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Overview

Tacaca

Tacacá, Amazonian Tucupi Soup

Tacaca is the iconic soup of Belém in northern Brazil — golden tucupi broth with dried shrimp, tingling jambu leaves and a clear tapioca gel, served boiling hot in a gourd bowl. One serving is 393 g and holds 177 kcal, so it is a light but protein-rich lunch.

Tacaca is the iconic soup of Belém, the capital of Pará in northern Brazil, sold by street vendors — tacacazeiras — from stalls around the city. It is made from tucupi, the yellow juice pressed from grated manioc, fermented and boiled, with dried shrimp, jambu leaves that tingle the mouth, and goma, a clear tapioca gel. The four parts are cooked separately and assembled to order in a cuia, a gourd bowl, and eaten boiling hot with a spoon. It is a dish of Indigenous Amazonian origin, shaped by centuries of Belém's markets.

Pairs well with: A cold guaraná and tapioca crêpes

Provenance

Brazil flag Brazil

Belém Street-Food Classic

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

1h 5m

25m prep • 40m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

177 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 393 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Moderate

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Soups & Broths Occasions: Lunch, Street-food nights, Brazilian dinners, Adventurous cooking Cost: Medium — about $3–4 per serving at home (tucupi and dried shrimp are speciality items)
Tags: Seafood Spicy Savory Gluten-free Soup
Tacaca — a bowl of golden tucupi soup with shrimp and jambu leaves, served in a cuia gourd bowl in Belém, Brazil

Belém Street-Food Classic

Photo: Ridiculopathy, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Medium — about $3–4 per serving at home (tucupi and dried shrimp are speciality items) (USD)

Simmer the tucupi for at least 20 minutes — raw tucupi is not safe to taste. Assemble each bowl to order and serve boiling hot. Nutrition is estimated from USDA values; tucupi, jambu and culantro are estimates from similar foods.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 5m
P

Prep Stage: Soak, Chop and Measure

25 Mins • Soak & Knife Work

Rinse and soak the dried shrimp in cold water for 2 hours (passive), then chop the garlic, culantro and pimenta-de-cheiro, pick the jambu leaves, and measure out the tucupi and tapioca starch.

Maestro Tip: Start the shrimp soaking first — everything else takes 25 minutes.

  1. 1

    Soak the Dried Shrimp

    2 Hrs (Passive) Cold water, room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)

    Rinse the dried shrimp under cold water, then put them in a bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak for 2 hours, changing the water once halfway through. Drain well before cooking.

    Soaking softens the shrimp and tames the salt — do not skip it.

    Done when: Shrimp plump and soft, no longer hard

  2. 2

    Simmer the Tucupi

    30 Mins Simmer at about 95°C (203°F)

    Pour the tucupi into a large pot, add the minced garlic, the chopped pimenta-de-cheiro and the salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for at least 20 to 30 minutes — never less.

    Raw tucupi contains compounds that release hydrocyanic acid — thorough simmering makes it safe. Never taste raw tucupi.

    Done when: Broth golden, fragrant and simmering steadily

  3. 3

    Make the Goma

    10 Mins Medium heat, about 90°C (194°F)

    Whisk the tapioca starch into the cold water until fully dissolved, then heat gently in a small saucepan, stirring constantly. It will turn into a clear, thick gel — the goma.

    Keep stirring — it thickens all at once and lumps if you stop.

    Done when: A clear, glossy, spoon-coating gel

  4. 4

    Add the Shrimp and Jambu

    5 Mins Simmer at about 95°C (203°F)

    Add the soaked shrimp to the simmering tucupi and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until pink and heated through. Add the jambu leaves and culantro and cook for 1 minute more, just until the leaves wilt.

    Jambu wilts in seconds — add it last so it keeps its tingle.

    Done when: Shrimp pink and opaque, jambu just wilted

  5. 5

    Assemble the Bowls

    5 Mins Serve boiling hot, about 85°C (185°F)

    Spoon the goma into each cuia (gourd bowl), ladle over the boiling-hot tucupi, and add the shrimp and jambu. Serve immediately with a spoon.

    Serve it boiling hot — tacaca is eaten straight away, spoonful by spoonful, with the shrimp and jambu.

    Done when: Steaming bowls, golden broth, shrimp and jambu on top

Finishing Touches & Plating

Spoon the goma into each cuia (gourd bowl), ladle over the boiling-hot tucupi, add the shrimp and jambu, and serve immediately with a spoon.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

177

kcal / serving

Protein

17g

Complete AA

Carbs

25g

Complex

Fats

1g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 393 g)
Energy177 kcal
Protein17 g
Carbohydrates25 g
Fat1 g
Fibre0.9 g
Sugar1.6 g
Sodium1184 mg
Per 100g
Energy45 kcal
Protein4.2 g
Carbohydrates6.3 g
Fat0.3 g
Fibre0.2 g
Sugar0.4 g
Sodium302 mg

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

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin C from the peppers and jambu, iron and calcium from the dried shrimp, and vitamin A from the greens. Nutrition is estimated.

Light but Protein-Rich

About 16.5 g of protein a serving at only 177 kcal — the dried shrimp does the heavy lifting.

Jambu's Famous Tingle

Jambu (Acmella oleracea) contains spilanthol, which makes the mouth tingle and go slightly numb — the signature sensation of tacaca.

A Taste of the Amazon

Tucupi, jambu and goma are ingredients you will find nowhere else — a bowl of the Amazon rainforest.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

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

Drinks

A Cold Guaraná

The sweet, fizzy Amazonian soda cools the chilli heat and the hot broth between spoonfuls.

Vegetables

A Simple Salad of Chicória-do-Pará

The same culantro leaf, fresh and crisp, echoes the soup's flavours and adds a green crunch.

Sides

Tapioca Crêpes (Beiju)

Crisp tapioca crêpes are a natural partner — the same starch, in a different form.

Full Menus

A Belém Street-Food Night

Serve tacaca with açaí and grilled fish for a taste of Belém's markets.

Complete menu

Tacaca with açaí and grilled fish

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

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

Skipping the Tucupi Simmer

Raw tucupi contains compounds that release hydrocyanic acid — it must be simmered for at least 20 minutes before serving. Never taste it raw. This is general food safety information, not medical advice.

Overcooking the Jambu

Jambu wilts in seconds and loses its tingle if boiled — add it at the very end. This is general food 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, protein-rich soup — a taste of the Amazon for adventurous eaters.
  • ChildrenThe jambu tingle and the chilli may be too much for small children — serve them the broth without the pimenta-de-cheiro.
  • ElderlyLight and easy to eat, and the soup is served hot and soothing.
  • Pregnant womenMake sure the shrimp is fully cooked and the tucupi well simmered; avoid it if you are unsure of the source.
  • Breastfeeding womenSafe as part of a varied diet; the chilli and jambu tingle are the only things to watch.
  • AthletesLight and refreshing, but pair it with bread or rice — the soup alone is too low in energy after training.
  • Weight gainAt 177 kcal a serving it is a light addition — serve a bigger portion with tapioca crêpes to add energy.
  • Weight lossA good choice at about 177 kcal a serving — a generous bowl of soup with 16.5 g of protein.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 24.7 g of carbs a serving, mostly from the tapioca goma — watch the portion and check your glucose as usual.
  • High blood pressureSodium is high at 1,184 mg a serving, mostly from the dried shrimp — soak the shrimp well and use less salt.
  • Kidney diseaseSodium and potassium from the shrimp and tucupi may need watching; ask your clinician whether this soup fits your plan.
  • GoutShrimp is moderate in purines — keep the portion small if gout is a concern.
  • Stomach issuesChilli and the jambu tingle can irritate a sensitive stomach or reflux — use less pimenta, or skip this dish on a bad day.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseLow in fat and rich in protein, but the sodium is high — a concern if you watch salt for your heart.
  • Fatty liverLow in calories and fat, so it fits a lighter eating pattern.
  • Food allergiesContains shellfish (shrimp). Naturally gluten-free. Tucupi is made from manioc (cassava) — check with a clinician if you have a cassava sensitivity.
  • Special therapeutic dietsA traditional dish with unusual ingredients — tucupi must be thoroughly cooked and the shrimp fully heated. Please ask your clinician for advice about your individual condition.

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

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Keep in sealed containers in the fridge
In the fridge
Up to 2 days, broth and goma stored separately
In the freezer
Not recommended — the goma turns watery and the jambu loses its texture when thawed
How to reheat
Reheat the broth to a rolling simmer and heat through to at least 74°C (165°F); warm the goma gently
Freezing recommended
No
Signs it has spoiled
A sour or off smell, a slimy surface, or visible mould — discard if any of these appear

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