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Feijoada

Brazil’s beloved national stew — black beans simmered low and slow with a chorus of pork cuts until every spoonful is smoky, silky, and deeply comforting.

⏱ 30 minPrep time
🔥 3 hrsCook time
🍽 8Servings
🏷 Brazilian KitchenCategory
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Feijoada

Feijoada was born in the colonial kitchens of Rio de Janeiro and has grown into the country’s most iconic Saturday ritual. It brings the whole family around one enormous pot, served family-style with rice, collard greens, and farofa.

A Saturday ritual worth the wait

Hours of gentle simmering turn the beans into a glossy, almost creamy sauce while the smoked meats collapse into tender, falling-apart pieces. Each bite is a layered hit of smoke, pork, and earthy black beans that gets even better as the pot sits.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Soak the black beans in cold water overnight, then drain and rinse them the next morning.
  2. In a large pot, add the beans, bay leaves, and 10 cups of fresh water; bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 hour, skimming any foam that rises.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat and render the bacon until crisp, about 6 minutes.
  4. Add the sliced linguiça, smoked ribs, and pork shoulder to the skillet and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total, then set the meats aside.
  5. In the same skillet, sauté the onion for 4 minutes until translucent, add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, scraping up the browned bits.
  6. Add the browned meats and the onion-garlic mixture to the pot of beans and simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are creamy and the meat falls off the bone.
  7. Season generously with salt and pepper, remove the bay leaves, and serve in deep bowls with rice, sautéed collard greens, farofa, and orange wedges on the side.

💡 Chef tips & storage

The orange wedge is not decoration — a squeeze of juice cuts right through the richness. Leftovers taste even better the next day and keep refrigerated for 4 days or frozen for 3 months.

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Recipe details

Prep30 min
Cook3 hrs
Servings8
CategoryBrazilian Kitchen
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →