Brazil's national dish, a rich black bean stew loaded with various cuts of pork, simmered for hours and served with rice, orange and farofa.
Feijoada is widely considered Brazil's national dish, a hearty black bean stew built from an array of pork cuts — sausage, ribs, bacon and sometimes ears or trotters — traditionally simmered together for hours over a lazy Saturday. The dish developed as a way to use every part of the pig, and the long, slow cooking process allows the various cuts to break down and infuse the beans with layers of smoky, savory flavor that no single cut could achieve alone. Served with white rice, sliced orange (whose acidity is said to help digest the rich meal), farofa for crunch, and sauteed collard greens, feijoada is less a single dish than an entire ceremonial spread, traditionally enjoyed as a leisurely weekend lunch shared among family and friends.
Serves 8
Combine soaked black beans, pork ribs, bacon, carne seca, onion, garlic and bay leaves with water in a large heavy pot.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, partially covered, for 2.5-3 hours, skimming any foam, until the beans and meats are completely tender.
Keep the simmer gentle throughout the long cooking time, adding more hot water if the level drops too low before everything is fully tender.
Add the sliced linguica in the last 30 minutes of cooking so it doesn't overcook.
Season with salt in the final stretch, tasting since the cured meats already contribute significant saltiness.
Remove a cup of beans, mash them, and stir back into the pot to naturally thicken the broth if desired.
Serve the feijoada in a large pot at the table, alongside white rice, orange slices, farofa and sauteed collard greens.
Taste and adjust salt carefully near the end, since cured and smoked pork cuts already bring significant saltiness to the pot.
Keep the simmer gentle and consistent over the long cooking time — feijoada rewards patience and a low, steady heat rather than a rushed boil.
Serve with orange slices on the side, a traditional pairing believed to help cut the richness and aid digestion after such a hearty meal.
A lighter, quicker version uses fewer cuts of pork, focusing on sausage and bacon rather than the full traditional array.
Some regions add pig's ears, feet or tail for an even more traditional, offal-rich version.
A vegetarian feijoada substitutes smoked tofu and mushrooms for the pork, though it departs significantly from tradition.
Refrigerate up to 5 days in an airtight container; feijoada is famously even better the next day, and it freezes well for up to 3 months.
Feijoada is widely regarded as Brazil's national dish, with origin stories varying, though most historians trace its development to Afro-Brazilian cooking traditions during the era of slavery, using every available part of the pig alongside black beans.
Yes, a simplified version using just bacon, ribs and sausage still captures the essential smoky, savory character of the dish.
Salted, dried beef can be found at Latin markets, or you can omit it and rely on the other cured meats for depth.
The cured and smoked meats bring plenty of salt on their own — always taste before adding additional salt, and consider soaking very salty cuts briefly beforehand.
Per serving (500g / 17.6 oz) · 8 servings total
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