Food of Brazil
Brazilian food is as varied as the country, mixing Indigenous cassava and Amazon fruits, African techniques in Bahia, and European and Japanese immigrant traditions. Rice and beans anchor almost every meal, while grilled meats, fresh tropical fruit and cheese breads fill out the table. Meals tend to be generous, social and built around sharing, from weekend churrasco to street-corner snacks.
Feijoada
A rich black bean stew simmered with pork and smoked sausages, served with rice, collard greens and orange slices.
How to make Feijoada- Main dishes (6)
- Breakfast (6)
- Street food (7)
- Soups (4)
- Salads (4)
- Breads (2)
- Desserts and sweets (7)
- Drinks (7)
- Fruits and produce (7)
Staples
- rice
- black beans
- cassava
- beef
- pork
- corn
- coconut
- tropical fruit
Signature flavors
- cilantro
- garlic
- palm oil
- coconut milk
- lime
- malagueta pepper
Main dishes
A rich black bean stew simmered with pork and smoked sausages, served with rice, collard greens and orange slices.
Key ingredients: black beans, smoked pork, sausage, bacon, garlic, bay leaf, orangeFull guide →
A fragrant fish and shrimp stew with coconut milk, tomato and peppers, cooked slowly in a clay pot.
Key ingredients: white fish, shrimp, coconut milk, palm oil, tomato, bell pepper, cilantroFull guide →
A prized cut of rump cap beef, seasoned simply with coarse salt and grilled on skewers.
Key ingredients: picanha beef, coarse salt, garlic
Brazilian barbecue of assorted meats roasted over embers and carved at the table.
Key ingredients: beef cuts, sausage, chicken, coarse salt, farofa
A creamy Bahian paste of bread, shrimp, coconut milk and peanuts.
Key ingredients: shrimp, bread, coconut milk, peanuts, palm oil, gingerChicken stewed with okra, a Minas Gerais home-style favorite served with polenta.
Key ingredients: chicken, okra, onion, garlic, lime, cornmealBreakfast
Chewy gluten-free cheese bread puffs made with tapioca flour.
Key ingredients: tapioca starch, cheese, milk, eggs, oilFull guide →
Frozen acai puree blended thick and topped with banana, granola and honey.
Key ingredients: acai pulp, banana, granola, honey, guarana syrupFull guide →A toasted French-style roll pressed and buttered, served with coffee.
Key ingredients: bread roll, butter
A thin crepe made from hydrated tapioca starch and filled with cheese or coconut.
Key ingredients: tapioca starch, cheese, coconut, condensed milkA savory molded cornmeal dish studded with vegetables and sardines or shrimp.
Key ingredients: cornmeal, tomato, hearts of palm, sardines, peasA toasted ham and cheese sandwich, a bakery classic.
Key ingredients: bread, ham, mozzarella, butterStreet food
Teardrop-shaped croquettes of shredded chicken in a creamy dough, breaded and fried.
Key ingredients: chicken, wheat flour, broth, catupiry cheese, breadcrumbsFull guide →
Crisp fried pastry filled with cheese, beef or hearts of palm, a market staple.
Key ingredients: wheat flour, cheese, ground beef, hearts of palm, oil
Black-eyed pea fritters fried in palm oil and split open to hold shrimp and vatapa.
Key ingredients: black-eyed peas, onion, palm oil, shrimp, vatapa
Small open-faced flatbreads with spiced meat or cheese, loved in Sao Paulo.
Key ingredients: wheat flour, ground beef, tomato, onion, lemon
Sweet or savory corn paste steamed in corn husks.
Key ingredients: fresh corn, milk, sugar, cheeseGrilled skewers of beef, chicken or cheese sold at street stalls.
Key ingredients: beef, chicken, coalho cheese, farofaFried fritters of salted cod and potato.
Key ingredients: salt cod, potato, parsley, egg, onionSoups
A smooth potato soup with thin ribbons of kale and slices of sausage.
Key ingredients: potatoes, kale, sausage, onion, olive oilFull guide →A rich beef-hoof broth with beans, popular in the northeast.
Key ingredients: beef hoof, beans, vegetables, cilantroA creamy cassava soup with chicken and herbs.
Key ingredients: cassava, chicken, onion, parsleyA thick, smooth black bean soup with garlic and bacon.
Key ingredients: black beans, bacon, garlic, onionSalads
Potatoes, carrots and peas dressed in mayonnaise, a party staple.
Key ingredients: potatoes, carrots, peas, mayonnaise, onionA chunky tomato, onion and pepper relish served beside grilled meats.
Key ingredients: tomato, onion, bell pepper, vinegar, parsleyTender hearts of palm tossed with tomato and olive oil.
Key ingredients: hearts of palm, tomato, lettuce, olive oil, limeCollard greens sliced thin and sauteed with garlic.
Key ingredients: collard greens, garlic, oilBreads
The crusty white roll eaten daily with butter.
Key ingredients: wheat flour, yeast, salt, water
Dense corn bread, slightly sweet.
Key ingredients: cornmeal, wheat flour, sugar, milkDesserts and sweets
Fudgy chocolate truffles rolled in sprinkles and found at every birthday party.
Key ingredients: condensed milk, cocoa powder, butter, chocolate sprinklesFull guide →Coconut truffles made with condensed milk and rolled in sugar.
Key ingredients: condensed milk, shredded coconut, butter, clovesA dense caramel flan made with condensed milk.
Key ingredients: condensed milk, milk, eggs, sugar
A glossy golden coconut-egg yolk custard.
Key ingredients: egg yolks, sugar, coconut, butter
The classic pairing of guava paste with fresh white cheese.
Key ingredients: guava paste, queijo minasA chilled layered dessert of cookies and cream, often chocolate.
Key ingredients: cream, condensed milk, cookies, chocolate
A thin sponge cake rolled up with guava paste in a spiral.
Key ingredients: flour, eggs, butter, sugar, guava pasteDrinks
A fruity soda made from the guarana berry, popular nationwide.
Key ingredients: guarana extract, carbonated water, sugarSmall, sweet, strong coffee served after meals.
Key ingredients: coffee, sugar
Fresh pressed sugarcane juice with a squeeze of lime.
Key ingredients: sugarcane, lime, ice
Coconut water drunk straight from green coconuts on the beach.
Key ingredients: green coconutTart passion fruit juice.
Key ingredients: passion fruit, water, sugarFruit shakes blended with milk, such as banana and papaya.
Key ingredients: fruit, milk, sugarIced roasted yerba mate, sold at beaches.
Key ingredients: roasted mate, ice, lemonFruits and produce
Dark purple Amazon palm berry, earthy and rich, usually frozen and blended.
Key ingredients: bowls, smoothies, juice
Sweet and tangy tropical staple of Brazilian juices and desserts.
Key ingredients: juice, grilled, fruit saladFull guide →
Tangy, aromatic fruit used in mousse, juice and sauces.
Key ingredients: mousse, juice, dessertsFull guide →
Amazon relative of cacao with a creamy tangy pulp.
Key ingredients: juice, ice cream, jam
The fruit that bears the cashew nut, juicy and astringent, made into juice.
Key ingredients: juice, jam, ice cream
Sweet, juicy mangoes from the northeast.
Key ingredients: fresh slices, juice, ice creamFull guide →
Fragrant guava turned into paste, jam and juice.
Key ingredients: goiabada, juice, jamFull guide →Dish guides from Brazil
More cuisines of South America
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Chile
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Falkland Islands
- French Guiana
- Guyana
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Suriname
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.
- Feijoada à transmontada: Adrião, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Moqueca: BR, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Picanha3: Unknown, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Churrasco00003: Leonardo Sakaki, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Vatapá: Elingunnur, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Cheesebread: Murilo manzini, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Açaí do Pará: Túllio F, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Tepung casava: 36Lilis, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- (2014-11-22) La Donosti - Agudos - Coxinha de Leitoa Romerito Pontes (15870107515): Romerito Pontes from São Carlos, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Brazilian pastel: BuenosAiresPhotographer, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Acaraje-Baiana: Claudia Baiana, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Sfiha2: Bazel, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Pamonhas: Isalinky, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Caldo verde: Mateus Hidalgo, CC BY-SA 2.5 br (Wikimedia Commons)
- Pao frances: Roosewelt Pinheiro/ABr, CC BY 3.0 br (Wikimedia Commons)
- Broa de milho (Portugal), Brona de millo (Galicia): María Alabau, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Brigadeiro: User Mayra (Maych) on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Quindim: Leonardo "Leguas" Carvalho, CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Romeo e julieta: إيان, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Bolo de Rolo, doce brasileiro, típico de Pernambuco: Guilherme Jófili, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Guaraná Antarctica: Sprucecopse, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Sugarcanejuice: Food Trails, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Young Coconut Drink: Shameelnurani313, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Euterpe oleracea salu: Vihelik, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- കൈതച്ചക്ക: Suniltg at Malayalam Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Passiflora edulis forma flavicarpa: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Cupuassu: CiXeL at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Cashew apples: Abhishek Jacob, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Guava pink fruit: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
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