What dishes must you taste on a trip to Brazil?
Brazilian cuisine is a wonderful way to discover the country! Whether simple or complex, each recipe offers delicious exotic flavors.
What dishes must you taste on a trip to Brazil?
Apr 04, 2024
Brazilian cuisine is a wonderful way to discover the country! Whether simple or complex, each recipe offers delicious exotic flavors. Cassava, dendê, feijoada or moqueca de peixe: discover the typical ingredients of Brazilian gastronomy and its emblematic dishes!
Coxinha: the star Brazilian street appetizer
Coxinhas are delicious chicken croquettes that can be enjoyed as an appetizer or while strolling through the city. Indeed, these small spicy croquettes are offered both on restaurant menus and in comida de rua (street food), such as in Sao Luis. The filling of this specialty can also be prepared with beef.
Caldo verde: Brazilian cabbage soup
Caldo verde is the Brazilian version of cabbage soup! Made with green cabbage, potatoes, onions and chorizo (to add some spice), it is frequently consumed at dinner, as an appetizer or main course. This "green broth" is typically served with broa de milho – a bread made from cornmeal.
Tacacá: the Amazonian soup
Tacacá is an Amazonian soup, particularly popular in northern Brazil, and in the State of Para in particular where it originates. Prepared with shrimp, ham, chili, cilantro and tucupi (a sauce made from cassava juice), this broth is quite spicy.
Feijoada: THE Brazilian specialty
Feijoada is THE national dish of Brazil, found in every restaurant, and particularly in those of Rio de Janeiro, where this dish is highly prized. It is a popular dish prepared with cuts of pork considered "less noble" (feet, tail, ears) and slow-cooked.
This stew – accompanied by green cabbage, vegetables and oranges – is served with black beans (feijao) and rice (arroz). It can also be accompanied by pao de queijo (small cheese breads, originating from the State of Minas Gerais, in the southeast of the country).
Farofa: the essential side dish
Farofa is a side dish made from farinha de mandioca (cassava flour). It is a typical Brazilian dish, not found in other Latin American countries. Visually similar to breadcrumbs, this preparation accompanies many Brazilian specialties, like feijoada.
It can also enhance everyday dishes and accompany all grilled meats from a barbecue... There are many variations of this recipe. For the more elaborate versions, farofa can be accompanied by bacon, chopped onions and vegetables.
Pastéis: the star pastries of the markets
Pastéis are small savory pastries whose filling can be made with cheese, cod or meat, depending on preferences. Want to taste them? Head to the markets! You'll find the best ones there – these are actually nicknamed pasteis de feira (market pastries).
Moqueca de peixe and bobó de camarão: seafood takes center stage
Moqueca de peixe is a delicious fish stew, enhanced with coconut, cilantro, peppers and tomatoes. Its gorgeous golden color comes from dendê – a palm oil extracted from the fruit pulp. Influenced by African gastronomy, this dish typical of Salvador de Bahia is considered the "emblematic dish" of Afro-Brazilian cuisine.
Another Brazilian shrimp dish? Bobó de camarão, a dish halfway between soup and stew (with the main difference from Moqueca de peixe being the texture). Coconut milk, tomato sauce, cilantro, cassava, sliced almonds (optional): this traditional recipe is typically served with white rice.
Doce de abacate: an unconventional Brazilian dessert made with avocados
Want to taste a typical yet unusual dessert? Don't leave without savoring a delicious doce de abacate! This avocado cream (which can also be enjoyed as ice cream) is a light and airy dessert. The recipe? Just blended avocados and lime! This sweet puree is an essential part of Brazilian gastronomy.
Canjica: the Brazilian "rice pudding"
If you love rice pudding, you'll adore canjica. This dessert is made with sugar, cinnamon, milk… and corn! Very popular in summer, you'll find it sold at festivals... Canjica can also serve as a topping for popcorn! Note that, depending on the region, this specialty is also called mugunzá.
Cocada: an easy Brazilian pastry
Made with coconut, eggs and sugar, cocada (of African origin) is often served with fruit or enhanced with cocada cremosa – a Brazilian specialty made with shredded coconut – for even more indulgence...
Cerveja: Brazilian beer
Cerveja is THE national drink! Served ice-cold (sometimes even frosted), beer is an integral part of Brazilian gastronomy. The country is actually renowned for its many local productions and breweries (and is the world's third-largest beer producer).
Cachaça: the local spirit
Also called aguardente, cachaça is a spirit (not rum, contrary to popular belief) made from sugarcane. Distilled between 38 and 48 degrees, this alcohol is notably used to make cocktails, like the caipirinha (Brazil's emblematic drink).
FAQ
What is the typical dish of Brazilians?
Feijoada is one of Brazil's emblematic dishes. This traditional recipe is made with pork slow-cooked, then simmered with vegetables, rice, black beans and oranges. This stew is considered the national dish.
What meat do Brazilians eat?
Strips, ribeyes, ribs: beef is very present in Brazilian cuisine. The Sunday churrasco (Brazilian barbecue) is an occasion to share these beautiful pieces of braised meat. The sirloin (picanha) is particularly appreciated on the grill, because of its layer of fat, which makes the meat very juicy.
Frequently asked questions
The caipirinha is Brazil's emblematic cocktail. It is made with cachaça (a spirit from sugarcane), crushed lime, sugar and crushed ice. It's Brazil's national drink, essential in every bar in the country.
Açaí is a palm fruit native to the Amazon, very popular in Brazil. It is consumed as a thick smoothie or sorbet, often accompanied by granola, banana and honey. It is a very energetic food, omnipresent on the streets of major Brazilian cities.
Among the most popular desserts in Brazil are brigadeiro (condensed chocolate truffle), canjica (dessert made with corn and milk), cocada (made with coconut) and doce de abacate (sweet avocado cream). Brigadeiro is undoubtedly the country's most emblematic dessert.
Brazilian cuisine is traditionally rich in meats and fish, but vegetarian alternatives exist. Farofa (cassava flour), rice, black beans, tropical fruits and certain vegetable-based preparations allow you to compose meatless meals. In large cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, vegetarian and vegan restaurants are increasingly numerous.
Although both are made from sugarcane, cachaça and rum are two distinct spirits. Cachaça is made from fresh sugarcane juice that is fermented and distilled, while rum is usually produced from molasses (a byproduct of sugar production). Cachaça is between 38 and 48 degrees, and is the base ingredient for the caipirinha.
