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As the fifth-largest country globally, Brazil boasts many attractions and activities waiting to be explored.
Experience the vibrant energy and colourful spectacle of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival, the world’s largest carnival celebration.
Take in the breathtaking panoramic views from Christ the Redeemer or immerse yourself in the passion for football, a sport beloved by Brazilians.
Amidst discovering the country’s stunning beaches and top highlights, don’t miss the opportunity to indulge in Brazilian cuisine.
From the hearty feijoada bean stew to the mouthwatering seafood moqueca simmered in fragrant coconut milk, the flavours of Brazil are bound to be yet another highlight of your journey!
In Brazilian cuisine, several staple foods form the foundation of many dishes and classic foods from Brazil.
Here are five of them:
Let’s start our list of popular foods from Brazil with a local favourite! Moqueca de Peixe is a delicious and comforting fish stew.
Fresh fish fillets are cooked in a fragrant and creamy broth made with coconut milk, tomatoes, onions, garlic, coriander, spices, and dendê oil (palm oil), an essential ingredient that adds flavour and colour to the dish.
This delighful stew is served with rice and farofa on the side.
Feijoada is one of the most traditional foods from Brazil and is often considered the country’s national dish.
It is a hearty and delicious stew made mainly with black beans and cuts of pork and beef, such as pork ribs, bacon, sausage, and sometimes beef or pork loin.
Other typical ingredients include onions, garlic, bay leaves, and spices.
Feijoada is a slow-cooked dish that allows the flavours to marry together, imparting a smoky flavour. It is typically served with steamed rice, collard greens, orange slices, and farofa.
Barreado is a traditional beef stew from Paraná, in the southern region of Brazil.
This flavourful stew is prepared using various beef cuts and bacon paired with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and spices.
The unique cooking method involves slowly simmering barreado in a clay pot sealed with dough to lock in and elevate the flavours. I love this kind of food in Brazil; they really know how to pack flavour into meat dishes.
It tastes best when eaten alongside rice, farinha, and orange slices.
Bobó de Camarão is a precious Brazilian dish originating from Bahia, in the northeast region of Brazil.
It features shrimp cooked in a creamy sauce from cassava, coconut milk, onions, tomatoes, garlic, capsicum, ground spices, coriander and cumin.
This food in Brazil is best served hot with rice or farofa.
Deep-fried, crispy pieces of chicken seasoned with garlic, lime, and spices—chicken doesn’t get much better than this!
And yes, it tastes as good as it sounds!
The best thing about this delicious food from Brazil is its creamy texture and decadent flavour.
Ingredients such as coconut milk, palm oil, ground peanuts or cashews, shrimp, and spices are blended into a thick paste and cooked until creamy. Bread is typically used as a thickening agent, or manioc flour is sometimes used.
Often served as a sauce or side dish, it is delicious with acarajé (deep-fried black-eyed pea fritters) or rice dishes.
Coxinha is my favourite type of Brazilian snack food, and I’m sure many Brazilians feel the same way.
Shredded chicken wrapped in dough, shaped into a teardrop, breaded, and deep-fried until golden and crispy.
Wheat flour and chicken broth are combined to prepare the dough, often with oil or butter, which provides a soft, chewy texture.
If you take sweetened condensed milk, cook it with butter, roll the mixture into balls, and then roll them again in shredded coconut, the result is beijinho.
These creamy coconut fudge balls are a cherished snack in Brazilian cuisine.
They’re usually served with a small clove in the top (for presentation only), so remove it before digging in!
Escondidinho is a treasured comfort food in Brazilian cuisine.
It’s essentially a bake, and one serving is never enough!
Imagine layers of creamy mashed cassava (yuca or manioc), seasoned meat ( shredded chicken or beef), and cheese baked until golden.
A delicious dish in Brazilian cuisine for sure.
The most popular street food in Bahia is called acarajé, deep-fried black-eyed pea fritters.
The fritters are commonly broken open and filled with vatapá (shrimp stew) and caruru (a piquant okra and shrimp stew).
Acarajé is found in West African cuisine, although it’s known as akara by the Yoruba people of Nigeria, Togo and Benin.
It’s a popular street snack in the Caribbean, too.
Read more: 20 most popular foods from Nigeria
Churrasco is a traditional Brazilian barbecue. It involves grilling cuts of meat, typically pork, beef, sausage, or chicken, on metal skewers or a spit over a charcoal grill.
The meat is typically seasoned heavily with salt or marinade to enhance its flavour.
If you dine out in Brazil at a churrascaria, servers move between tables, showcasing succulent meats on large skewers. Once you select your preferred cuts, the meat is sliced onto your plate from the skewers. It’s quite the show, and be sure to come hungry!
The most memorable thing about churrasco is the delicious smoky flavour they impart into the meat.
Prepared with just a handful of quality ingredients, including condensed milk, cocoa, and butter and coated with chocolate, brigadeiros are a favoured treat.
You can taste many satisfying flavours, including pistachio, lime, passion fruit, and white chocolate; it’s the perfect accompaniment to tea or coffee.
Farofa is a staple food in Brazilian cuisine, and it’s found at every churrasco (barbecue).
Farofa is made from toasted manioc flour (cassava flour), and mixed with onions, garlic, nuts, olives, bacon, raisins, and herbs.
Besides rice and beans, Farofa is one of Brazil’s most popular sides.
I love the smoky, buttery flavour of farofa. Its crunchy texture complements grilled meats and dishes like feijoada and moqueca.
Not surprisingly, it serves as a tasty stuffing for Brazilian poultry dishes.
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Pão de Queijo is one of the most typical breakfast foods from Brazil.
These bite-sized cheesy buns have soft, chewy melted cheese inside and a crispy, golden exterior. Be warned, they are incredibly addictive!
Made primarily with tapioca flour, eggs, milk, cheese, and salt, they will quickly become a breakfast fave for you too!
Originally a North African dish, it was introduced to Brazil from Portugal.
Cuscuz is a tasty casserole made with couscous and various ingredients, such as shredded chicken, shrimp, sardines, tuna, and vegetables like peas, carrots, and olives.
The combination is typically seasoned with onions, garlic, and spices, then cooked until set and served in slices.
Tutu de Feijão is a classic Brazilian dish made from mashed black beans. Once the beans are cooked until soft, they’re mashed and then simmered with pan-fried onions, garlic, and seasonings.
It’s not unusual for ingredients such as bacon, sausage, or dried beef to be added to enhance the flavour.
The result is a thick, creamy and tasty food from Brazil.
Picanha is a specific cut of beef from the top sirloin, recongised by its thick layer of fat on the top.
In Brazil, picanha is heavily seasoned with rock salt and grilled over an open flame or charcoal grill.
The fat renders during cooking, resulting in a juicy steak with a crispy exterior.
Picanha is sliced thinly and enjoyed with sides such as rice, beans, farofa, and salads, making it a staple of Brazilian churrasco (barbecue) culture.
Pastel is a deep-fried street food snack made from thin dough filled with various sweet or savoury fillings.
It’s folded into a half-moon shape and then fried until crispy and golden.
Popular savoury fillings include cheese, ground meat, chicken, vegetables, and shrimp, while those with a sweet tooth may enjoy sweet fillings such as bananas, guava paste, or chocolate.
Baião de Dois is a dish that combines rice and beans cooked with ingredients like bacon, sausage, dried beef, onions, garlic, and any leftover ingredients that must be used up in the home.
It’s popular in Brazilian cuisine, and cheese is often added to give it a comforting, creamy texture.
Many variations of this recipe call for fresh chives upon serving to provide crunch and freshness!
Read more: 15 best places to visit in South America
A popular dessert food from Brazil made from white hominy corn kernels cooked with milk, sugar, and usually flavoured with cinnamon and cloves.
It sounds like a weird combination of ingredients, but trust me, it works!
Canjica has a creamy consistency, similar to porridge. It’s served warm and you will find it often served topped with grated coconut or ground cinnamon.
Canjica is traditionally enjoyed during the winter months in Brazil, particularly during the festivities of Festa Junina, a Brazilian celebration that takes place in June.
As you can gather from our summary of Brazil’s most popular dishes, this is an exciting cuisine!
It boasts diverse flavours and textures and simultaneously provides insight into the country’s cultural heritage.
For anyone with a love of food and culture, the food in Brazil will deliver at every level! Happy Eating!
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We believe these are the 15 best places to visit in South America.
Are you travelling on a budget? These five cheapest countries in South America will help you plan an itinerary that lets you see as much as possible.
Furthermore, if you plan to travel long-term (or at least until the money runs out), these 21 cheapest countries to visit will help you make your hard-earned dollars stretch a bit further.
Delicious cuisine can be enjoyed across South America. There’s Colombian cuisine, Venezuelan food, the food in the Dominican Republic, Brazilian cuisine, and even Guyanese cuisine to inspire you on your culinary journey.
For food lovers, don’t miss our top 10 best countries for food.
Would you like some suggestions for packing for your South American adventure? Our ultimate packing list for travellers has you covered for the essentials.
These top 6 travel hacks to save money are great to read when planning your travels. Try these 5 popular foods in South America; they’re delicious!
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