Known worldwide for its stunning natural resources and colorful lifestyle, Brazil is the largest country in South America. Inhabited by the Portuguese for a long time, both the culture and the population are significantly diverse—the culture is a mix of both Portuguese and indigenous elements, while the population is a mix of white, brown, black, and even Asian settlers. It’s a place where history, culture, religion, and environment go hand-in-hand.
You might already be familiar with some of these Brazilian dishes, but we just thought you’d like to learn more about the history behind them and how Brazilians like to eat them in their daily lives. We hope this article is enjoyable and inspires you to travel to Brazil!
1. Feijoada
Feijoada is probably the most popular of all Brazilian dishes and is cooked and eaten in every corner of the country. It is undoubtedly the most popular dish in Brazil, and almost everybody’s got their own tried-and-tested family recipe for it. No matter how diverse the recipes for this dish are, however, they always contain the same base ingredients—black ingredients, and salted, smoked, or fresh meats. It is also always served with a side of white rice.
Feijoada was brought into Brazil by Portuguese colonizers in the 16th century. Every other country occupied by the Portuguese has similar dishes to feijoada too.
2. Farofa
Don’t be underestimated by the photo below! Under that layer of fried cassava flour is smoky, salty bacon that’s been cooked with garlic and butter. Texture-wise, it’s super crunchy—you’re biting into something akin to bread crumbs, and the best part is that they have soaked up all of that meaty goodness from the bacon so you get perfection with every bite.
Brazilians love to eat farofa with almost anything. They’re addicted to it! Try it out with some simple rice and beans—you’d be surprised at how much it elevates a simple meal.
3. Moqueca de Camarao
Moqueca de Camarao is a stunningly colorful stew that features shrimp and fish as its star ingredients. Here, the seafood is stewed in coconut milk with tomatoes, onions, lime, garlic, and coriander. It is served piping hot in its own clay pot and is meant to be eaten with banana de terra (plantain) stew, cassava porridge, and white rice.
Like the feijoada, there are regional variants to this dish. Some regions even get petty with each other, claiming that the dish originated from them. No matter—Moqueca de camarao tastes good wherever it came from!
4. Picanha
Looking for something meaty and heavy on the tummy? Then look no further than the picanha. This specific cut of meat is a specialty in Brazil and is an absolute riot during parties and barbecues. This slab of meat is often bent into a horseshoe shape and grilled fresh over a roaring fire.
And what’s even more amazing about it is that there’s barely any seasoning involved—just salt and maybe a little pepper. The meat itself melts in the mouth—it’s delightfully juicy, and both the fat and the meat taste heavenly.
5. Brigadeiro
Top all of the Brazilian dishes so far with a decadent dessert that’ll have you craving for more. The brigadeiro perfectly encapsulates the phrase, ‘death by chocolate’!
Brigadeiro is Brazil’s way of making chocolate truffles. Surprisingly, it’s made with only a few ingredients—condensed milk, cocoa powder, and butter. Then, it’s shaped into balls and covered with decorations of your choosing. Most use chocolate sprinkles, but you can also use regular sprinkles, shaved coconut, chopped nuts, powdered sugar, and more! They’re completely customizable, so have fun decorating them to your heart’s delight!
