Traditional Brazilian Feijoada

Name: Traditional Brazilian Feijoada
Prep time: 120 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Brésilienne
Ingredients: 1 kg dried black beans; Water, as needed; 2 smoked or salted pork tongues; 1 kg dried beef (carne seca); 500 g salted pork ribs; 500 g salted pork loin (lombo); 500 g smoked calabresa sausage; 2 paio sausages; 250 g smoked bacon; 2 salted pig's feet; 1 salted pig's tail; 2 salted pig's ears; 3 onions, diced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 4 bay leaves

By Marie Lefebvre · Updated October 14, 2026

This is the real feijoada, the one that simmers gently for hours until the black beans melt into a deep, fragrant broth. It's Brazil's beloved Sunday family dish: hearty, comforting, and made to be shared with the people you love. Give it time, and it will give you back a feast.

Prep⏱️ 120 min

Servings👥 8 servings

Difficulty📊 Medium

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🛒 Ingredients

8 servings

1 kg dried black beans
Water, as needed
2 smoked or salted pork tongues
1 kg dried beef (carne seca)
500 g salted pork ribs
500 g salted pork loin (lombo)
500 g smoked calabresa sausage
2 paio sausages
250 g smoked bacon
2 salted pig's feet
1 salted pig's tail
2 salted pig's ears
3 onions, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 bay leaves

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Directions

1
Sort and rinse the beans, then soak them for 12 hours in plenty of cold water.
2
Rinse the salted meats, cut them into pieces and soak them for 12 hours, changing the water at least twice.
3
Drain the beans, place them in a large pot with the bay leaves and cover with three times their volume of water. Bring to a gentle simmer.
4
In a separate pan, blanch the salted meats for 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.
5
Once the beans start to soften, add all the meats, the sausage and the paio. Simmer over low heat for 2 to 3 hours, until everything is tender.
6
Heat a little oil or lard and sauté the onion and garlic until golden and fragrant.
7
Ladle out some cooked beans, mash them into a purée, return them to the pot with the sautéed aromatics and simmer for another 30 minutes to thicken the broth.
8
Serve piping hot with finely shredded sautéed collard greens, raw cassava flour, orange wedges and an ice-cold beer.

💡 Chef's Tip

Soaking the salted meats is the step you can't rush: after an overnight soak with at least two water changes, they season the dish without making it too salty. Taste before adding any extra salt. Like most slow-cooked stews, feijoada tastes even better reheated the next day.