13 Brazilian Dishes for Romanticizing Your Weeknight Dinners

I had been curious about the food in Brazil for quite awhile, but it was so much better than what I had expected when I actually visited the country.

Brazilian dishes are incredibly flavorful and diverse; it’s a huge country, so you’re getting flavors and ingredients anywhere from the Amazon to the oceanside.

And I feel like one of the best ways to get to know a cuisine is to talk to the locals and even take cooking classes. My husband and I had booked a private cooking class while we were in Florianópolis, Brazil and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Chef Alessandro (not sponsored) welcomed us into his home and gave us such an incredible experience.

But I can go more into that in another article. So for now, I’ll just cover a few traditional recipes you can try in Brazil or when you want to romanticize a random weeknight dinner.

1. Pão de Queijo (Cheese Bread)

One of my favorite Brazilian recipes on this list! Pão de queijo, or Brazilian cheese bread, is made with a lot of cheese (mozzarella + parmesan in my case) and cassava starch which gives it this amazingly soft, fluffy, chewy texture.

They’re incredibly addictive when they’re hot and fresh, but honestly they taste just as good even if you heat them up three days later.

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2. Brigadeiros

Brigadeiros (Brazilian fudge) is one of my favorite Brazilian deserts. And while you can get them in nearly any store in Brazil, I much prefer them homemade. There’s something that tastes so much more rich and dark when you make them from scratch.

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3. Coxinha (Brazilian Chicken Croquette)

I think I ate around a hundred of these when I was in Brazil. They’re incredibly addictive and have the best flavor + texture ever.

Coxinhas are deep fried dough balls (normally) filled with spiced chicken and they’re highly addictive. Because of how the dough is made, it almost has the texture and flavor of mashed potatoes. Honestly, it’s a little hard to explain, but once you’ve had one, you’ll kind of wanna eat them on repeat.

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4. Floripa Oysters

If you are traveling in Brazil, and more specifically in Florianópolis, then definitely don’t overlook their oysters. They’re super fresh and pair great with a sweet chili sauce.

Our private cooking lessons chef just popped his in the oven, but if you want a recipe from the area, then below is a recipe for gratin oysters that you can try at home without buying a plane ticket to Brazil.

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6. Cassava Sticks

Another one of my favorites when it comes to Brazilian food.

Cassava (or mandioca as the Brazilians calls it) is a root that can be used in so many dishes. And for this one, it’s cut up and fried until crispy and golden brown.

I honestly feel like they’re even better then fries, but that’s just me. They’re perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Very addictive and I could have eaten 20 of them, no regrets.

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7. Moqueca de Camarão

Moqueca de camarão is a very simple, healthy, and flavorful Brazil food.

You put ingredients like bell pepper, shrimp, palm oil, coconut milk, onion, and tomatoes in a pot and let it cook. As it’s cooking, all of the juices from the ingredients come out and it becomes a sort of stew.

It’s pure comfort food and perfect for colder evenings.

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8. Açai

I loved having açai in Brazil. It’s a fruit that comes from the Amazon and it’s perfectly refreshing on cold days.

The one Chef Alessandro served us had guava in it, and it was super smooth, sweet, and a great way to end the cooking lessons.

9. Banana Forafa

Farofa is a super simple but tasty dish that makes for a great side for so many Brazilian recipes. You just fry up a diced onion in oil or butter (until soft), add the manioc flour (cassava flour), and fry until it’s crunchy and toasted. And then you finish it off by stirring in the cut up pieces of banana once the heat has been turned off.

10. Pé de Moleque (Brazilian Peanut Brittle)

While this wasn’t something I tried when I was in Brazil, I still needed to add it. It’s just 4 ingredients, not including the water, and it looks like the perfect dessert to enjoy after a nice Brazilian dinner.

It takes just 30 minutes in total and it’s something you can probably enjoy throughout the week.

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11. Limonada Suíc (Brazilian Lemonade)

Plain and simple, this is the Brazilian version of lemonade, except it’s made with limes and blended, which in my opinion, makes it so much better.

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12. Fraldinha

Flank steak that’s been marinated in spices, herbs, and garlic, and then grilled. This sounds like it would be the perfect thing to make for a summer BBQ.

Also, it’s served with Brazilian sides like the farofa above or rice and beans. So if you want to have a more authentic dinner, then you might wanna try these classic pairings.

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13. Feijoada

This is one of the top classic Brazilian dishes on this list (it’s actually Brazil’s national dish), and if you like comfort food, then this needs to be on your meal plan this week.

It’s filled with hearty and savory ingredients like linguica sausage, pork, bacon, beans, chorizo, and ham hocks. Also, this recipe serves 8, so it’s perfect for a small crowd or for when you want really good leftovers all throughout the week.

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