A hearty boiled dinner of various meats, sausages and vegetables simmered together, one of Portugal's most substantial traditional feasts.
Cozido a Portuguesa is a substantial, celebratory dish that brings together an array of meats — beef, pork, chicken and various sausages — simmered together with cabbage, carrots, potatoes and turnips in one large pot. Everything cooks in stages, with tougher meats and sausages going in first and vegetables added later so nothing turns to mush, the combined broth taking on deep, layered flavor from all the different proteins. Traditionally served as a full, multi-course meal, with the broth sometimes ladled separately over rice as a starter before the meats and vegetables are plated, cozido reflects Portugal's tradition of hearty, communal Sunday feasts.
Serves 8
Combine beef, pork, chicken, onion, bay leaves and water in a very large pot; bring to a boil, skimming any foam.
Reduce heat and simmer 90 minutes until the beef and pork are becoming tender.
Add chourico and morcela, simmering 20 more minutes.
Add carrots and turnips, simmering 15 minutes.
Add the vegetables in stages according to their cooking time — sturdier root vegetables need longer than the quicker-cooking cabbage.
Add potatoes and cabbage, simmering 20-25 more minutes until all the vegetables are tender.
Season the broth with salt to taste.
Serve the meats and vegetables together on a large platter, with the broth served separately, often over rice as a first course.
Add the various meats, sausages and vegetables in stages according to their cooking time, so nothing overcooks while waiting for the tougher cuts to become tender.
Skim any foam that rises to the surface when the meats first come to a boil, for a cleaner, clearer broth.
Save some of the flavorful broth to serve separately, often ladled over rice as a first course, a traditional way to stretch this hearty meal.
Regional variations across Portugal include different combinations of meats and sausages depending on local tradition.
A simpler version uses fewer meats, focusing on just chicken, chourico and vegetables.
Some households add a bit of rice cooked directly in some of the reserved broth as a side dish.
Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container, storing meats, vegetables and broth separately if possible; it also freezes well for up to 3 months.
Cozido a Portuguesa has roots in traditional Portuguese peasant cooking, using a variety of meats and vegetables simmered together to make the most of every available ingredient, and it remains a beloved, substantial dish for Sunday family gatherings.
Traditional cozido uses a variety, but you can simplify by using fewer types of meat and sausage while still achieving a similarly hearty, flavorful stew.
A good black pudding can substitute for morcela, and Spanish chorizo or another smoked sausage can substitute for chourico.
It needs more time — continue simmering, checking every 20-30 minutes, until it's genuinely fork-tender before adding the vegetables.
Per serving (500g / 17.6 oz) · 8 servings total
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