How to make feijoada (2 ways)

Ingredients

• 1 kgblack beans (soak overnight if you wish)
• 2.4 litres (10 cups)water, or bean or vegetable stock for extra flavour
• 500 gbacon, diced
• 400 gsmoked paio sausage (or use half the amount and add 200 g Calabrese sausage)
• 700 gpork ribs
• 2 tablespoonsolive oil, if needed
• 1 mediumyellow onion, chopped
• 6 clovesgarlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoonbicarbonate of soda, only if the beans have not been soaked
• 1 teaspoonground cumin
• 2bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoonsalt
• 1 teaspoonground black pepper
• 3 tablespoonstomato purée
• 3 tablespoonsred wine vinegar
• 15 g (¼ cup)chopped coriander or parsley (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak and rinse

   If you are soaking the beans, cover them with water by about 7 cm and leave them in the fridge or at room temperature overnight, for 8 hours. Add more water if needed. Otherwise, skip the soak and use 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda when cooking. Sort and rinse the beans, then choose a cooking method.

2. 2

   Brown the bacon

   For the hob method, heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon for 5–6 minutes, until browned, then transfer it to a large bowl. Brown the sausage in the pan for about 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Brown the ribs

   Transfer the sausage to the bowl with the bacon. If needed, add half the oil and brown the ribs for about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer them to the bowl. Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining oil and cook the onion for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.

4. 4

   Cook the aromatics

   Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Spoon half of the onion and garlic mixture into a small bowl and set aside. Add the beans, water, bicarbonate of soda if using, cumin, reserved meats and bay leaves to the pan.

5. 5

   Simmer the beans

   Bring the pan to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, stir and cover. Cook for 60–90 minutes, until the beans are nearly tender. Stir in the reserved onion mixture, pepper and tomato purée, then cook for another 10–15 minutes, until the beans are tender. Remove the bay leaves, adjust the salt if needed and stir in the vinegar.

6. 6

   Blend and serve

   Scoop about 1–2 cups of beans and broth into a blender and blend until creamy. Stir this mixture back into the feijoada, scatter over the chopped coriander or parsley, if using, and serve.

7. 7

   Brown in pressure cooker

   For the electric pressure-cooker method, halve each ingredient to fit the cooker, except the garlic, cumin, tomato purée, pepper and vinegar. Select the sauté function and, once hot, cook the bacon for 5–6 minutes until browned. Transfer it to a large bowl, then brown the sausage for about 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Brown the ribs

   Transfer the sausage to the bowl with the bacon. If needed, add half the oil and brown the ribs for about 4 minutes on each side, then transfer them to the bowl. Add the remaining oil and cook the onion for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.

9. 9

   Add the beans

   Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Set half of the onion and garlic mixture aside in a small bowl. Add the beans, water, bicarbonate of soda if using, cumin, reserved meats and bay leaf to the pressure cooker.

10. 10

    Pressure cook

    Cancel the sauté function, secure the lid and cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for about 20 minutes, then unlock the lid. Remove the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the tomato purée and vinegar.

11. 11

    Blend and serve

    Blend about 1–2 cups of beans and broth until creamy, then stir the mixture back into the feijoada. Scatter over the chopped coriander or parsley, if using, and serve.

What is feijoada?

Feijoada is a Brazilian bean-and-pork stew, commonly associated with Portuguese-influenced cooking and adapted over time in Brazil. Black beans simmer with several kinds of pork to make a substantial, savoury dish.

This version builds flavour by browning the meats and onion first, then blending some of the cooked beans into the broth. You can make it on the hob or use an electric pressure cooker.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 866 calories, 27g protein, 26g carbs, 73g fat.

The beans provide most of the carbohydrates, while the bacon, sausage, ribs and olive oil contribute much of the fat; the pork and beans also supply protein. Serve a moderate helping with greens and orange, and adjust the amount of rice or farofa to suit your plate.

Choose your cooking method

Hob method: the beans simmer gently with the browned meats for 60–90 minutes, then cook for a further 10–15 minutes with the flavourings. Check the beans for tenderness rather than relying on the clock alone.

Pressure cooker: halve the ingredients to fit the appliance, except for the garlic, cumin, tomato purée, pepper and vinegar. The recipe specifies 30 minutes at high pressure and about 20 minutes for natural release.

Why brown the meats?

Bacon, paio sausage and pork ribs each bring a different savoury quality to the pot. Browning them first gives the stew a deeper, more rounded flavour.

Cook the meats in batches as directed and set them aside while the onion softens. Add oil only if the pan needs it; the bacon will release some fat as it cooks.

Soaking the beans

Soaking is optional in this recipe. If you do soak the beans, cover them with water by about 7 cm and leave them for 8 hours, adding water if the beans are no longer covered.

If you skip soaking, the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda when the beans go into the pot. Rinse and sort the beans before either method.

Build a thick, tender stew

Bean doneness: on the hob, the beans should be nearly tender before you add the reserved onion mixture, pepper and tomato purée. After another 10–15 minutes, they should be soft.

Creamy broth: blend 1–2 cups of beans with their broth and stir it back into the pot. This thickens the stew without adding another ingredient.

Serving the feijoada

Serve the stew with white rice, farofa, Minas-style collard greens and orange slices, as suggested for this Brazilian meal. The rice and farofa make it especially filling, while the greens and citrus provide a fresh contrast.

Add the chopped coriander or parsley at the end, if you like. Its fresh flavour works well against the rich beans and pork.

Recipe notes & tips

• If soaking the beans, keep them covered with water throughout the 8-hour soak.
• Brown the bacon, sausage and ribs in batches so they have room to colour.
• Use the oil only if the pan needs it after browning the meats.
• Keep the hob at medium-low during the long simmer and stir as directed.
• Check that the beans are tender before blending a portion to thicken the broth.
• Halve the ingredients for the pressure-cooker method, except for the items specified in the recipe.

Variations

• Use Calabrese sausage: replace half the paio with 200 g Calabrese sausage as suggested.
• Swap the herbs: finish with chopped parsley instead of coriander.
• Choose the stock: use bean or vegetable stock in place of water for a more savoury broth.
• Skip the soak: add the specified teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda when cooking the beans.
• Serve it traditionally: pair the stew with white rice, farofa, collard greens and orange slices.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the bean rinse: sort and rinse the beans before cooking, whether soaked or not.
• Crowding the pan: brown the meats in batches so they colour rather than steam.
• Adding oil automatically: use it only if needed after the bacon has cooked.
• Blending too much broth: scoop only about 1–2 cups of beans and broth to thicken the stew.
• Opening the pressure cooker too soon: allow about 20 minutes for natural pressure release before unlocking the lid.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and store them in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until steaming hot, adding a splash of water if the stew has thickened; freeze portions for up to 3 months.

Frequently asked questions