Brazilian Feijoada is a traditional black bean stew served with white rice and other sides — The best beans that one can ever have!
‘Finally, feijoada (Brazilian black bean stew)!’ as one of my cooking class students will no doubt say. No one was more eager to see it here than he…
Excited?
WHAT’S FEIJOADA MADE OF?
Brazilian feijoada is a slow-cooked stew made of black beans and pork meats (and sometimes beef products), all nestled in a rich, dark broth. Its taste is flavorful and savory!
WHAT’S BRAZILIAN FEIJOADA SERVE WITH?
The complete feijoada (known as ‘feijoada completa‘) is often served with white rice, sauteed collard greens (couve a Mineira), farofa (toasted manioc flour), and orange slices.
Some add fried cassava or yucca and/or fried bananas.
Brazilians serve it at lunchtime (followed by a nap!). We share this dish with loved ones on the weekends, just as Americans do with barbecue.
WHY IS FEIJOADA THE NATIONAL DISH OF BRAZIL?
Feijoada has been Brazil‘s national dish for historical reasons. It is the result of a fusion of Portuguese traditions with African slaves’ superb cooking skills, while changed by their restricted availability of food sources.
At that time, they took advantage of all parts of the hog, including the ears, trotters, tails, etc.
However, this dish, like many others, has evolved with time, and most modern recipes for it avoid the use of these humbler parts of the pig due to some people’s dislike them.
HOW TO MAKE FEIJOADA (BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN STEW)
Sort the beans, discarding any broken ones. Soak beans in three times their volume of cold water overnight before cooking. Reserve.
Meanwhile, in a large heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat, bring the beans with 6 cups of water to a boil.
Cover the pan and reduce heat. Let simmer over medium-low heat for 60 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve, covered.
Cook the diced bacon in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat until lightly browned. Reserve.
In the same skillet, brown the sliced sausage in the bacon fat. Reserve.
Then, add the onions and sauté until translucent. Next, add the garlic and sauté both together a bit more (for about 30 to 60 seconds).
Mix the browned bacon and sausage, and also the cooked onion and garlic into the cooked beans. Add the ribs, chopped ham, the beef jerky, bay leaves, all the seasonings and spices, the vinegar, and tomato paste, to the beans.
Add 1 cup of water more, if needed. Stir well, cover, and let simmer over medium-low heat for 60 to 70 minutes more. Stir and remove the bay leaves.
Adjust the seasonings if needed. If you would like for the feijoada to be have a thicker consistency, blend 1 to 2 cups of the beans with its sauce in the blender until smooth and add to the beans.
Right before serving, sprinkle the chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve Brazilian feijoada warm with white rice*, farofa, couve , sliced oranges or pineapple, breaded deep-fried bananas , and caipirinha, cachaça or beer (optional).
Other common side dishes for feijoada are boiled cassava or yuca fries and pork rinds (torresmo).
COOK’S NOTES FOR BRAZILIAN FEIJOADA RECIPE
- Feijoada is even better on the second day.
- The white rice that we serve this black bean and pork stew with is a parboiled long-grain rice.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 6 months.
- You may sub chicken for beef.
- It’s gluten-free!
I am pleased to say that both of my daughters had theirs at dinner time. According to them, no side dishes were needed to pair with it — not even rice.
Ah, my eager little diners…. It made me so happy their appreciation for mommy’s love poured into food.
Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew)
Ingredients
- 1 package dry black beans (16 ounce or 454 gr.) soaked overnight and drained 6 - 7 cups wate
- 6-7 cups water
- 6 thick slices smoked bacon medium diced (I used turkey "bacon" in mine to make the dish lighter and less fatty)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil if necessary
- 10 ounces smoked sausage sliced (e.g. Andouille, smoked Kielbasa) in case paio (a traditional Portuguese and Brazilian smoked sausage made from pork loin, bell pepper, garlic, and salt) is not available., about 282 gr.
- 1/2 medium yellow onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1-1/2 pound pork baby back ribs cut, (about 700 gr)
- 2 slices smoked ham, chopped
- 4 ounces beef jerky about 100 gr., similar to carne seca
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons salt plus 1 teaspoon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander*
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar improves taste and reduces gassy elements
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley optional
- Note: * These ingredients are not part of the traditional feijoada. It was added by me to make the dish tastier.
Instructions
- Sort the beans, discarding any shriveled or broken ones. Soak beans in three times their volume of cold water overnight before cooking. Reserve.
- Meanwhile, in a separate, large heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat, bring the beans with 6 cups of water to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce heat. Let simmer over medium-low heat for 60 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve, covered.
Cook the diced bacon in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat until lightly browned. Reserve. In the same skillet, brown the sliced sausage in the bacon fat (if you use turkey bacon, you'll need to add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet in order to brown the sausage). Reserve.
Then, add the onions and sauté until translucent. Next, add the garlic and sauté both together a bit more (for about 30 to 60 seconds).
Mix the browned bacon and sausage, and also the sautéed onion and garlic into the cooked beans. Add the ribs, chopped ham, the beef jerky, bay leaves, all the seasonings and spices, the vinegar, and tomato paste, to the beans.
Add 1 cup of water more, if necessary. Stir well, cover, and let simmer over medium-low heat for 60 to 70 minutes more. Stir and remove the bay leaves. Adjust the seasonings if necessary. If you would like for the feijoada to be have a thicker consistency, blend 1 to 2 cups of the beans with its sauce in the blender until smooth and add to the beans.
Right before serving, sprinkle the chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve feijoada warm with white rice*, farofa, couve , sliced oranges or pineapple, breaded deep-fried bananas , and caipirinha, cachaça or beer (optional). Other common side dishes for feijoada are boiled or deep-fried cassava and pork rinds (torresmo).
Recipe Notes
- Feijoada is even better on the second day.
- White rice that we serve this black bean and pork stew is a parboiled long-grain rice.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 6 months.
- You may sub chicken for beef.
tasteofbeirut
This is one dish I fondly remember as my then (now passed) friend Ana made it for us one happy Sunday. What a wonderful meal that was!!! Still mouthwatering when I think of it!
Denise Browning
Joumana: Thanks so much for your comment. I do appreciate it. I am glad that you have lovely memories of this dish, which was shared by your friend Ana. I am so sorry for her passing. I hope you can make and enjoy feijoada again in the future. Congrats on your Saveur nomination!
Claudio
Denise adorei a receita, não vejo a hora de poder usar. Obrigado pelas dicas.
Denise Browning
De nada, Claudio! Espero que você possa fazer e gostar. A felicidade aqui em casa ontem – e também hoje – foi geral!!! 🙂 Um excelente fim de semana para você e sua família.
Moi
just like cassoulet, just black beans instead of white!
Denise Browning
Feijoada is similar to cassoulet indeed.
Monicalee
My mom always served feijoada with fresh sliced peaches and flour of manjoca not sure how it’s spelt. Her and my father are both from Brazil.
Denise Browning
Monicalee: Thanks for stopping by! The flour of mandioca is called farofa. Fresh peaches served with feijoada is a very unusual and personal accompaniment. Traditionally, sliced oranges are served with feijoada. I was born and raised in Brazil and have never ever seen feijoada served with peaches. Wishing you a great weekend!
Chris
I don’t understand what to do with the ham hocks? So you boil them separately and then put them in with the beans? Not just put the hocks in with the beans from the get-go?
Denise Browning
Hi, Chris!
The ham hocks are cooked in separate because they take longer to cook than the beans — and we don’t want wind up with overcooked beans. In addition, ham hocks smell horrible while cooking. 🙂 It is much better to cook them in separate and then add them to the beans according to the instructions.
Gabriel
I’m with Chris on this one. The hocks are already smoked so the cooking time should be a similar amount of time as the beans. By cooking the hocks in a separate pot, you waste all those flavors and marrow that seeps out of them. Same with the brown bits from the bacon and the sausage.
Your recipe is fine as is. But i think your recipe is having folks send some great flavor down the drain.
Denise Browning
The bacon, sausage and their fat is all added to the beans once browned. They are also added to the partially cooked beans and cooked for one hour at least with the beans.
You can place ham hock or, like I did, simply diced ham. The ham hock takes a long time to cook, way longer than the beans. By the time the ham hock has cooked, the beans are too soft. This recipe is quite flavorful. Please give it a try and come for a feedback. Thank you!
Patricia Cox
Hi Denise,
I was lucky enough to live in Brasil for a year (a long, long time ago). I fell in love with feijoada and farofa. I had to make up what I thought was in it when I got back to the US. Black beans have become a staple in my house. My children loved feijoada too. I LOVE your recipe! I have never been able to find farofa though. Any ideas?
Pat
Denise Browning
Hi, Patricia!
Thank you. I am glad that you enjoy our feijoada recipe. Farofa (or the manioc flour used to make the dish) is available in Brazilian markets or on Amazon.com. Please Google local Brazilian markets in your area or order from Amazon.com under ‘Brazilian cassava flour’. There are 2 types: the white and the seasoned (this latter is a favorite of mine). I don’t recommend American brands because their cassava flour are actually tapioca flour — which contains a much finer grain than the Brazilian cassava flour that makes farofa. I hope this helps. Have a delicious week!!!
Betty loudermilk
For 42 years I have searched for this recipe. I visited Rio in ’74. I did not speak Portuguese and the little restaurant I had lunch in every day would just give me Feijoada. They didn’t speak English). I had it with farofa and cooked kale. I loved it and am anxious to try this recipe. Thanks so much!
Denise Browning
Thank you for sharing the experience that you had in Rio, Betty! I hope you try our recipe and enjoy it.
April
Farofa e feijoada nasceram uma para a outra e fazem a alegria da alma.