A coastal Dominican classic — Pescado con Coco is the signature plate of Samaná, the lush peninsula where coconut palms lean over a whale-watching bay. Fresh snapper or grouper is gently poached in a creamy coconut milk sauce perfumed with sofrito, garlic and culantro. The sauce is the star: silky, lightly sweet, and meant to be sopped up with white rice or fried plantains.
Pescado con Coco Dominicano
A coastal Dominican classic — Pescado con Coco is the signature plate of Samaná, the lush peninsula where coconut palms lean over a whale-watching bay.

Step by stepInstructions
- Rub the fish inside and out with the lime juice and a generous pinch of salt, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
- Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat and cook the sofrito, garlic, pepper and thyme until soft and fragrant, about 6 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook the sauce for 5 minutes to let the flavors marry.
- Slide the fish into the sauce, spooning some over the top. If using a whole fish, cover and poach gently for 10 to 12 minutes per side, until the flesh flakes; fillets need only 6 to 8 minutes total.
- Scatter the culantro or cilantro over the fish and simmer 1 minute more. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt.
- Serve the fish with plenty of sauce spooned over it, alongside white rice or tostones.
💡 Chef tips & storage
Keep the coconut milk at a gentle simmer — a rolling boil will split the sauce. Fresh coconut milk is unbeatable, but good canned coconut milk makes a fine weekday version; add a squeeze of lime at the end to brighten it.

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