Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (2024)

Brazilian Feijoada is a black bean and pork stew that Brazilians often serve topped with farofa, toasted cassava flour. Many call this comfort food the national dish of Brazil.

Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (1)

Feijoada, a popular Brazilian dish, owes its name to its main ingredient, black beans (feijão). It is a rich stew traditionally made from different parts of the pig, such as feet, ears, and bacon, as well as other smoked meats. (But don’t worry, I have some substitutions for you if you’re not up to cooking with pig ears and feet!)

Brazilian Cuisine

Brazilian cuisine is very regionalized, each region has its own typical dishes. This is the result of a mixture of different European, Indigenous, and African ingredients and influences.

In the northeast region of Brazil, there is a great influence from African cuisine.

However, in the northern region, there is a greater influence from the Natives, where the use of cassava and fish come into play in many of their dishes.

Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (2)

In the southeast region of Brazil, there are diverse dishes linked to the Bandeirantes (bandits) that include ingredients like corn, beans, and pork.

In the southern region, Italian cuisine has a great influence on dishes such as polenta and pizza. And we also see the influence of German cuisine.

History of Feijoada

Some historians say that African slaves created feijoada (pronounced fay-jwa-da). After feasts given by the owners of the plantations, the slaves would pick up the leftovers and mix them with black beans, making a new stew.

This new dish they served with farofa (fried cassava flour with bacon) and orange slices.

Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (3)

Other historians say that a similar dish was consumed in the north of Portugal, where its main ingredients were white or red beans and pork.

Whichever the story is, feijoada is a symbol of the fusion within Brazilian gastronomic culture. It is a Brazilian icon.

When to Eat Feijoada

Brazilians usually eat feijoada on Wednesdays and Saturdays when restaurants traditionally offer it on their menus and families prepare it in social gatherings.

All social classes eat feijoada since it is such a low-cost dish.

In some parts of Brazil, they only serve feijoada during the winter months. However, in Rio de Janeiro this dish is served all year round.

How to Serve Brazilian Feijoada

If you are up for a challenge, serve a feijoada completa(complete feijoada) meal.

Feijoada completastarts with fried cassava as an appetizer.

Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (4)

Then, the main dish, is feijoada, white rice, fried plantains, farofa (fried cassava flour with bacon), and sliced oranges.

Drinks can be fresh juice, caipirinhas, or beer.

To finish up, serve some fruit compote or this simple and delicious Romeu e Julieta.

What Goes into Feijoada?

Traditional feijoada is made with pig’s ear, feet, and snout along with Brazilian sausage.

For our recipe, we are using bacon, pork ribs, and 2 kinds of sausages, Mexican chorizo, and linguica.

A note on the sausage: Mexican chorizo is the most widely-used substitute for Brazilian sausage (which is quite hard to find outside of Brazil). But when I’ve tested it, it still doesn’t quite give the same flavor to this stew that you would find in a truly authentic Brazilian feijoada.

The chorizo is very oily as well. I do recommend you cook it first in a separate pan, drain the oil, and then add the cooked sausage with the rest of the ingredients.

Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (5)

Our Feijoada Recipe

This is such a great dish for big groups. It is easy to make and very cheap.

It is very important that the beans are soaked overnight. You can very well use canned beans too.

You can also make feijoada in a slow cooker. After sauteing the vegetables and browning the meat, add it to the slow cooker and cook on low for 10 hours.

While making farofa to serve with feijoada is an extra step, it is so worth it. I definitely recommend you serve this feijoada with farofa.

Any leftovers, I like to freeze in individual portions for easy reheating. The stew keeps well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Yield: 10 servings

Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (7)

Brazilian Feijoada is a black bean and pork stew that is often served with farofa, toasted cassava flour.

**Since we're using dried beans, you will need to soak them overnight before cooking the stew. **

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time2 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dry black beans (soaked overnight)*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 ounces slab bacon (rind removed), diced
  • 1 pound pork ribs, cut into individual ribs
  • 2 Mexican chorizo sausages (roughly 11 oz each), sliced**
  • 1 smoked sausage (roughly 7 oz), such as linguica or kielbasa, sliced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 bay leaves
  • water
  • white rice (for serving)
  • farofa (for serving)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl with water, soak beans overnight.
  2. When you are ready to make your stew, in a large heavy-bottom soup pot, over medium heat, add the oil and bacon. Cook until crisp and transfer to a plate.
  3. Use the same saucepan to brown ribs and sausages in batches. (You will want to be sure to cook the sliced Mexican chorizo on its own, as it can be very greasy. Drain the grease before continuing.) Set each aside as cooked.
  4. If needed, add more oil to the pan. On medium-high, sauté onion, and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes.
  5. Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Add them to the pot along with the ribs, bacon, sausages, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Cover with water (about 8 cups).
  6. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it cook for 2 to 2 and a half hours, or until the beans are soft.
  7. If the stew is too liquidy, uncover the saucepan and continue to cook for another 20 minutes to allow some of the liquid to evaporate.
  8. Serve with white rice and sprinkle some farofa on top.

Notes

* 1 pound dry beans = 2 cups dry beans = 6 cups cooked beans (Feel free to substitute 6 cups of drained, canned beans if desired. However, if substituting canned beans, you will need to reduce the amount of water to 3-4 cups since the beans will not absorb much water as they cook.)

** If you can only find 9 oz chorizo sausages, 2 of that size will work just fine.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 620

If you liked this recipe, here are some similar dishes you may enjoy!

  • Brazilian Lentil Soup with Kale
  • Brazilian Black Beans
  • Hoppin’ John (South Carolina Black Eyed Peas and Bacon)
  • Quick Mexican Pozole Blanco
  • Andouille Sausage Cajun Gumbo
  • Fakes Soupa (Greek Lentil Soup)
  • Easy French Cassoulet and Tannat Wine from Uruguay
  • Dal Makhani (Creamy Kidney Bean and Lentil Stew)

Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (16)

Lizet

Lizet is Bolivian and lives in Paraguay. Through friends and travel she has developed her love of food. From Africa to Asia, Europe to the Americas, there is always something new to try when you come to dinner. You can find more of Lizet’s tasty creations on her website ChipaByTheDozen.com. You can also find her on Instagram and Facebook.

Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (2024)

FAQs

What is feijoada called in English? ›

The word feijoada comes from the word feijão, which is Portuguese for beans. Feijoada is a black bean stew that is brewed with a variety of salted and smoked pork and beef products from carne-seca to smoked pork spareribs.

What is the difference between Brazilian and Portuguese feijoada? ›

The word 'feijão' means beans in Portuguese. While the Portuguese used the cream-coloured feijão-fradinho (black-eyed bean), in Brazil it's the black beans that get a thumbs-up.

What is Brazil's national dish? ›

Feijoada, Brazil's national dish, is a stew loaded with black beans and meats of every description: smoked pork loin, bacon and sausage such as chorizo.

What is the difference between feijoada and feijão? ›

Feijoada (Portuguese pronunciation: [fejʒuˈadɐ]) is a stew of beans with beef and pork. The name feijoada is derived from feijão, 'bean' in Portuguese. Varieties are prepared in the Portuguese-speaking world. The basic ingredients of feijoada are beans and fresh pork or beef.

What is BBQ called in Brazil? ›

Churrasco by country. In Brazil, churrasco is the term for a barbecue (similar to the Argentine and Uruguayan asado) which originated in southern Brazil. It uses a variety of meats, pork, sausage and chicken which may be cooked on a purpose-built churrasqueira, a barbecue grill, often with supports for spits or skewers ...

What did the slaves eat in feijoada? ›

The most widespread popular legend about the origin of feijoada is that the masters gave their slaves the "leftovers" of the pigs when they were being slaughtered. Cooking these ingredients with beans and water gave rise to the recipe.

What is the most delicious Brazilian dish? ›

1. Feijoada. The most famous of all Brazilian dishes, Feijoada is eaten in every corner of the country. This rich, hearty stew consists of black beans cooked with different cuts of pork, supplemented with tomatoes, cabbage, and carrots to round out the flavor.

Is feijoada good for you? ›

The national dish of Brazil is Feijoada. Eaten daily in some households, this highly nutritious, comforting stew is made up of beans, kale and cassava. This is traditionally a meat dish, but can made vegetarian as well.

What is Brazil's national breakfast? ›

The one breakfast item that Brazilians may be most proud of is a classic cheese bread called pão de queijo. This delicious breakfast food is unlike any cheese bread you've had before.

What do you drink with feijoada? ›

A full-bodied red wine is the ideal pairing for feijoada, with some acidity and tannins to cut through the fat. You could try a nice Syrah from Serra da Mantiquera in Brazil, or a Merlot or red blend from Serra Gaucha in Brazil which would both work well.

What is the most common food eaten in Brazil? ›

One of the most popular and commonly consumed dishes in Brazil is Feijoada. It is a hearty and flavorful stew made with black beans, a variety of meats such as pork, beef, and sausage, and served with rice, collard greens, and farofa.

Why do Brazilians eat feijoada? ›

In line with the pervasive story of feijoada's origins in enslaved people's quarters, the dish remains associated with celebrations of African culture in Brazil, similar to representations of soul food in the United States.

Why is feijoada famous in Brazil? ›

Feijoada's origins

It is widely believed that the beginnings of feijoada stem from slavery in Brazil, where slaves put together the scraps of leftover beans and meat from their owners to create a kind of stew.

How much does feijoada cost in Brazil? ›

About R$ 90,00 ( USD 60,00 ) per person only for the feijoada.

What do they eat in Brazil for peasant? ›

Feijoada, the national dish of Brazil, is a peasant, comfort stew of black beans and meat.

What is the national dish of China? ›

Peking Duck (The National Dish of China) 北京烤鸭 | Recipe | National dish, Peking duck, Recipes.

What nationality is feijoada? ›

While several types of meat are used in this stew, the name actually comes from the Portuguese word for “beans.” Feijoada originated during the time Brazil was being colonized by Portugal. This dish originated in Portugal, and variations of it can be found in countries that were settled by Portuguese explorers.

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