Let’s Learn About Brazil’s Tasty and Traditional Culture and Food

Are you curious about Brazil’s tasty and traditional culture and food?  Come along as we learn more about what makes Brazil so unique and delicious.  You can find 10 Brazilian foods your family should try.  There is also a Brazilian dinner menu that’s easy to create a Brazilian feast at home.

My connection with Brazil is through my husband.  His family spent the first six years of his life as missionaries in Brazil.  He spoke fluent Portuguese and loved all things futbol.  

When we were first married, I was able to travel with his family back to Brazil and we stayed in Salvador, Brazil.  While there I was able to discover Brazil’s traditional culture and tasty food.  The people are warm and inviting and the landscape is beautiful.  If you are thinking of planning a trip, read to the end to learn about some of the best places to visit.

Today when the World Cup rolls around, my in-laws all pull out their green and yellow and go gaga for Brazil, while drinking Guarana.

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Brazil is the 5th largest country in the world, and the 5th most populated according to Britannica encyclopedia.  Brazil faces the Atlantic ocean and has over 4,000 miles of coastline.  Because of its large size, Brazil has many unique cultural traits in each region.

• North– This area of Brazil is home to the Amazon rainforest.  It is sparsely populated by humans but is home to thousands of animals and plant species.
• Northeast– The northeast region of Brazil is hot and dry.  It has the oldest Portuguese influence and produces many of the crops for Brazil.
• Central West– This is the only land-locked region of Brazil and is home to the capital, Brasilia.  Fewer people live here and there is an abundance of forests, wetlands, and plains.
• Southeast– The southeast is industrial as well as cultural.  Rio de Janeiro is located in this region, which is a very popular tourist destination.
• South– The south is Brazil’s smallest region.  It is known for its beautiful natural wonder, Iguazu Falls.

Regions of Brazil

Art– Brazil has some fantastic architecture from its colonial periods but also more current works in the capital of Brasilia. Tarsila do Amaral is one of the most famous artists from Brazil.  She is known for her modernist paintings. 

Romero Britto started his art career at 14 and is known for his ‘happiness’ art.  His artwork is bright, joyful and PopArt inspired.  You can learn more about his awesome artwork in this YouTube Video.

1. Churrascaria or rodízios

These are Brazilian bbq’s or meat buffets.  You may have heard of the restaurants Fogo de Chao or Rodizios Grill here in the US.  They are often pricier restaurants, but in Brazil, they are much more common and affordable.  At a Churrascaria (pronounced Shur-uh-skaa-ree-uh), servers come to your table with roasted meats on spits that they then shave off pieces of meat for you to enjoy.  They might have a salad buffet, and they have family servings of Pão de Queijo and cooked sweet plantains.

2. Açaí

This purple berry (pronounced Ah-SIGH-ee) is native to the Amazon and is now a popular superfood.  It’s packed with vitamin A, healthy fats, and antioxidants.  Brazilians love to eat açaí as a smoothie with bananas and granola or pudding sweetened with sugar and tapioca that is chilled and refreshing.

3. Feijoada

This is the national dish of Brazil.  Feijoada (Fay-jow-aa-duh) is one of the most traditional and popular dishes in Brazil.  It is a bean and pork stew usually served over rice.  This humble dish originated from African slaves using meat scraps to flavor their meals.  Humble but mighty, this bean and rice dish is super flavorful and hearty today.  It is often served with orange slices to balance the thick stew with a tang.

4. Acarajé

This is an African-inspired street food (pronounced Ah-kara-jzhu) made from ground black-eyed peas that is fried and filled with shrimp, peppers, and tomatoes.  Crispy outside with a dense chewy inside, the fritter pairs well with the fresh veg and salty shrimp for a delicious snack.

5. Moqueca

Moqueca (pronounced Mo-KEH-ka) is a savory fish stew that has been recorded in Brazil for over 300 years.  Prepared with onions, tomatoes, shrimp, fish, and coriander, this stew can also be made with coconut milk.  The dish encompasses many regions of Brazil, each putting its own twist on the soup.

6. Pão de Queijo

These bite-sized cheese bread puffs (pronounced Pown-deh-kay-zhu) are delicious and addictive.  The cheese bread is made with tapioca or cassava flour and has a light and delicate texture.  Chewy on the inside with a crispy crust, you will want to keep popping them into your mouth.

7. Pastels

Pastels are what we think of as empanadas.  They are fried meat pies.  These tasty treats are also popular street foods in Brazil.

8. Brigadeiros

Brigadeiros are similar to chocolate truffles.  They are made with sweetened condensed milk and are cooked to create a thick paste that is rolled in chocolate sprinkles.  These candies are easy to make, especially if you can find a can of pre-made chocolate paste.  Kids can help roll the candy in sprinkles, and if they are anything like my kids, they will snatch a good amount of sprinkles along the way. 

9. Beijinho de Coco

This is the coconut version of the chocolatey bridgadeiros.  Again made with sweetened condensed milk and rolled in coconut flakes.  Beijinho (pronounced Bey-gene-you) mean “little kiss” in Portuguese, so these lovely little candies are coconut kisses.

10. Guarana

My husband’s family lived in Brazil for several years, and to hear them talk you would think Guarana (Gwr-aa-nah) is the nectar of the gods!  It has to be Antarctica brand though.  Guarana is a soft drink that tastes like ginger ale and apple juice (to me at least).  It’s very sweet and has lots of caffeine, so I let my kids drink it sparingly, but for a Brazilian feast, it’s worth sharing with everyone.

What’s on the Brazilian Menu:

• Feijoada
• white rice
• fried greens
• orange slices 
• Plantain chips
• Pão de queijo
• Brigadeiros
• Guarana

If you are already cooking some bacon for the Feijoada, put some aside to use in your fried greens.  Bacon, onion, and garlic make fried greens a great compliment to the stew.

Orange slices may seem strange to go with soup, but in the tropical country of Brazil citrus fruit is plentiful.  Oranges add a light, crisp contrast to the heavy thick soup.

There are recipes for Pão de queijo that you can make.  Usually you need tapioca or cassava flour for the light and delicate texture.  I did not want to go buy a bag of tapioca flour since I probably would not cook with it again.  So…I found them at the grocery store!  You can also order Pão de queijo online. 

These creamy chocolate truffle-like candies are super fun for the kids.  You can make these are home using sweetened condensed milk.  Or you can order the candy filing already made and then just roll them in sprinkles like I did.  These sweet treats are a nice way to end your Brazilian feast.

Don’t forget the drinks.  Guarana is the Brazilian soda that (to me) tastes like ginger ale and apple juice.  You can find it at some international stores like World Market or even some local grocery stores like Publix.  But its also available online too.  Make sure to get the Antarctica Guarana, because according to my husband, nothing else will do.

The most popular city for tourists to visit is Rio de Janeiro.   The two most iconic sites to visit include a mountain peak and the white-sand beach.  

Christ the Redeemer statue sits atop Mount Corcovado and stretches its arms toward the city below.  Visitors ride the mountain train to see the statue up close and enjoy the incredible view of Rio.  

Copacabana Beach is a 3-mile stretch of beach that calls to sun-seekers, surfers, and anyone who wants to relax in paradise. 

Amazon

The Amazon is such an important resource to the world.  It’s important to tour the Amazon responsibly.  Overtourism can harm the ecosystems and habitats of the area.  There are many national parks that allow tourists to explore the rainforest with a guide.

Bahia

Visit Salvador to experience beautiful beaches, colonial architecture and history, and cultural markets.