When I think of Brazil, I immediately think of the amazing meals I’ve eaten there.
And when I think of Brazilian food, visions of feijoada dance through my head.
For good reason: in Brazil, “feijoada brasileira” is considered by many to be the
national dish.
This delectable meal has its roots as a typical dish cooked in many former Portuguese
colonies such as Brazil, Macau, Angola, Mozambique and Goa (India).
However, the recipe varies slightly from country to country.
The name comes from feijão, Portuguese for “beans”.
The basic ingredients of traditional feijoada are beans with fresh pork or beef–but we
are veganizing this staple, so no meat will be included in this recipe.
(“Feijão com arroz” is their rice and black beans without the addition of the meat.)
In Brazil, feijoado is typically prepared over a low fire in a thick clay pot.
The taste is strong, moderately salty but not spicy.
Brazilians take their feijoada seriously and so do we.
When we’re there, you’ll often find us prowling the streets, searching for the best feijoada
spots to try.
Smiling cooks and waiters beckon us inside to taste their culinary delights.
Traditionally, feijoada is meant to serve a large group of family and friends, and preparation
often begins a day or two before it is time to gather.
Usually, Brazilian-style rice, vegetables such as collard greens (“couve a mineira”) or assorted
root vegetables, hot pepper sauce and farofa (toasted manioc meal) grace the table and round
out the feast.
In Bahia, vegetables such as cabbage, kale, potatoes, carrots, okra, pumpkin, chayote and
and banana are sometimes added to the feijoada at the end of cooking.
Fresh orange wedges are usually served with this hearty meal to assist digestion.
I adapted the traditional feijoada for my vegan palate so no meat has been included in
this recipe, however, vegan sausages, tempeh or baked tofu could be added to the meal as a
meat substitute.
I prefer to serve baked, marinated portabella mushrooms with my feijoada bean stew.
Brazilian Feijoada, Vegan Style
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds black turtle beans
1/3 cup chopped parsley
3 cloves garlic, mashed
2 onions, finely chopped
1 rib kelp – broken into pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons coconut or olive oil
1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
A pinch of black pepper
A sprinkle of red pepper flakes
Directions:
Soak the black beans overnight in cold water.
Place the beans in a large, heavy pot.
Cover with filtered water.
Simmer beans for at least 2 hours, or until beans are cooked but firm.
Add the kelp and bay leaf to the beans and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add hot water as needed to maintain an inch of water over the beans.
Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onions and garlic until soft and golden.
Add the parsley, and season with the cumin, salt and pepper to taste.
Add 3/4 cup of the beans mixture to the pan.
Next, mash the beans with the onions.
Add this mixture back to the beans in the pot.
Add red pepper flakes.
Simmer 30 minutes.
Turn off heat and allow beans to sit for an hour.
Pour the feijoada beans into a serving bowl.
Round out the meal with separate bowls of Brazilian-style rice, collard greens, steamed root
vegetables, farofa, pepper sauce and orange slices.
Of course, no Brazilian meal is complete without a dish of farofa on the table.
Add a platter of baked, marinated portabella mushrooms to round out your vegan feast,
if you like.
Now dig in.
Eat to your heart’s content.
Are you a fan of black beans?
What are your favorite ways to prepare them?
Share your thoughts and comments with us.
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I love black beans! I love most beans, actually. These look amazing and I’m pleased to see them without bacon or lard, because although I’m not vegetarian or vegan, I don’t eat red meat/pork and so I am often limited with certain recipes. This looks really good. I’m pinning it!
Hi Andrea,
I am so delighted that you like black beans and that you are pinning this recipe! Thank you so much for your support. All the best, Deborah
I’m definitely hungry now. Love black beans too. 🙂
Hi Alice,
Yes, those are probably my favorite beans in the world! Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me. I appreciate it.
I’m coming over from the Tasty Tuesday link up and I just wanted to say these look delicious! Black beans and rice is a staple for us so I love finding a new variation on it. I just shared a vegetarian Brazilian recipe in the link up this week too, what a coincidence 🙂 I had a vegetarian moqueca while I was in Brazil and I tried to recreate it at home, somewhat successfully.
Hi Chaitali,
How delightful that you also love black beans. I consider it my go-to protein source. I am so glad that you found a vegetarian moqueca in Brazil. That’s awesome. I found a couple of vegan restaurants there and I was so happy!
I love black beans! I missed them on my whole30 🙂 I’m supposed to start re-introducing legumes today, so that recipe came in really handy!
Thank you so much for linking up with Tasty Tuesday, Deborah. Look forward to seeing you again next week.
I would love for you to join our Pinterest board, too if you’re interested 🙂 http://www.pinterest.com/leanlena/tasty-tuesday-linkup-party-at-lean-lena/
Have a wonderful day!
My husband’s favorite dish! Thanks for sharing at the Potluck!
Hi, visiting you via Healthy Vegan Fridays. That looks delish. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Clotilde,
I am so glad you liked this vegan version of a Brazilian dish. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me. I appreciate it!
My hubby loves black beans, I will have to try this for him. Thanks for linking up to Pin Worthy Wednesday, I have pinned your post to the Pin Worthy Wednesday Pinterest Board.
Hi Keitha,
Yes, black beans are so amazing. I try to make them several times a month. Thanks for pinning this!
This would be a fantastic, frugal dish for a dinner party! (We’ve been entertaining almost non-stop since we moved to our new place and we’re looking for the best ways to serve dinner on the cheap!) Thanks so much for sharing this on Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, I’ve pinned it : )
I love Feijoida and make if sometimes although I usually add sausage. Maybe I will try your version soon enough.
Thanks for sharing at Wildcrafting WEdnesday.
I was looking for feijoada vegan style recipe for trying, thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop. Pinning and featuring in this week blog hop.
Hi Swathi,
I am so pleased that you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for pinning and featuring it. I appreciate it!
I LOVE black beans =) I think my favourite way to enjoy them is any mexican-style way, like burritos. Mmmm.
I love the sound of the Brazalian way of making them though. Especially with the vegetables – and your suggestion of marinated portabella mushrooms would be a perfect accompaniment.
This looks perfect for me! YUM Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂 I can’t wait to see what you share this week! Its LIVE!
Cindy