Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew)

Brazil • National Dish • Stew

Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew)

Brazil’s iconic black bean stew brings together smoky pork, tender beans, and slow-cooked comfort in one deeply satisfying pot.

Servings6
Prep Time25 min
Cook Time150 min
DifficultyModerate
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Instructions

  1. Soak the black beans in plenty of cold water for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and rinse.
  2. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork shoulder and brown it well on all sides for 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Add the bacon to the pot and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until it starts to render and color. Stir in the onion and cook for 6 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Return the pork to the pot. Add the sliced sausage, ham hock, drained beans, bay leaves, black pepper, salt, and 1.5 litres water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat.
  5. Cover loosely and simmer gently for 2 to 2½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the meats are very soft. Skim excess fat from the surface if needed.
  6. Transfer the pork and ham hock to a board. Shred or chop the meat, discarding bone, skin, and any very fatty pieces. Return the meat to the pot.
  7. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the broth thickens slightly and turns glossy. Taste and adjust the salt.
  8. Serve hot with white rice, collard greens or kale, farofa if using, and orange wedges on the side.

Cultural Context

Feijoada is widely regarded as one of Brazil’s signature dishes and is commonly built around black beans and a mix of pork and beef, then served with rice, greens, farofa, and orange. Its exact historical origin is debated, but the dish is strongly associated with Brazilian home cooking, restaurants, and long, social weekend meals.

Fun Fact

In Brazil, feijoada is often treated less like a quick dinner and more like an event. In São Paulo, serving it on Wednesdays and Saturdays became a long-running restaurant tradition.

Cook’s Tip

If you can’t find linguiça, use another smoked pork sausage with a firm texture and a garlicky profile. If ham hock is unavailable, add an extra 150-200 g of smoked sausage and a little more salt, but the broth will be slightly less deep.

A home-cook version like this keeps the spirit of feijoada without requiring harder-to-source salted cuts or offal. The key is using black beans, a mix of pork cuts, slow simmering, and serving it with the classic sides.

Trivia

Orange wedges are a classic feijoada side, and they are traditionally served alongside rice, greens, and farofa, not tossed into the stew like some chaotic last-minute salad idea.

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