Caldeirada à nazarena — the fish stew of Nazaré — is the dish that best captures the cooking of this fishing town, a generous, soupy stew of mixed fish.
The caldeirada is built on variety: it is made with several different kinds of fish at once, layered in a pot with onion, garlic, potatoes, ripe tomato, red and green peppers, olive oil, bay, white wine, coriander and a touch of paprika. In harder times it was cooked with humbler fish; today the restaurants of Nazaré bring together fish such as cherne, cação and tamboril, along with squid, and sometimes clams. The pot is cooked slowly, so the flavours of the sea blend together.
The caldeirada is a dish of community — a single pot that gathers the day's catch — and it speaks directly of Nazaré's identity as a town that lives from the sea. For the visitor, it is the most characteristic and rewarding thing to eat in the town.
⭐ Must-try:
Caldeirada à Nazarena com peixe fresco
Highlights
- The fish stew of Nazaré, the town's signature dish
- Made with several different kinds of fish at once
- Layered with potatoes, tomato, peppers and onion
- Cooked slowly so the flavours of the sea blend
- A dish of community, gathering the day's catch
Frequently asked questions
What is caldeirada à nazarena?
It is the fish stew of Nazaré — a soupy stew of several kinds of fish, cooked with potatoes, tomato, peppers and onion.
What fish goes into the caldeirada?
It uses a mix of fish, such as cherne, cação and tamboril, often with squid and sometimes clams — variety is the point.
Why is it typical of Nazaré?
It gathers the day's catch in a single pot, and speaks directly of Nazaré's identity as a town that lives from the sea.