My friends often think that Brazilian dishes are your typical South American dishes, but they’re not. I like to think of Brazilian culinary as the Super Smash Bros of Portuguese, African, Italian, Arabic and Japanese cuisines. I know, I know. A lot of my favourite Brazilian dishes are improved versions of Portuguese/African/Italian/Arabic/Japanese dishes.
For better understanding, I’ll give you a few examples. Let’s take the Italian, Arabic and Japanese dishes into consideration:
But enough about the Super Smash Bros of world cuisines… Let’s talk about dishes that are specifically Brazilian! These are my favourites:
Churrasco is the classic Brazilian barbecue. If you’re a meat eater, I cannot recommend this enough — find your nearest good quality Brazilian Steakhouse and go for the all-you-can-eat. You WILL NOT be disappointed. If there aren’t any in your area, that’s okay! Check out this recipe!
I haven’t eaten feijoada in possibly 2 years, and that kills me. It’s the most typically Brazilian meal ever: rice, black beans, pork, sauteed greens and farofa (toasted cassava flour). Some people like to eat it with an orange slice or even some banana slices. I think it’s delicious either way! Check out this recipe!
Just thinking about moqueca makes my mouth water. It’s a fantastic fish stew typically cooked in Northern Brazil, with tomatoes, onions, garlic and coriander. Yum! Check out this recipe!
If the Portuguese ever did have any influence in Brazil, bacalhau was it. Bacalhau is a salted codfish, and it can be cooked in countless ways. I personally love this recipe, but you can definitely play around with it! So long as you pair it with potatoes, you’re GOLDEN.
Finally, something I’ve eaten recently! Coxinhas are the most popular chicken croquettes ever. Trust me when I tell you it will blow your mind away. Here is a good recipe for authentic coxinhas!
I never know how to describe a pastel. It’s basically a crispy pie fried in vegetable oil, filled with the yummiest fillings — usually cheese, ground beef, tomatoes… all the good stuff. They’re basically considered fast food back home. Here’s a recipe.
Pao de Queijo is a Brazilian cheese bread, which generally melts in your mouth when fresh. Some people like to eat it with requeijao, which is the Brazilian cream cheese equivalent. Here’s a recipe.
Brazilian culture can be defined by birthday parties involving brigadeiro. Here’s a recipe.
Pudim de Leite is the flan equivalent in every Brazilian home. It’s SO smooth, and soft, and it honestly feels like your biting into a cloud. Here’s a recipe.
Alas, my all-time favourite dessert: the passionfruit mousse. This is the ultimate simple dessert that should be in everyone’s bucket list to try at least ONCE. Here is a recipe!
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