The most iconic dishes of Brazil

Beans and pork are part of the most emblematic dish of Brazilian cuisine, but it is so broad and extraordinary that it encompasses many ingredients, such as rice, beef cuts, fish, cassava, yam, and fruits like açaí, cupuaçu, mango, papaya, guava, orange, and pineapple.Like many other countries in Latin America, Brazilian food has a strong influence from Europe, but also from Africa and its indigenous roots. Whether you have the opportunity to travel to this incredible country or visit a restaurant featuring its cuisine, these are the most iconic dishes of Brazil that you cannot miss.FeijoadaThis is the national and traditional dish of Brazil and consists of a plate of hearty black beans with dehydrated pork, which is almost always served with rice and oranges. Interestingly, it is a dish that is not served every day in restaurants, but is generally offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays.ChurrascoArgentina and Brazil are famous for their cuts of meat, and each country has a different approach to its meat, but in Brazil, the cuts are seasoned with nothing more than a generous layer of coarse salt before being perfectly grilled over charcoal. Thus, in churrascarias (barbecue-style grill houses), all types of meats are grilled on skewers, from pork to lamb and wild boar, with the most popular cuts being picanha or rump cap, served directly from the skewer to your plate.MoquecaThis is a stew made with seafood and fish, whose preparation in a clay pot is steeped in tradition. In its simplest version, the fish and seafood are stewed with chopped tomatoes, onions, and cilantro, and the dish is usually accompanied by rice, farofa (toasted cassava flour), and pirão (a spicy fish porridge made with cassava flour).TacacáThis is a very hot broth made from cassava and jambú leaves with shrimp. Additionally, tacacá is often sold on the streets by women known as tacacazeiras.Cheese breadThis cheese bread is typical of Brazilian cuisine and is made from cassava flour and meia cura cheese, which is semi-cured and originates from a town called Minas Gerais. They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and sometimes they are also filled with cream cheese or various meat fillings.AcarajéTypical of Bahian cuisine in the Northeast Region of Brazil, acarajé is a fried pastry made from mashed beans, palm oil, and pureed onions, fried in more palm oil before being opened and filled with dried shrimp and vatapá, a rich and spicy puree of shrimp, bread, cashews, and other ingredients. If you are going to try acarajé, do so fresh out of the oil and with plenty of sauce.This is just a taste of everything that Brazilian food is, and you can start by trying to make your own version of cheese bread with our recipe or investigate where you can taste a bit of its gastronomy.