🇧🇷 Authentic Brazilian Recipes
Discover the vibrant flavors of Brazil with traditional recipes from a Brazilian chef
About Brazilian Cuisine
Brazilian cuisine is a vibrant tapestry woven from indigenous, Portuguese, African, and immigrant influences. Each region of Brazil offers unique flavors and dishes that reflect its rich history and diverse culture.
From the Northeast's spicy Bahian cuisine with its African roots to the South's churrasco traditions influenced by European immigrants, Brazilian food is as diverse as the country itself. The Southeast brings us comfort foods like feijoada and pão de queijo, while the Amazon region offers exotic ingredients like açaí and tucupi.
On this page, you'll find 79 authentic Brazilian recipes, organized by region and dish type. Each recipe includes step-by-step instructions, cultural context, and tips for sourcing ingredients in the United States. Whether you're Brazilian and missing home, or discovering Brazilian cuisine for the first time, these recipes will transport you to Brazil with every bite.
As a Brazilian chef who grew up cooking with my grandmother and later trained in professional culinary schools, I'm passionate about sharing these authentic recipes with you. Let's explore the incredible diversity of Brazilian cooking together!
Most Popular Brazilian Recipes
Start your Brazilian cooking journey with these beloved classics
Most Popular
Authentic Brazilian Feijoada
Brazil's national dish - a hearty black bean stew with pork, sausage, and beef. Perfect for weekend cooking and feeding a crowd.
Easy
Traditional Brigadeiro
Brazil's beloved chocolate truffle made with condensed milk. A must-have at every Brazilian birthday party!
Gluten-Free
Pão de Queijo (Cheese Bread)
Crispy outside, chewy inside - these addictive cheese bread balls are naturally gluten-free and perfect for breakfast or snacks.
5 Minutes
Classic Caipirinha
Brazil's national cocktail made with cachaça, lime, and sugar. Refreshing, tangy, and perfect for any celebration!
Bahian Classic
Moqueca Baiana (Fish Stew)
Bahia's iconic fish stew with coconut milk, dendê oil, and peppers. A taste of Brazil's African heritage.
Street Food
Coxinha (Chicken Croquettes)
Crispy fried dough filled with creamy shredded chicken. Brazil's favorite street food snack!
Brazilian Recipes by Region
Explore the diverse culinary traditions across Brazil's five regions
Northeast Region (Bahia, Pernambuco, Ceará)
Known for its African-influenced cuisine with bold flavors, coconut milk, dendê oil, and seafood. The birthplace of acarajé, vatapá, and moqueca.
Acarajé
Black-eyed pea fritters filled with vatapá and shrimp. A Bahian street food icon.
Vatapá Baiano
Creamy shrimp paste with bread, coconut milk, and dendê oil. Pure Bahian comfort.
Bobó de Camarão
Shrimp in creamy cassava puree with coconut milk. Velvety and delicious.
Tapioca Nordestina
Gluten-free crepes made from tapioca starch. Fill with sweet or savory options.
Southeast Region (São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro)
Home to Brazil's most iconic dishes like feijoada and pão de queijo. Comfort food at its finest with Portuguese and Italian influences.
Feijoada Completa
Brazil's national dish - black bean stew with various pork cuts. A Saturday tradition.
Pão de Queijo Mineiro
Minas Gerais' famous cheese bread. Crispy outside, chewy inside, naturally gluten-free.
Virado à Paulista
São Paulo's hearty plate with beans, pork chop, egg, and banana. Pure comfort.
Frango com Quiabo
Minas Gerais chicken with okra. A beloved home-cooked classic.
Get 10 Free Brazilian Recipes
Join 10,000+ home cooks learning authentic Brazilian cooking. Free eBook delivered instantly to your inbox!
Learn More About Brazilian Cooking
Expand your culinary knowledge with these resources
Articles & Guides
Read in-depth guides about Brazilian ingredients, techniques, and culinary traditions.
Read ArticlesOnline Courses
Master Brazilian cooking with step-by-step video courses from a professional chef.
View CoursesFrequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Brazilian cooking
Brazilian cuisine is a diverse culinary tradition that reflects the country's multicultural heritage. It combines indigenous ingredients (like cassava, açaí, and guaraná) with Portuguese cooking techniques, African flavors (especially in Bahian cuisine), and influences from Italian, Spanish, German, and Japanese immigrants. Each of Brazil's five regions has its own distinct culinary identity, from the seafood-rich Northeast to the churrasco traditions of the South.
The most iconic Brazilian dishes include feijoada (black bean stew with pork), pão de queijo (cheese bread), brigadeiro (chocolate truffles), coxinha (chicken croquettes), moqueca (fish stew), picanha (grilled beef), and caipirinha (the national cocktail). These dishes represent different regions and occasions, from everyday comfort food to festive celebrations.
Brazilian ingredients are increasingly available in the United States. You can find them at: (1) Latin American grocery stores, (2) International sections of major supermarkets like Whole Foods and Wegmans, (3) Online retailers like Amazon, Tropical Cheese, and Brazil By The Bay, (4) Local Brazilian markets in cities with large Brazilian communities (Miami, Boston, Newark). For hard-to-find items, each recipe on this site includes substitution suggestions.
Not at all! While some traditional dishes like feijoada or coxinha require time and patience, many Brazilian recipes are surprisingly simple. Dishes like brigadeiro, pão de queijo, and caipirinha can be made in under 30 minutes with basic ingredients. Each recipe on this site is marked with a difficulty level (Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced) so you can choose recipes that match your skill level. I also provide step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting tips to ensure success.
Brazilian food is unique because of its incredible diversity and fusion of cultures. Unlike many cuisines that have a single dominant influence, Brazilian cooking seamlessly blends indigenous, Portuguese, African, and immigrant traditions. This creates unexpected flavor combinations like sweet and savory (banana with beans), tropical fruits with meat, and the use of ingredients like cassava, dendê oil, and cachaça that are rarely found in other cuisines. Brazilian food also emphasizes communal eating and celebration, making meals a social experience.