Tomato Fish Stew is a fragrant, tomato-forward dish that pairs beautifully with rice, pasta or plantains—an ideal family dinner that’s both comforting and full of flavor.
Tomato-based stews are a staple across West Africa and are a familiar comfort food for many households. In Cameroon, where I grew up, tomato stews come in several variations—commonly with chicken, beef or fish. Fish stew was often the more economical choice, since fish tended to be more affordable than other proteins.
This Cameroonian-style fish stew is rich, garlicky and bright from fresh tomatoes and basil. It’s easy to make and versatile enough to serve with many side dishes.
Cameroonian Fish Stew Ingredients
This fish stew is made with whole fish cut into steaks (or fillets if you prefer), ripe tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, fresh basil, cooking oil, salt, Maggi seasoning cubes and optionally a hot pepper such as habanero or scotch bonnet. I often add a little ground white pepper because it complements fish nicely.
You can also use tomato paste or tomato sauce to deepen the color and flavor, but fresh, super-ripe tomatoes give the best natural sweetness and brightness.
How To Make Tomato Fish Stew
1. Clean and gut the fish, then cut into steaks or portions.
2. Blend garlic, ginger and most of the basil into a coarse paste.
3. Season the fish with salt and a portion of the spice paste.
4. Bake or roast the fish until just cooked through.
5. Blend the fresh tomatoes into a coarse puree.
6. Sauté the chopped onion in oil, then add the blended tomatoes and cook until the raw tomato taste has dissipated and the sauce has reduced.
7. Stir in the remaining spice paste, add water, adjust seasoning with salt, white pepper and Maggi cubes, then add the baked fish and simmer gently for a few minutes to combine flavors. Avoid stirring vigorously once the fish is in the pot—move pieces gently so they don’t break apart.
What To Serve With Tomato Fish Stew
Tomato fish stew is versatile and pairs well with a variety of sides. Try it with:
- Boiled white rice
- Easy coconut rice
- Pasta tossed with a little butter or oil
- Sweet fried plantains
- Boiled plantains
Watch How To Make Cameroonian Fish Stew
There is a video demonstration showing the full process, from preparing the fish to finishing the stew. Watching step-by-step makes the method especially easy to follow.
Tips for Making Fish Stew
- Use fillets if you’re not comfortable with whole fish—fillets are easier to handle and still flavorful.
- Fresh basil adds a bright, herbal lift—reserve a little to garnish at the end for extra aroma.
- Cook the tomatoes down until they lose their raw edge; this develops sweetness and a rounder flavor.
This tomato fish stew is hearty, fragrant and easy to include in your weekly meal rotation. It’s especially satisfying served over rice with a side salad or plantains.
Tomato Fish Stew – Cameroonian Fish Stew
Ingredients
- 2 whole medium firm fish, cleaned and cut into steaks
- 7 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger root, peeled and sliced
- 4 sprigs basil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 8 ripe roma tomatoes
- 1 cup oil (canola, vegetable or corn oil)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 Maggi seasoning cubes (4g each)
- 1 habanero or scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the fish. Remove fins and scales, cut each fish into pieces and clean thoroughly. Pat dry.
- Make the spice blend. Reserve one sprig of basil for garnish. Blend the remaining basil with garlic and ginger and a little water into a paste.
- Season the fish. Add a tablespoon of the spice paste and a pinch of salt to the fish and rub evenly.
- Cook the fish. Line a baking tray with foil, lightly oil it and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15–17 minutes until just cooked.
- Blend the tomatoes. Quarter the tomatoes and blend into a coarse puree.
- Make the stew. Heat the remaining oil in a heavy pot, sauté the chopped onion until soft, then add the blended tomatoes. Cook 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes reduce and lose their raw taste.
- Add the remaining spice paste to the pot and cook 2 minutes, then add 1 1/2 cups water, the remaining salt, white pepper and Maggi cubes. Add the hot pepper if using.
- Gently add the baked fish to the stew and simmer for about 5 minutes to meld flavors. Move fish carefully to avoid breaking the pieces.
- Finish. Remove about 1/2 cup of excess oil if desired and reserve for other uses. Chop the reserved basil sprig and sprinkle over the stew before turning off the heat.
- Serve. Serve hot with rice, coconut rice, pasta or plantains and a simple side salad.
Notes
2. Skimming out half a cup of oil at the end reduces calories while preserving the rich flavor that the oil brings during cooking.
3. I used round scad, but mackerel, croaker or other firm whole fish work well. Fillets are a good alternative if whole fish are not available.
4. Nutrition values are estimates and assume half the oil is skimmed out before serving.
Nutrition
Additional Info
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