Feijoada is a hearty Brazilian black bean stew, often associated with Rio de Janeiro, made with pork, beef, smoked sausage, and aromatics. This home-friendly version simmers the beans and meats together until tender, then is served with rice, greens, orange, and farofa; ingredients and seasonings vary across households and regions.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
- 8 cups (1.9 L) cold water for soaking, plus more for cooking if needed
- 6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
- 1¼ lb (565 g) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes
- 12 oz (340 g) beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes
- 12 oz (340 g) fully cooked smoked pork linguiça or smoked kielbasa, sliced into ½-inch (1 cm) rounds
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil, only if needed for browning
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped, about 2 cups (300 g)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced, about 1 tbsp (15 g)
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (6 g) fine salt to start, plus more to taste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice, optional
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped parsley or cilantro, for serving
- 1 orange, cut into wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Soak the beans. Put the rinsed beans in a large bowl and cover with the measured cold water by at least 2 inches (5 cm). Leave to soak for 8 hours at room temperature in a cool kitchen, or refrigerate them if your kitchen is warm. Drain and rinse before cooking; discard the soaking water. Sort out any small stones or damaged beans as you rinse.
- Prepare the meat. Pat the pork shoulder and beef dry with paper towels so they brown instead of steaming. Keep the pork and beef pieces fairly similar in size for even cooking. The linguiça is already cooked, so set it aside to add later. Keep raw meat and its utensils separate from the cooked sausage and serving items.
- Brown the bacon and meat. Set a heavy 6- to 8-quart (5.7- to 7.6-liter) pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and some fat has rendered. Transfer it to a plate, leaving the fat in the pot. Brown the pork in batches, turning to color several sides, then repeat with the beef. Add a little oil only if the pot looks dry. Browning adds flavor, but the meat does not need to cook through at this stage.
- Soften the aromatics. Add the onion to the pot and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring and scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Return the bacon to the pot. Add the drained beans, bay leaves, pepper, and 8 cups (1.9 L) fresh water. The liquid should cover the beans and meat by about 1 inch (2.5 cm); add a little more water if necessary.
- Simmer until tender. Bring the pot to a gentle boil, skim off any gray foam that rises, then lower the heat. Cover partially and simmer gently for about 1 hour 40 minutes, stirring now and then so beans do not catch on the bottom. Keep the liquid at a quiet simmer rather than a hard boil, and add hot water in small amounts if the beans begin to sit above the liquid. A few beans may split; that helps thicken the broth.
- Add the sausage and finish cooking. Stir in the sliced smoked linguiça and continue simmering for about 30 minutes, until the beans are creamy and the pork and beef are fork-tender. Check the largest pork and beef pieces with a food thermometer: USDA FSIS gives 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of pork and beef. This long braise should cook them well beyond that minimum; let the stew stand for 3 minutes before serving. If the beans are still firm, keep simmering and check every 10 to 15 minutes, adding water if needed.
- Season and serve. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the salt, taste the broth, and adjust salt and pepper gradually; smoked meat can contribute plenty of salt. Add lime juice if you want a brighter finish. The stew should be thick but spoonable, with beans intact and meat tender. Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro and serve hot with orange wedges.
Tips
- Plan the soak. Dried black beans need the full 8-hour soak in this recipe. If you forgot to soak them, use the quick-soak method on the bean package, then begin checking for tenderness early; the cooking time may change. Do not substitute canned beans without changing the method, because they need much less cooking.
- Find linguiça—or swap it. Brazilian linguiça can be hard to find outside Brazilian or Portuguese markets. Fully cooked smoked kielbasa is a practical substitute; it gives a similar smoky, savory note but is usually less garlicky and may have a different spice profile. Add it near the end as directed.
- Keep the pot at a gentle simmer. A rolling boil can break up the beans and make the meat tough before it becomes tender. If the liquid reduces too quickly, add hot water a half-cup (120 ml) at a time rather than turning up the heat.
- Salt late and taste. Bacon and smoked sausage vary in saltiness, so the initial teaspoon is deliberately modest. Adjust only after the stew has simmered, and remember that salty farofa or seasoned sides can affect the balance of the plate.
Serving Suggestions
For a Rio-inspired meal, serve feijoada in shallow bowls with plain white rice, finely sliced collard greens sautéed with garlic, toasted farofa, and orange wedges. The rice catches the dark bean broth, while the greens and citrus add freshness beside the rich stew. Farofa is toasted cassava flour, sold in Brazilian markets and some Latin American grocery stores. If you cannot find it, serve toasted breadcrumbs or plain rice instead; breadcrumbs bring a different flavor and are not a cassava-flour equivalent.
To round out the table, offer hot sauce at the side rather than stirring it into the whole pot, so each person can choose the heat. A simple green salad also works, especially if the rest of the meal includes several substantial sides. For a relaxed meal, put the pot and accompaniments on the table and let everyone build a plate with a little stew, rice, greens, orange, and farofa.
Variations
Feijoada has many regional and household versions, so consider this a flexible Rio-style approach rather than a single definitive formula. Some cooks use salted or cured pork cuts such as carne seca, a dried, salted beef, while others use different sausages or cuts of pork. Carne seca can be difficult to source and usually needs soaking and desalting according to the package directions. For this recipe, the easier-to-find beef chuck gives a tender, beefy result without that extra preparation, though it will not have the same concentrated cured flavor.
For a lighter meat combination, omit the beef and use an equal weight of pork shoulder. The stew will be pork-forward, and you may want a little extra black pepper or lime at the end. You can also omit the bacon and start the onion in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oil; the broth will be less smoky and have less rendered pork fat. If you prefer a thicker stew, mash a small scoop of cooked beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in. Avoid blending the whole pot, which changes the traditional chunky texture.
For a meat-free bean stew inspired by the same flavors, leave out all meat, use vegetable broth or water, and add smoked paprika to taste. That is a separate vegetarian adaptation, not traditional feijoada, and it will have a different depth and texture. Cook the beans until tender, season carefully, and serve it with the same rice, greens, orange, and farofa if desired.
Storage and Reheating
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking in shallow, covered containers. Feijoada keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The beans absorb broth as they sit, so add a splash of water when reheating. Warm a portion in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, until it is steaming throughout and reaches 165°F (74°C); check the center with a food thermometer. Reheat only the amount you plan to eat.
For longer storage, freeze cooled portions in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months for best quality. Leave a little headspace because the liquid expands as it freezes. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat to 165°F (74°C), adding water as needed to loosen the sauce. Rice and greens are best stored separately, since they soften more quickly in the stew.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make feijoada without soaking the beans?
Soaking makes the cooking time more predictable and helps the beans cook evenly. If you need to skip it, follow the package directions for unsoaked black beans and expect a longer simmer; keep the pot topped up with hot water and start checking the beans for tenderness after about 2 hours. The stated timing in this recipe assumes an 8-hour soak.
Can I use canned black beans?
Yes, but do not simmer canned beans for the full time in the recipe or they may fall apart. Braise the browned meats with onion, garlic, and about 4 cups (950 ml) water until tender, then add drained canned beans and the smoked sausage for the final 20 to 30 minutes. The result is faster but usually has a less cohesive bean broth.
How do I know when the beans are done?
Taste a few beans from different parts of the pot. They should be creamy all the way through, without a hard or chalky center, while still holding their shape. If they are not tender, continue the gentle simmer in 10- to 15-minute intervals. Older dried beans can take longer, so tenderness matters more than the clock.
Can I make the stew ahead?
Yes. Cook it through, cool it safely, and refrigerate it; the flavor often settles and deepens by the next day. Reheat gently with a little water and bring it to 165°F (74°C) throughout before serving. Prepare the rice and greens separately so their texture stays fresh.
What can I use instead of farofa?
Farofa is toasted cassava flour and has a distinctive dry, crumbly texture. If it is unavailable, serve the stew with extra rice, or offer toasted breadcrumbs for a crunchy topping. Breadcrumbs taste different and are not gluten-free unless specifically labeled, while cassava flour is naturally made from cassava.
Is feijoada very spicy?
This version is savory and smoky rather than hot, because it uses black pepper but no chili. Smoked sausages vary in seasoning, so taste the broth before adding anything spicy. Put hot sauce on the table for guests who want more heat instead of adding it to the entire pot.
Related
- Brazilian Rice Recipe: Fluffy Garlic-Onion White Rice
- Brazilian Moqueca: Coconut Fish Stew Recipe with Rice
- Brazilian Pancakes: Savory Beef-Filled Panquecas
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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