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This list of 40 traditional Portuguese foods to try in Portugal scratches the surface of what Portuguese cuisine can offer. There are so many local dishes that can be enjoyed, and the farther you go from the big cities and the touristy areas (such as the Algarve or Lisbon), the easier it gets to find local and unique dishes that are hardly on ...
Apr 15, 2024 · ALGARVE, Portugal. 4.6. shutterstock. Ate it? Rate it. Wanna try? Add to list. MAIN INGREDIENTS. Pork. Clams. Potatoes. White Wine. Peppers. Garlic. Bay Leaves. Black Pepper. Salt. Coriander. Lard. This traditional Portugal dish combines marinated pieces of pork with clams and a lightly spicy, wine-infused sauce.
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- What Is Traditional Portuguese Food?
- Portuguese Soups / Sides
- Portuguese Sandwiches
- Portuguese Seafood Dishes
- Portuguese Meat Dishes
- Portuguese Desserts / Drinks
- Portuguese Food Tours
- Portuguese Cooking Classes
- Final Thoughts on The Food in Portugal
As described, hearty Portuguese dishes made with meat, seafood, legumes, and vegetables favor heavily in the local cuisine. It’s a Mediterranean-based cuisine that makes use of a wide variety of spices, many of which came from Portugal’s former colonies. Some of the more prominent spices used in Portuguese cuisine include piri-piri, paprika, clove,...
1. Caldo Verde
Caldo verde is one of the most popular soups in Portuguese cuisine. It originated from the Minho province in northern Portugal but is now consumed throughout the country. Caldo verde is traditionally made with potatoes, chorizo (or linguica), kale (or other leafy greens like collard greens), and olive oil and is often served with broa for dipping in the soup. Broa is a type of corn and rye bread traditionally made in Portugal. Caldo verde is an important dish in Portuguese culture and commonl...
2. Açorda
Açorda is a Portuguese soup/stew made with bread soaked in broth, coriander, garlic, olive oil, and a poached egg. It can be made with other ingredients as well like bacalhau or shrimp. There are two basic types of açorda in Portugal – Lisbon açorda and Alentejo açorda. The former is made with papo seco bread while the latter is made with leftover sopas (local Alentejano bread). If I understand correctly, this classic Portuguese soup is originally from the Alentejo region but like caldo verde...
3. Torricado
Torricado refers to a Portuguese regional dish of charcoal-toasted bread from the Ribatejo province in central Portugal. Slices of bread are toasted over charcoal and soaked in olive oil before being brushed with garlic and salt. Torricado can be served on its own, mainly as a side dish, but it can also be topped with any number of ingredients like bacalhau, sardines, and pork. It started off as rural worker food, as an inexpensive and easy way for laborers to have lunch while working in the...
5. Francesinha
If you were to have just one dish in Porto, then it should definitely be the francesinha. It’s arguably the most important dish in Porto regional cuisine. A francesinha is a sauce-covered Portuguese sandwich made with bread, linguica (Portuguese sausage), ham, and steak or roast beef. It’s covered with melted cheese and topped with a fried egg before being drenched in a thick beer and tomato sauce. If that doesn’t sound filling enough, it’s typically served with a generous helping of french f...
6. Cachorrinhos
The cachorrinho is like a type of Portuguese hot dog, but much better. It’s essentially a Portuguese sandwich made with crusty bread, sausage, and cheese brushed with a spicy sauce. As you can see below, the cachorrinho is sliced into bite-sized pieces for easy eating. It’s delicious and goes amazingly well with ice-cold Portuguese beer. We had these cachorrinhos at the popular Gazela Cachorrinhos da Batalha in Porto. They’ve been making cachorrinhos for over fifty years and sell over 300 of...
7. Prego
Prego is one of my favorite Portuguese dishes. It’s a type of Portuguese sandwich made with grilled beef brushed with a garlicky marinade and served in a crusty papo seco or Portuguese bread roll. Depending on the restaurant, prego can be topped with additional ingredients but the traditional version made with just grilled beef and garlic marinade is the best. It’s absolutely delicious and in my opinion, one of the best things you can eat in Portugal. Interestingly, prego in Portuguese means...
9. Bacalhau
Together with pastel de nata, bacalhau is perhaps the most well-known dish in Portuguese cuisine. It’s a Portuguese national dish and far and away the most commonly eaten type of fish in Portugal. Bacalhau is the Portuguese word for cod, but in a culinary context, it refers specifically to dried and salted cod. It’s been produced for over 500 years as a means of preserving cod before the invention of refrigeration. Drying and salting the cod not only preserves its nutrients, but it also enhan...
10. Polvo a Lagareiro
Portugal is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean so it’s only natural for seafood to figure prominently in the Portuguese diet. Aside from bacalhau and cataplana de marisco, one of the most popular Portuguese seafood dishes is polvo a lagareiro. This Portuguese seafood dish is made with boiled and roasted octopus served with “punched potatoes”, coriander, garlic, and a generous amount of olive oil. “Punched potatoes” is the literal translation of batatas a murro which refers to how the potatoes are...
11. Sardinhas Assadas
Along with bacalhau and octopus, another popular seafood in Portugal is the humble sardine. It’s used in many traditional Portuguese dishes, none more popular perhaps than sardinhas assadas. Sardinhas assadas refers to a simple but comforting dish of freshly grilled sardines that originated in the Lisbon and Vale do Tejo regions. Sardines are roasted whole over an open fire and seasoned with coarse sea salt. It’s a popular summertime festival food in Portugal that’s best enjoyed from June til...
17. Alheira
Alheira refers to a type of Portuguese smoked sausage made with bread and different types of meat like pork, chicken, duck, or veal. It gets its name from alho, meaning garlic, though not all present-day alheiras are made with garlic. Interestingly, alheiras were invented in the late 15th century by Portuguese Jews who were given a choice to either convert to Christianity or be expelled from Portugal. “Converts” who secretly retained their beliefs continued to abstain from eating pork. At the...
18. Porco Preto
Porco preto refers to the Iberian black pig. If you’re familiar with Spanish cuisine, then you may know them as Iberico pigs. Porco preto refers to the same breed of Iberian black pig that produces one of the best and most expensive types of cured ham in the world. Many people know about Spanish jamon iberico but Portugal has the same black pigsthat produce this sought-after ham. They roam freely in the oak forests of the Alentejo region and fatten up on a diet comprised almost entirely of ac...
19. Cozido à Portuguesa
As described, some locals feel that the cozido à portuguesa is the one dish that best represents Portuguese cuisine. One look and it’s easy to see why. Cozido refers to a classic Portuguese boiled meal. Cozido à portuguesa is a type of cozido made with a plethora of meats (chicken, pork, beef), smoked sausages (chourico, morcela), vegetables (cabbage, beans, potatoes), and other ingredients. Traditionally, most of the flavor comes from the boiled meats and vegetables but some recipes may incl...
You’ve probably heard of pastéis de nata, but what other Portuguese desserts do you know? There’s no doubt you’ll be having many pastéis de nata custard tarts in Portugal, but be sure to check out our article on traditional Portuguese dessertsfor more sweets like arroz doce (Portuguese rice pudding), pão de deus (Portuguese sweet bread), and queija...
No one knows Portuguese food better than a local so what better way to experience Portugal’s cuisine than by going on a food tour? It’s fun finding local Portuguese restaurants on your own but when you’re pressed for time, going on a food tour with a knowledgeable guide is one of the best and easiest ways to explore the local cuisine. Check out Get...
Aside from food tours, taking cooking classes is one of our favorite things to do on trips. The way I see it, it’s one of the best ways to learn about the local cuisine. Eating pastel de nata is one thing but learning how to make it is another. Handling the ingredients and learning the methods will give you a much better understanding of Portuguese...
We have a much better understanding of Portuguese food now but as always, we’re hardly experts. This list of 25 only begins to scratch the surface of what Portuguese cuisine has to offer. It’s something we intend to build upon and improve with each return visit to Portugal. Some interesting dishes we haven’t tried yet include peixinhos da horta (de...
Apr 3, 2017 · Healthy, no; delicious, yes. Bacalhau. Caldo verde. The Portuguese love their soup and it’s common to see a soup option or two on most menus. Caldo verde is particularly popular and is made with shreds of a green leafy vegetable similar to kale, and typically includes a piece of chouriço (chorizo) for added flavour. .
- Carne de porco à Alentejana. Alentejo-style pork, also known as pork with clams, is a signature dish in Portuguese cuisine, particularly rooted in the Algarve region.
- Frango assado com piri-piri. Portuguese barbecue chicken, widely recognized as piri-piri chicken in English-speaking nations, is a beloved dish from Portugal, characterized by its grilled chicken slathered in piri-piri sauce.
- Porco Preto. Portugal has a deep-rooted fondness for pork, with porco preto or black pork sitting atop their preferences. This esteemed pork variety, sourced from the native Iberian pig, boasts a distinct grey to black skin tone, occasionally tinged red.
- Leitão da bairrada. Bairrada roast suckling pig, a culinary gem from Portugal’s Bairrada region, has earned its place as one of the country’s 7 Wonders of Gastronomy.
Apr 4, 2024 · You should be. Portuguese recipes burst with flavor – whether coated in a spicy sauce or drizzled with lemon juice. These are the ten best Portuguese dishes for you to try. 1. Pastel de Nata. Pastel de nata is a Portuguese dessert and one of our favorite Portuguese dishes.
Nov 27, 2022 · Arroz de Pato is an authentic Portuguese dish which has its roots in the North of Portugal, specifically the city of Braga. It combines some of the most symbolic elements of traditional Portuguese cuisine, bay leaf, garlic, wine, and of course rice. Piri Piri Chicken – Portuguese Grilled Chicken.
