Main Course · Latin American · Dinner ·

Savory Brazilian Acarajé with Vatapá and Crab Filling

Name: Savory Brazilian Acarajé with Vatapá and Crab Filling
Prep time: 75 min
Cook time: 225 min
Total time: 300 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: Dried black-eyed peas, 2 cups — soaked overnight; Onion, 1 medium — finely chopped; Salt, 1 tablespoon; Stale bread, 2 cups — cut into cubes; Coconut milk, 1 cup; Palm oil, 2 tablespoons; Shrimp broth, 1 cup; Garlic, 1 clove — minced; Dried shrimp, 1½ cups — ground; Peanuts, ½ cup — roasted and ground; Cashews, ½ cup — roasted and ground; Cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon; Ginger, 1 teaspoon — grated; Fresh crab meat, 1 lb; Olive oil, 2 tablespoons; Garlic, 1 clove — minced; Onion, 1 small — chopped; Parsley, 2 tablespoons — chopped; Salt and pepper, to taste

Traditional deep-fried black-eyed pea dumplings stuffed with rich vatapá and crab filling.

4.8(895 reviews)

·By Ethan Brooks·October 3, 2025

Savory Brazilian Acarajé with Vatapá and Crab Filling — Main Course served and photographed from above

Prep

1 h 15 min

Cook

3 h 45 min

Difficulty

Advanced

Serves

Ingredients

Servings

For the Acarajé Dough

For the Vatapá Filling

For the Crab Filling

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories: 427 kcal
Protein: 31.8 g
Carbs: 23.6 g
Fat: 26.9 g
Fiber: 3.7 g

Whole recipe

Total

Calories: 3417 kcal
Protein: 254.54 g
Carbs: 188.7 g
Fat: 215 g
Fiber: 29.3 g

Breakdown by ingredient▾

Ingredient	Cal	P	C	F	Fib
Dried black-eyed peas 2 cups — soaked overnight	360	24	60	0.8	12
Onion 1 medium — finely chopped	44	1.2	10	0.1	1.8
Salt 1 tablespoon	0	0	0	0	0
Stale bread 2 cups — cut into cubes	320	12	60	4	3.2
Coconut milk 1 cup	445	4.6	6.4	48	2
Palm oil 2 tablespoons	240	0	0	27	0
Shrimp broth 1 cup	70	8	2	2	0
Garlic 1 clove — minced	4	0.2	1	0	0.1
Dried shrimp 1½ cups — ground	480	100	6	6	0
Peanuts ½ cup — roasted and ground	414	19	12	35	6
Cashews ½ cup — roasted and ground	393	10	22	32	2
Cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon	7	0.3	1.4	0.4	0.8
Ginger 1 teaspoon — grated	2	0.04	0.4	0	0.1
Fresh crab meat 1 lb	360	76	0	3.6	0
Olive oil 2 tablespoons	240	0	0	27	0
Garlic 1 clove — minced	4	0.2	1	0	0.1
Onion 1 small — chopped	28	0.8	6.5	0.1	1
Parsley 2 tablespoons — chopped	2	0.2	0.4	0	0.2
Salt and pepper to taste	0	0	0	0	0

These are estimates, not dietary advice.

Preparation

Get these tasks done before you start cooking.

Marinating the Black-Eyed Peas

1
Rinse the peas
Rinse the soaked black-eyed peas thoroughly.
2
Remove the skins
Rub them between your hands to remove the skins.
Tip: Do not rush removing the skins, as it affects the dough consistency.
3
Blend into paste
Drain and blend until smooth with the chopped onion and salt.
Tip: Use a food processor for a smoother black-eyed pea paste.

Preparing the Vatapá Filling

1
Soak bread
Soak the bread cubes in coconut milk until fully absorbed.
2
Sauté garlic
In a pan, heat palm oil and sauté garlic until fragrant.
3
Cook filling
Add shrimp broth, soaked bread, shrimp, peanuts, cashews, cayenne, and ginger. Cook until thick.