Brazil's national black bean and pork stew, served the traditional way with rice, greens and orange.
Feijoada is Brazil's national dish, a slow-simmered black bean stew built on smoked and cured pork cuts, traditionally eaten on Saturdays as a leisurely, multi-hour family meal. This coastal-style version leans on a deeply caramelized onion base, cooked low and slow until it turns jammy and sweet, which underpins the smokiness of the pork and the earthiness of the beans. The full feijoada plate is really an assembly of parts served together: the bean stew itself, white rice, quick-sauteed collard greens (couve), farofa (toasted cassava flour), and orange slices, which cut through the richness of the pork with acidity. Getting the beans right means starting with dried black beans soaked overnight, then simmering them with the pork for hours until the broth turns thick and dark, almost gravy-like.
Serves 6
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy pot over low heat. Add half the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30-35 minutes until deeply caramelized and jammy.
Push the onions aside, raise heat to medium, and brown the smoked pork ribs and linguica on all sides, about 8 minutes total.
Add the drained soaked beans, remaining onion, garlic, bay leaves and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed, for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the beans are very tender and the broth has thickened into a dark, glossy gravy.
Mash a spoonful of beans against the pot's side and stir it back in during the last 30 minutes — this naturally thickens the broth.
Stir in salt in the last 30 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust; the stew should taste deeply savory, slightly smoky, and not need much else.
While the beans finish, quickly saute collard greens in the remaining oil over high heat for 2-3 minutes until just wilted but still bright green.
Serve the bean stew alongside rice, sauteed collards, and orange slices, letting each person build their own plate.
Soak the beans a full 8-12 hours; unsoaked beans can take twice as long to cook and may never fully soften.
Use a mix of smoked and fresh pork cuts for layered flavor rather than relying on one cut alone.
Serve orange slices on the side, not mixed in — the acidity is meant to be eaten between bites to cut the richness.
Vegetarian feijoada: skip the pork, use vegetable stock, and add smoked paprika plus a bay leaf for depth.
Pressure cooker version: cook soaked beans and pork together for 45 minutes at high pressure, then simmer uncovered 20 minutes to thicken.
Add pig's ear or trotter for a more traditional, gelatin-rich broth if you can source them.
Refrigerate the stew for up to 5 days; the flavor actually improves after a day. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop.
Feijoada's origins are debated, but it developed in Brazil from Portuguese bean-and-pork stew traditions, becoming closely associated with Rio de Janeiro's Saturday feijoada custom by the 19th and 20th centuries, when it evolved into the full plate of beans, rice, greens, farofa and orange still served today.
You can, but the stew won't get the same thick, gravy-like broth; dried beans release starch as they cook that canned beans have already lost.
They were likely old dried beans or weren't soaked long enough; older beans can take significantly longer, so always taste-test rather than trusting a set cooking time.
A mix of smoked ribs, bacon and linguica sausage gives the classic layered flavor, but any combination of smoked and fresh pork works.
Per serving (450g / 15.9 oz) · 6 servings total
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