A hearty black bean stew recipe made with meat, black beans, garlic and tomatoes, feijoada is the national dish of Brazil. Served over rice, it’s a filling meal that will warm you up on a cold winter’s day. It goes well with kale too!
In this recipe
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ingredients
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to use meat
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What is Feijoada?
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Traditional accompaniments
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Save and warm up
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This is another of those big, hearty meat and bean stews that seem to be the national dish of one country or another. In this case, the country is Brazil and the stew is Feijoada (fay-ZHWA-dah).
Feijoada has as many versions as there are chefs, but in Brazil it’s almost always made with black beans and always a mix of salted, smoked, and fresh meat.
Some variants of the sausages are a bit spicy, others totally mild. Some people’s feijoada is a thick “eat-with-a-fork” version, others, like this one, are more like a traditional stew.
Anyway, it’s traditional to serve this stew with white rice and maybe some sautéed kale.
Meat for use in feijoada
A common ingredient is carne seca, a salted, dried beef often found in Latin American markets. Corned beef is a decent substitute for carne seca, and we use it here in this recipe.
The other meats should be a mix of pork and beef, with the pork being a little heavier. Authentic feijoada includes all sorts of parts, such as tails, trotters, ears, etc. However, this version sticks to the type of meat found in a typical American supermarket.
What is Brazilian Feijoada?
Feijoada is originally from Portugal and is named after the Portuguese word for beans, feijão. It is a bean-based dish made from a variety of meats and vegetables. As with many stews, the ingredients are flexible. It may have come to Brazil when Portugal colonized the country in the 16th century (similar dishes exist in other countries colonized by Portugal) or when European settlers arrived in Brazil.
Although its origins are uncertain, it is certain that today it is the national dish of Brazil. Just like chili in the US, different regions have their specific ways of preparing it. Brazilians often serve beans and meat separately. Our recipe is a simplified feijoada, where beans and meat are cooked and served together.
Traditional feijoada accompaniments
White rice and simply cooked collards or kale are musts to accompany feijoada. Farofa, a traditional Brazilian side dish made from toasted cassava flour, is also commonly served with the dish, as are spicy sauces known as molho, made from hot peppers, onions and vinegar or citrus juice. Orange slices are also a traditional accompaniment.
How to store and reheat feijoada
Refrigerator: Store refrigerated leftovers – or make the whole dish a day ahead and let the flavors meld in the fridge overnight – tightly sealed for up to 3 days. Heat on stovetop over medium-high heat until stew is bubbling and meat reaches 165°F.
Freeze: Store in a freeze-proof ziplock or container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Heat on stovetop over medium-high heat until stew is bubbling and meat reaches 165°F.
More Brazilian recipes to fall in love with
- Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread
- Moqueca (Brazilian fish stew)
- Bacalhau (Portuguese cod stew)
- Caipirinha
- Brazilian Salmon Stew (Moqueca)
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Feijoada (Brazilian black bean stew)
Black beans are a must in this recipe if you want it to be authentically Brazilian. However, a Portuguese version uses white beans.
Our feijoada has tomatoes, but you don’t find them in most Brazilian recipes.
ingredients
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1 lb (450g) dry black beans
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4 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
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1 lb (450g) pork shoulder
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2 big onions, cut
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1 head garlicpeeled and chopped
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1 lb (450g) carne seca or Corned beefto cut in pieces
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1/2 lb (225g) fresh sausages, such as chorizo or Italian sausage
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1 lb (450g) smoked sausage, such as Linguica or Kielbasa
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1 smoked Ham Hock or shank
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3 to 4 bay leaves
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waterright
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1 14.5 ounce Can (411g) crushed tomatoes
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Kosher salt
method
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Soaking beans in hot water:
Pour boiling water over the black beans and let them sit while you prepare the rest of the stew.
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Roast the pork shoulder:
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and sear the pork shoulder. When the meat is browned, remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
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Sauté onions and add garlic:
Put the onions in the pot. Brown them, stirring occasionally and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
Sprinkle a little salt over the onions and add the garlic. Stir well and fry for another 2 minutes.
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Add the meat, bay leaves and water:
Add the pork shoulder and the other meat. Add enough water to cover all the ingredients. Add the bay leaves, cover and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 1 hour.
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Add the soaked black beans:
Drain the black beans from the soaking water and add to the stew. Cover and simmer gently until the beans are tender, about an hour and a half.
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Add tomatoes:
Add the tomatoes, stir well and taste for salt, add if needed. Let this simmer uncovered until the meat starts to fall off the ham shank, which will likely take 2 to 3 hours.
Serve with white rice and hot sauce. A classic side dish would be sautéed collards.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 522 | calories |
| 31g | Fat |
| 31g | carbohydrates |
| 30g | protein |
