pot heats — sudado cooks fast once it starts.

Maestro Tip: Cut the onion thick: thin slices disappear into the broth, thick ones stay sweet and visible.

  1. 1

    Soften the Onion and Garlic

    5 Mins • Hands On Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)

    Heat the olive oil in a wide, lidded pot and cook the onion and garlic gently for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned. Browning would darken the broth and turn it bitter.

    Keep the heat medium — the onion should sigh, not sizzle hard.

    Done when: Onion is soft, glossy and translucent.

  2. 2

    Build the Broth

    10 Mins • Hands On Simmer, about 95°C (200°F)

    Stir in the tomatoes, aji amarillo paste, cumin and the remaining salt, then add the water. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes collapse into a loose, fragrant broth. Taste and balance with salt — the broth should be savoury with a gentle warmth.

    If the tomatoes are pale, add a pinch of sugar to round out the acidity.

    Done when: The broth is loose, red-gold and tastes savoury, warm and slightly sweet.

  3. 3

    Lay In the Fish

    2 Mins • Hands On Simmer, about 95°C (200°F)

    Lay the fish fillets in a single layer in the broth, spooning a little broth and onion over each one. The fish should sit mostly in the broth, not buried under it.

    A single layer cooks evenly; stacked fillets steam unevenly and break apart.

    Done when: Every fillet is nestled in the broth with onion over the top.

  4. 4

    Steam Until Just Flaked

    10 Mins • Hands On Gentle simmer, about 90°C (195°F), lid on

    Cover the pot and steam gently for 8–10 minutes, without lifting the lid more than once. The fish is done when it flakes easily at the thickest part and has reached 63°C (145°F) inside. Do not boil hard — a rolling boil breaks the fish into shreds.

    Check at 8 minutes: fish keeps cooking in the hot broth after the heat is off.

    Done when: The fish flakes in large pieces and is opaque through to the centre.

  5. 5

    Finish With Lime and Cilantro

    3 Mins • Hands On Off the heat

    Take the pot off the heat, squeeze the lime juice over the fish and scatter the cilantro. Let it rest for 2 minutes so the lime brightens the broth without cooking the herbs. Spoon into wide bowls with plenty of broth.

    Lime goes in last — cooked lime juice turns bitter.

    Done when: The broth smells bright and herbal; the cilantro is still green.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Spoon the fish into wide bowls, ladle the hot broth over it, scatter the cilantro, and serve at once with rice and yuca on the side.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

235

kcal / serving

Protein

29g

Complete AA

Carbs

12g

Complex

Fats

8g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 381 g)
Energy235 kcal
Protein29 g
Carbohydrates12 g
Fat8 g
Fibre2.6 g
Sugar5.3 g
Sodium577 mg
Per 100g
Energy62 kcal
Protein7.6 g
Carbohydrates3.1 g
Fat2.2 g
Fibre0.7 g
Sugar1.4 g
Sodium151 mg

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

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin B12 and selenium (fish), vitamin C (tomatoes, lime), vitamin A (aji amarillo).

Lean Protein, Light Meal

Each serving carries about 29 g of protein for only about 235 kcal, so the dish fills you up without weighing you down.

Tomatoes and Onion in Every Spoonful

The broth is mostly vegetables — tomatoes and onion supply vitamin C, potassium and fibre with very few calories.

Gentle Cooking Keeps Nutrients In

Steaming in a covered pot keeps the fish moist and the nutrients in the broth, which you eat rather than pour away.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

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

Sides

Steamed White Rice

Rice is the essential partner: it soaks up the tomato broth and turns a light fish dish into a full dinner.

Vegetables

Boiled Yuca

Soft, starchy yuca is the traditional coastal accompaniment — it drinks up the broth and adds a satisfying, earthy bite.

Sliced Red Onion and Lime

A little side salad of thinly sliced red onion with lime juice echoes the broth's flavours and adds fresh crunch.

Drinks

Chicha Morada

Cold purple-corn drink is the classic Peruvian pairing — lightly sweet and spiced, it refreshes the palate after the warm broth.

Complete menu

Start with a small ceviche, follow with sudado de pescado, rice and yuca, and finish with fresh mango.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

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

Fish Allergy — The Whole Pot

This dish is built on fish and the broth carries fish protein throughout, so it cannot be made safe for someone with a fish allergy. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Undercooked Fish Is a Risk

The fish must reach 63°C (145°F) and flake fully; undercooked fish can carry parasites and bacteria. Do not serve fish that is still translucent in the centre. This is general food-safety information, 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 light, complete dinner — about 235 kcal with nearly 29 g of protein.
  • ChildrenMild and easy to eat once the bones are checked; go light on the aji paste for young children.
  • ElderlySoft fish and warm broth are easy to chew and digest; check carefully for small bones.
  • Pregnant womenA good source of lean protein, but choose a low-mercury white fish and make sure it is cooked through to 63°C (145°F).
  • Breastfeeding womenLean protein and warm broth support recovery; the lime and cilantro keep it fresh and light.
  • AthletesHigh protein and low fat make it a solid post-training dinner, especially with rice for carbohydrate.
  • Weight gainLight for its volume — add a generous portion of rice and yuca to make it energy-dense enough for weight gain.
  • Weight lossAn excellent choice: filling protein and vegetables for about 235 kcal; keep the rice portion modest.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesOnly about 12 g of carbohydrate per serving without rice — a very diabetes-friendly main; watch the rice portion and ask your clinician.
  • High blood pressureSodium is about 577 mg per serving, mostly from the added salt — use less salt and ask your clinician if salt is a concern.
  • Kidney diseaseProtein is high and fish adds phosphorus; people with kidney disease should ask their clinician about portion size.
  • GoutFish is a source of purines; white fish is lower than oily fish, but anyone managing gout should ask their clinician.
  • Stomach issuesA gentle, steamed dish that usually suits a sensitive stomach; go light on the aji paste and lime if acidity is a problem, and ask your clinician if symptoms persist.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseLean fish with olive oil and vegetables is a heart-friendly pattern; keep the salt moderate and ask your clinician about overall intake.
  • Fatty liverLow in fat and calories, so it fits well; the rice portion is where calories add up — ask your clinician.
  • Food allergiesContains fish — a major allergen. Do not serve to anyone with a fish allergy.
  • Special therapeutic dietsThis is a general-information recipe, not a therapeutic diet. Anyone on a prescribed diet should ask their clinician or dietitian before making it a regular meal.

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

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly, then store fish and broth together in a sealed container.
In the fridge
Keeps 1–2 days refrigerated.
In the freezer
Not recommended — the fish turns mushy and the broth separates.
How to reheat
Warm gently in a covered pan to 74°C (165°F); do not boil or the fish will break apart.
Freezing recommended
No — eat fresh, within 2 days.
Signs it has spoiled
A sour or ammonia smell, slimy fish, or cloudy broth — discard if any of these appear.

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