Our Best Portuguese Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular Portuguese dish? ›

Arroz de Pato is one of the most popular Portuguese dishes globally. With roots in the city of Braga, this dish is a combination of traditional ingredients, including duck, rice, bay leaf, and chourico.

Bacalhau, which translates to cod in English, is Portugal's national dish, a symbol of the country's identity, and one of the most popular foods in restaurants across the country. Bacalhau is such a go-to staple in Portuguese cuisine that it even has an endearing nickname: fiel amigo, or faithful friend.

Bacalhau

The national dish of Portugal, bacalhau is dried and salted codfish, which is usually soaked in milk or water before cooking. The Portuguese have been eating bacalhau since the 16th century when their fishing boats brought it back from Newfoundland.

But the Portuguese also love a hearty, warming meal, and one of the most popular is feijoada – a thick and creamy bean stew that's absolutely bursting with flavour, and the perfect comfort food for a chilly or damp day. The main ingredient for this is, of course, beans.

Portuguese dishes include meats (pork, beef, poultry mainly also game and others), seafood (fish, crustaceans such as lobster, crab, shrimps, prawns, octopus, and molluscs such as scallops, clams and barnacles), vegetables and legumes and desserts (cakes being the most numerous).

Generally speaking, typical Portuguese home-cooked food revolves around proteins such as pork, chicken and fish, legumes, vegetables (particularly leafy greens used in stews and soups which we explore further below, or simple preparations which will have them boiled or steamed), bread, cheese, and cold cuts (including ...

Licor Beirão

Not only does Beirão hold the unofficial title of Portugal's national drink, but you'll find this herbal liqueur in just about every café, bar, and restaurant in Portugal, something that further solidifies its status.

What do Portuguese people eat for lunch? ›

Typical Lunch in Portugal (12 p.m. to 2 p.m.)

These menus usually include a soup, prato do dia (dish of the day), dessert, and a coffee. If they're really in a rush, they'll order something quick at the counter like a soup and a bifana (pork sandwich).

Rissóis. These are Portugal's version of turnovers or croquettes. Portuguese rissoles are a breaded and fried pastry filled with either cheese, meat, or shrimp with a creamy béchamel sauce. These half-moon-shaped snacks are usually eaten cold, as an appetizer in cafes, or on the streets of Portugal.

In Europe tipping is not as habitual, but in Portugal it is fairly commonplace, especially in the tourist areas such as Lisbon or the Algarve. This is mainly due to tourists, as locals are less likely to tip, or at least do so in excess! There is no obligation to do so, however leaving something extra is customary.

In Portuguese culture, crossing the knife and fork on your plate is a signal to the server that you haven't finished eating. Placing your fork over your knife forms a subtle yet meaningful communication, indicating that you're still enjoying the meal and are not ready for the plate to be cleared.

Cod (bacalhau) is one of Portugal's most important staple foods. Whether as a starter, main meal or even dessert – the edible fish from the Atlantic is to be found in every course. Pastéis de Bacalhau is one of the most famous starters with cod. The fish is processed in small cakes and then fried until crispy.

How expensive is Portugal for Americans? Portugal is one of the most affordable countries in Western Europe, with food available at affordable prices, cheap options for accommodation, and reasonable costs for transport.

Generally speaking, typical Portuguese home-cooked food revolves around proteins such as pork, chicken and fish, legumes, vegetables (particularly leafy greens used in stews and soups which we explore further below, or simple preparations which will have them boiled or steamed), bread, cheese, and cold cuts (including ...