8 Amazing Foods to Eat on Your First Trip to Brazil

A Food Fun Travel Guest Post

One of the pleasures of traveling to different countries is that you get to try out new foods. Every country has its own special dish that visitors are encouraged to sample. Brazil is a huge country covering half of the South American continent and with varying cuisine. So choosing the best meals for you to sample while in the country can be a difficult task. However, we gave it a go and here is our list of best Brazilian foods to try while on your trip.

Brazilian Barbecue Meat

 
A trip to Brazil cannot end without dining at a churrascaria, a Brazilian Grill. At a churrascaria, you will feast on a wide range of meat from sausages, chicken, pork, lamb, crocodile and wild boar. This meat sliced on to your plate by waiters has been grilled over charcoal and has a distinct taste that you will love. When you visit a Brazilian grill carry your appetite as the different types of barbecue meat will be served until you’re full.

Feijoada

This is a very popular dish in Brazil and it has been referred by some as the country’s national dish. The meal is a stew which is made from black beans, pork, and beef. It is usually served with rice, collard greens, hot sauce, an orange slice which Brazilians say helps in digestion and farofa, which is toasted manioc flour. If made traditionally Feijoada can take up to 24 hours to make. During that time the beans will be soaked and the pork desalted. Whichever city you go to in Brazil you can find a restaurant where you can order yourself a hot plate of this delicious dish.

Moqueca

This is pronounced as moo-kek-a, a fish stew made from saltwater fish cooked slowly in a sauce which has coconut milk, tomatoes, onion, and garlic. At times shrimp can be used to make the stew. This stew is said to have originated from the Brazilian coastal towns of Espirito Santo and Bahia. Both these areas have different ways to make this stew but their different recipes are equally tasty.

In restaurants, the hot clay pot which makes the fish stew is uncovered at your table and the fragrant clouds of steam will make you taste bud immediately wet. The dish goes down well with rice and farofa.

Acarajé

 
This is a street snack made from peeled black-eyed peas which are mashed before being formed into fist size balls. The balls are then fried in palm oil until there are golden brown then split open to be stuffed with pastes and sauces. Toppings on acaraje can include cashew nuts, tomatoes, shrimp, cassava, onions, prawns etc. This is best served hot and with a dash of chili.

Acai

If you’re sticking to your healthy diet while in Brazil I recommend you try out Acai. This is an Amazon fruit that the indigenous tribes used to eat as a source of energy. Now you can enjoy it as a frozen sorbet with slices of banana or as a juice. Most Brazilian cafes, bakeries, juice bars, supermarket have it. At the bar, you can also order for acai vodka or beer. The hard purple berry is also used to make a sauce which goes well with fish, so be sure to ask the restaurants you dine at if they have acai sauce if you are having some fish.

Quindim

 
This is one of the most popular desserts in Brazil. Ingredients used to make it include sugar, egg yolks, and coconut. The dessert has a distinctive yellow color and can be made as a large cake or in smaller mouthful portions.
This sweet dessert was inspired by the Portuguese who are known to have loved egg yolks in their sweets and pastries.

Pão de queijo

 
 
This is a treat you can enjoy at any time of the day but many Brazilians eat these buns during breakfast. Made from cheese and bread which I think everybody loves Pão de queijo will be a delight to your taste buds. This buns which are gluten-free can be bought in mini sizes or as large as oranges. They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and are best taken when hot.

Brigadeiros

 
If you have a sweet tooth this Brazilian chocolate truffle is must have dessert. I can tell you it is to die for. Made from condensed milk, cocoa and chocolate sprinkles you will absolutely love it. Ask the shop or restaurant you enjoy this dessert at if they can add a whole strawberry in the middle for you. That will make it more delicious.

They are a lot more dishes you can try in Brazil. I will mention some more but won’t go into details as doing that will take too much of your time. So here some more dishes try:

Brazilian Cuisine Essentials
Asado
Pastel
Bolinho de Bacalhau
Beijinho de Coco
Arroz Com Pequi
Vatapa
Bobo de Camarao
Cuscuz Branco
Pato No Tucupi
Virado A Paulista
Farofa
Feijao Tropeiro

Brazilian Snacks
Quibe/ Kibe/ Kibbeh
Coxinha
Empada

Brazilian Desserts
Mousse de Maracuja
Cocada

Final Thoughts

When you travel to Brazil try the foods we have listed at least once or your trip will be incomplete. Remember before you travel to Brazil you will need to apply for a visa. Visa applications can be done online at a cost of $69.50. After your application, your visa should be processed in less than ten days. If you forgot to apply for a visa and need one urgently you can pay $134.50 and have the visa in 4 days.

If you already applied for a visa you can check your Brazilian visa status online before you travel.

 
Wherever you go to in Brazil hope you have a magical time. And once you’re back from your travels do tell us in the comments sections which foods you tried and how much you enjoyed them. We would love to hear about your experience!