9 Brazilian Dishes You Must Try (and Veggie Options)
Brazilian food is just as surprising and thrilling as the country itself: typified by barbecued meat and fish, and staples like cassava, beans and coconut milk.
For those who've visited Portugal, some of the dishes you'll encounter will be familiar - but there's no denying Brazilian food is a flavoursome category all its own: unique culinary delights are to be found at every turn.
And while many dishes are meat-based, there are several mouthwatering options for vegetarians (see below).
Here are nine must-try Brazilian dishes...
Pão de Queijo - Brazilian cheese rolls
These mini cheese puffs are a delicious and inexpensive snack, usually made of tapioca powder, tapioca starch, milk, eggs and a pinch of salt.
You'll often see locals enjoying these for breakfast alongside a strong Brazilian coffee - or eating them with soup.
If you have gluten intolerance issues, these are a great choice, as they are completely gluten free. They're also ideal for those on a meat-free diet.
You can pick up a bag of pão de queijo at a supermarket and eat them later while sightseeing or at the beach.
Feijoada
A traditional Brazilian food, the main ingredients of feijoada is a mix of beans and pork salted beef, served with white rice and vegetables such as cabbage and potatoes.
However, the recipe is extremely flexible; if you order feijoada at 10 different restaurants you'll get 10 different dishes.
Some recipes use thick hunks of meat, others small.
Some versions are spicy, some mild.
Mandioca Frito (cassava chips)
Hankering after some British-style chips while in Brazil? If so, mandioca frito come close.
Comparable taste-wise to regular potatoes, cassava is sliced and deep fried, for an enjoyable - if not particularly healthy - snack.
The Cassava plant is a key staple in the Brazilian diet, and aside from chips it is used in tapioca pudding and those pearls found in bubble tea!
If you get the chance to prepare cassava yourself, be sure it is peeled and completely cooked (otherwise you could poison yourself).
Pastel de nata
A reminder of Brazil's close links with Portugal, these sumptuous egg tarts look and taste very similar to those of the 'motherland'.
However, some Brazilian bakeries remain tight-lipped about their recipes - especially the ones who have people queuing up outside!
Churrasco (Rodizio) - all you can eat
Brazilians love their meat - and by the end of their trip, so do many visitors!
A case in point is the 'churrasco' or 'rodízio' - which is a kind of all-you-can-eat buffet whereby waiters move among diners showing off skewers of succulent meat.
Once a customer has identified a suitably delicious row of meat, it gets slid onto the diner's plate.
Alongside barbecued beef, veal, lamb, pork, turkey and chicken are included in this meat lover's festival.
Bolinhos de Bacalhau (Brazilian fried cod fritters)
These ultimate fish cakes are a traditional Brazilian food made by deboning and blending cod, then forming the mixture into elliptical balls which are fried until golden brown.
You can find bolinhos de bacalhau everywhere from street side vendors to high end restaurants.
They can be eaten alone - perhaps as a snack at the beach - or served as a larger meal with mashed potatoes, parsley, onions and eggs.
Bobó de Camarão (Bobó Shrimps)
Another fabulous dish from the northeastern Bahia region, Bobó de camarão consists of puree (bobó) made from coconut milk, manioc (cassava flour) and dendê palm oil, to which prized local shrimps (camarão) are added.
Sometimes the bobó puree is served on its own as a kind of soup - of which there are many different variations.
Moqueca de Peixe (Brazilian seafood stew)
This mouthwatering fish stew is served in a clay pot with coconut milk, coriander, onions and garlic.
The original dish comes from the northwestern state of Bahia, where locals would place fish or meat in a banana leaf then grill it over a fire.
The term 'moquem' is derived from the native language and roughly means 'a stick for grilling over hot coals'.
Brigadeiros
One of Brazil's most lusted-after desserts, brigadeiros are made of condensed milk, cocoa and butter, and covered in chocolate.
Specialty brigadeiro shops have sprung up across Brazil, offering the treats with unique toppings including lime, passion fruit and pistachio.
Brazilian fruits
Brazil produces a fantastic array of exotic fruits and are sold on virtually every street corner either whole or in juice form.
Among the must-try fruits are the açaí berry - an Amazonian superfood bursting with antioxidants and vitamins (great with muesli for breakfast); the Jabuticaba, a grape-like berry often used in winemaking; Carambola (star fruit); and pitaya.
There's the graviola (green and spiky outside, creamy white inside); caffeine-packed guarana (often used in Brazilian sodas); and super sweet papaya.
There are many other fruits to sample on your trip - perfect for staying hydrated and nourished as you travel around!
Brazilian foods for vegetarians
Since beef and other meats are so central to Brazilian cuisine, you may think vegetarians have a hard time here.
However, while hunting down meat-free food can sometimes be tricky, there are enough nourishing options to keep your tastebuds happy.
Vegetarianism and veganism are gaining popularity in Brazil, especially in Sao Paulo and the southeast. Indeed, 8 percent of the population are now vegetarian, just behind Germany!
Alongside the cheese puffs, cassava chips and fruits mentioned above, there's cabeça de galo - a hearty soup made of manioc, eggs and veggies such as onions, garlic and tomatoes (reputed to be a great hangover cure!) and cuscuz nordestino - a kind of Brazilian couscous made of corn flour, manioc starch and either water or coconut milk.
It's simple, filling, and may be served with a fried egg for a protein boost.
Quibebe, meanwhile, is a thick vegetable stew suitable for vegans as well as vegetarians. Because it contains chilli paste, ginger and coconut milk, it’s reminiscent of an Indian curry. Best enjoyed with a parsley garnish.
Interesting facts about Brazilian food
- Brazilians love chicken hearts - and even import them to meet demand!
- Brazil produces more coffee than any other nation
- Guarana fruit has double the amount of caffeine found in coffee beans
- Mandioca/cassava is a staple food in Brazil - you’ll find it many dishes
- Cow farming is big business - a prize bull can be worth up to $1million!