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Thali

🇧🇷 The food of Brazil

59 dishes from Brazil, best known first, across 34 cities and regions.

Brazilian cooking brings together Indigenous, African, European, and Asian influences, shaped by the country’s size and diverse population. Regional traditions are strong, with local ingredients like manioc, tropical fruits, and seafood at the core. Dishes and flavors shift widely from north to south, reflecting Brazil’s history and geography.

  • Feijoada is widely seen as Brazil’s national dish.
  • Churrasco barbecue is a southern tradition with many meats cooked on skewers.
  • Acarajé, a fried bean ball, is a popular Afro-Brazilian street food.
  • Coffee is Brazil’s national beverage.
  • Cachaça is distilled from sugarcane and used in caipirinha cocktails.

The cooking of Brazil

Brazil’s food is a blend of traditions from Indigenous peoples, Africans, Europeans, and later Asian immigrants. Each region has its own way of cooking, shaped by local crops, climate, and the mix of people who settled there. Manioc, tropical fruits, beans, and rice are common, but how they are used varies a lot. African heritage is especially strong in coastal areas like Bahia, where palm oil and chili are key. European settlers brought wheat, dairy, and wine, and adapted their recipes to local ingredients. Japanese and other Asian communities added their own dishes and helped develop poultry farming. The result is a cuisine that keeps regional differences alive, with each area proud of its specialties.

Staple foods in Brazil

Manioc (also called mandioca or aipim), rice, and beans are everyday basics across Brazil. Local fruits such as açaí, mango, papaya, and pineapple are widely used. Pork, chicken, and beef are common, with seafood important along the coast. Cassava flour is used in many forms, from flatbreads to farofa (toasted flour). Coffee is the main drink, and cachaça, a sugarcane spirit, is the base for caipirinha, the national cocktail.

Snacks and street food in Brazil

Popular snacks include pão de queijo (cheese bread), pastéis (deep-fried pastries with fillings), coxinhas (shredded chicken croquettes), risoles (breaded, fried snacks), and quibe (a meat snack of Middle Eastern origin). In some regions, street vendors sell acarajé (fried bean balls with spicy fillings) and tapioca pancakes with sweet or savory fillings.

Sweets and drinks in Brazil

Sweets often use local fruits or sugarcane, with desserts like bolo de rolo (rolled cake from Pernambuco) and taiada (sugarcane candy). Drinks include strong coffee, grape juice in the south, and cachaça. In the south, chimarrão, a type of herbal tea, is common.

From region to region in Brazil

Regional cooking is distinct. Bahia’s food is rich in African flavors, using palm oil and seafood. In the north, Indigenous traditions shape dishes based on fish, cassava, and forest fruits. The south is known for churrasco (barbecue) and European-influenced sausages, pasta, and desserts. Minas Gerais features pork, beans, and cheese, while Espírito Santo blends Amerindian and Italian roots, especially in seafood stews. The Center-West uses local fruits like pequi and has rice and chicken dishes. Each area’s food reflects its history and landscape.

Festival and religious food in Brazil

Some foods are closely tied to religious or festive occasions. In Pará, pato no tucupi (duck in a fermented manioc sauce) is linked to the Círio de Nazaré, a major Catholic festival. Feijoada, a black bean and meat stew, is often served on Wednesdays and Saturdays, especially as a social meal.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Brazilian cuisine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Cities and regions of Brazil

São Paulo 9Rio de Janeiro 6Minas Gerais 5Paraná 5Bahia 4Pará 4Pernambuco 3Rio Grande do Sul 3Salvador 3Acre 2Amazonas 2Paraíba 2Santa Catarina 2Amapá 1Bauru 1Belém 1Caruaru 1Ceará 1Corumbá 1Curitiba 1Espírito Santo 1Florianópolis 1Goiás 1Limeira 1Manaus 1Mato Grosso 1Mato Grosso do Sul 1Northeast 1Northeast Region 1North Region 1Piracicaba 1Roraima 1Sergipe 1Vitória 1
MealBreakfastLunchTea timeDinnerSupperSnacks
KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
CoffeeVegan 🇾🇪 Yemen and 5 moreA dark, bitter drink made by brewing roasted coffee beans Drink, Breakfast, Snacks PestoVegetarian 🇮🇹 Italy and 2 moreA basil, pine nut and cheese paste from Genoa, used to dress pasta Sauce, pickle or ferment MateVegan 🇵🇾 Paraguay and 3 moreHot infusion of yerba mate leaves, drunk with a metal straw from a gourd Drink Mojito 🇨🇺 Cuba and 5 moreCuban cocktail of white rum, lime, mint, sugar and soda water over ice Drink Blood sausageMeat 🇫🇷 France and 5 moreA sausage made with animal blood, fillers and spices, cooked or dried until firm Main dish, Lunch, Dinner PolentaVegan 🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreBoiled cornmeal porridge from northern Italy, served soft or set and sliced Main dish LimeadeVegan 🇧🇸 Bahamas and 5 moreSweetened lime juice mixed with water, served cold as a refreshing drink Drink, Snacks ÉclairVegetarian 🇫🇷 France and 2 moreChoux pastry filled with cream and topped with icing Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks, Tea time Churrochurros 🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreRidged, deep-fried dough sticks often eaten hot with chocolate or coffee Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks ChorizoMeat 🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreA seasoned pork sausage from the Iberian Peninsula, made in many regional styles Sausage or cured food, Breakfast, Lunch Steak tartareMeat 🇫🇷 France and 5 moreRaw minced beef, seasoned and often topped with a raw egg yolk Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Beef StroganoffMeatбефстроганов 🇷🇺 Russia and 6 moreSautéed beef in a creamy mustard and sour cream sauce, often with mushrooms or onions Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Dulce de lecheVegetarian 🇦🇷 Argentina and 2 moreA sweet, spreadable milk and sugar confection from Latin America Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Kibbehكبة 🇸🇾 Syria and 5 moreSpiced ground meat and bulgur shaped, stuffed, and fried, baked or served raw Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Crème caramelVegetarian 🇫🇷 France and 5 moreCustard dessert topped with a layer of liquid caramel Sweet or dessert SobaVegan蕎麦 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreJapanese noodles made from buckwheat, served hot in broth or cold with dipping sauce Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner Pastel de nataVegetarian 🇵🇹 Portugal and 4 moreSmall Portuguese tarts with a creamy egg custard in crisp pastry Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time CaipirinhaVegan 🇧🇷 BrazilBrazil’s classic cocktail of cachaça, lime, sugar and ice Drink, Snacks, Dinner MortadellaMeat 🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreLarge Italian sausage of finely ground pork and cubes of fat, often with pepper or pistachio Sausage or cured food, Lunch, Dinner FeijoadaMeat 🇵🇹 Portugal and 4 moreBean stew with pork or beef, common in Portugal and Brazil Stew or curry, Lunch, Dinner AsadoMeat 🇦🇷 Argentina and 4 moreBarbecued meats cooked over open fire, central to gatherings in Argentina and Uruguay Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Sugarcane juiceVegan 🇮🇳 India and 6 moreFresh juice pressed from sugarcane stalks, sold widely as a street drink Drink, Snacks AkaraVeganàkàrà 🇳🇬 Nigeria and 5 moreWest African bean fritters, deep-fried and eaten hot as street food or breakfast Street food, Breakfast, Snacks Candy appleVegan 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreWhole apples dipped in a hard red sugar candy shell on a stick Sweet or dessert, Snacks Moqueca 🇧🇷 Brazil and 1 moreBrazilian seafood stew simmered with tomatoes, onions, lime and coriander Stew or curry, Lunch, Dinner BrigadeiroVegetarian 🇧🇷 BrazilBrazilian chocolate sweets rolled in sprinkles and served at celebrations Sweet or dessert, Snacks ChurrascoMeat 🇧🇷 Brazil and 6 moreGrilled meat, often beef, cooked over coals or on skewers in South America and Iberia Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Caldo verde 🇵🇹 Portugal and 2 morePortuguese soup of potatoes and shredded greens Soup, Dinner, Supper Farofa 🇧🇷 BrazilToasted cassava flour mixture served as a side in Brazil Main dish, Lunch, Dinner CoxinhaMeat 🇧🇷 BrazilBrazilian teardrop-shaped snack of dough filled with spiced chicken and fried Street food, Snacks Pão de queijoVegetarian 🇧🇷 BrazilCheese-filled rolls made with cassava flour, a breakfast and snack food from Brazil Bread, Breakfast, Snacks ParmigianaVegetarian 🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreEggplant slices fried, layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Twelve GrapesVegan 🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreA Spanish New Year’s Eve custom of eating twelve grapes at midnight Sweet or dessert AguapanelaVegan 🇨🇴 Colombia and 6 moreSweet drink made by dissolving panela (unrefined cane sugar) in water Drink Moin moin 🇳🇬 Nigeria and 1 moreSteamed bean pudding from Nigeria, often served with rice or on its own Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Açaí na tigelaVegan 🇧🇷 Brazil and 2 moreFrozen açaí pulp blended and served in a bowl with sweet toppings Sweet or dessert, Snacks BauruMeat 🇧🇷 BrazilA Brazilian sandwich with melted cheese, roast beef, tomato and pickled cucumber Sandwich or wrap, Snacks, Lunch VatapáMeat 🇧🇷 BrazilA creamy Brazilian dish of bread, shrimp, coconut milk, peanuts and palm oil Main dish BroaVegan 🇵🇹 Portugal and 4 moreRustic bread made with cornmeal, rye or wheat, found in Portugal and Brazil Bread ChoripánMeat 🇦🇷 Argentina and 5 moreGrilled chorizo sausage in crusty bread, often topped with sauce Sandwich or wrap, Snacks, Lunch PamonhaVegetarian 🇧🇷 Brazil and 1 moreSweet corn paste boiled in corn husks, a specialty from Brazil Sweet or dessert, Snacks Salteña 🇧🇴 Bolivia and 1 moreBolivian baked empanada with a juicy, mildly spicy filling Pie or savoury pastry, Breakfast, Snacks completoMeat 🇨🇱 Chile and 1 moreA Chilean hot dog loaded with tomato, avocado, mayonnaise and other toppings Street food, Lunch, Dinner Bolo de roloVegetarian 🇧🇷 BrazilThin layers of cake rolled with guava paste, a symbol of Pernambuco Sweet or dessert MunguzáVegetarian 🇧🇷 BrazilBrazilian sweet porridge of whole corn, milk and sugar served at winter festivals Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time CaruruFish or seafood 🇧🇷 BrazilOkra and dried shrimp stew from Bahia, cooked with palm oil and nuts Stew or curry TacacáFish or seafood 🇧🇷 BrazilNorthern Brazilian soup with jambu, tucupi, and dried shrimp Soup, Snacks CurauVegetarian 🇧🇷 BrazilBrazilian sweet custard made from unripe corn, milk and sugar Sweet or dessert, Snacks
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