Make them for your main barbeque dish or to impress the crowd with your Brazilian cooking skills! Brazilian food, particularly main courses like churrasco, is always the star of the show. Meanwhile, Brazilian side dishes get little respect. But they’re also essential to complete the South American dining experience. Brazilian food is big on flavors and spices. Expect an exciting combination of ingredients and, of course, flavor explosion. Explore Brazil’s heavenly cuisine through this list of Brazilian side dishes. Make one today and bring the rich Southern American taste straight to your dining table!
1. Tutu de Feijão (Brazilian Refried Beans)
Tutu de feijão from Minas Gerais gives the best flavors when served hot alongside white rice and pork chops. For Brazilians who are crazy about rice and beans, this side dish is a must on the table. It’s made of pureed beans thickened using cassava flour. Add in bits of bacon or a diced sausage to bring out a wonderful smoky flavor. Feel free to omit the meat if you want a vegetarian version.
2. Brazilian Potato Salad
Potato salad is among the most popular Brazilian side dishes out there. It’s full of warm, delicious flavors and is super easy to make. This potato salad is also the perfect side dish for churrasco or grilled meats. Serving this for outdoor barbecue parties is an excellent idea. This recipe calls for a mayonnaise-based dressing infused with herbs and tangy spices. You can add hard-boiled eggs to bulk up the salad. Other variations include fruits and raisins or beans and peas.
3. Brazilian Chicken Salad (Salpicao)
Brazilian chicken salad, or salpicão, is dressed in mayo, honey, lime juice, salt, and pepper. When you throw in some veggies, a big bowl of this salad will easily feed a hungry crowd. This is why it’s often served at parties and weddings in Brazil. For authentic salpicão, make sure to shred the chicken and sprinkle potato sticks on top. The salty potatoes combining with sweet raisins and creamy lime dressing is a real treat. Double or triple this dish because everyone will finish it in seconds!
4. Farofa
Farofa is another traditional side dish you’ll commonly find in a Brazilian steakhouse (churrascaria). This dish features a toasted flour mixture with a smoky and slightly salty taste. Additional flavors come from other ingredients like nuts, bacon, and olives. Farofa is often sprinkled on top of the savory main course. It’s not overly tasty and accentuates the main dish, particularly stews and grilled meats.
5. Brazilian Leeks
Leeks are a majestic part of the onion family. And with this recipe, you can make leeks even more delightful. Through slow cooking, you’ll have soft, spaghetti-like leeks with a sweet balsamic glaze. As a bonus, the glaze can be used on just about anything, from fruits to veggies to meats!
6. Brazilian Rice
The key to making the perfect Brazilian rice is to get the proportions right. You’ll want 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water. For a fluffy texture, be sure to wash the rice before cooking it. For flavoring (surprise, surprise), use onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Keep this recipe, and you won’t be stuck with tasteless white rice forever!
7. Red Currant Caipirinha
Caipirinha is Brazil’s national cocktail that’s traditionally made with lime. But for a fun twist, this cocktail recipe calls for red currants. The ruby color of this cocktail is so inviting. One sip and you’ll be addicted to the delicious combination of currants and lime. For an authentic taste, this summer drink calls for cachaça or a sugar cane distilled spirit. If you’re looking for convenience, you can use vodka or sake.
8. Brazilian Collard Greens
These garlicky collard greens are another well-loved side dish from the region of Minas Gerais. They’re healthy, tasty, and super easy to make. Just cook thinly sliced collard greens in garlic and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. In 15 minutes or less, you’ll have a side that pairs well with almost any dish.
9. Brazilian Cheese Bread
Brazilian cheese bread is chewy, cheesy, and oh-so-yummy! It’s gluten-free and is made with pantry staples like flour, eggs, milk, olive oil, and cheese. For a sharp cheesy flavor, I recommend using cheddar cheese. Serve this for breakfast along with papaya or fruit jam!
10. Deep-Fried Bananas
Banana empanadas, or deep-fried bananas, are a tasty side dish and dessert rolled into one. The best part? You can make them using only five simple ingredients! Gather some bananas, flour, breadcrumbs, eggs, and oil. After some cutting, breading, and frying, you’ll have banana fritters that can accompany various meats. You can also put some ice cream on top to turn these bananas into a simple yet delectable dessert.
11. Tropiero Beans
Have some leftover beans? This recipe is what you’ll need to turn those beans into a hearty and filling dish! Just don’t forget to add the meat and manioc flour. Traditionally, tropiero beans are a well-known side dish for Brazilian fried pork cracklings. But you can turn the dish into a complete meal by adding a sunny side up egg on top and serving it with rice.
12. Salt Cod Salad
Even though salt cod is the star of this salad, this side dish isn’t overly salty. In this recipe, the mild saltiness of cod will meet the natural sweetness of tomatoes and onions. However, note that you have a role to play in ensuring that the salad isn’t salty. Don’t worry, it’s easy. Just remove the right amount of salt from the cod by soaking it in cold water for up to 30 minutes.
13. Herbed Couscous
Pearl couscous cooked in herbs and olive oil is one of the easiest yet tastiest Brazilian side dishes that you can make. Don’t skip adding the lemon zest in the end because it makes all the difference. You can also use Brazilian sofrito as a seasoning to add even more flavors.
14. Brazilian Vinaigrette Salsa
This salsa completes Brazil’s national dish, black bean stew. But it also goes perfectly with grilled pork, chicken, or fish. Even when you serve it with French rolls, vinaigrette salsa will be a hit! It’s simply refreshing, thanks to its dressing of olive oil and vinegar. The prep time is around 5 minutes, and all you’ll have to do is chop and mix! Click on a star to rate it!
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