Recipe Roundup

19 Brazilian Recipes in Honor of the Rio Olympics

These traditional and Brazilian-inspired recipes will make you feel like you're alongside the athletes in Rio, enjoying the country's rich culinary history.
Image may contain Dish Food Meal and Bowl
Photo by MIKKEL VANG
  • Two caiprinha cocktails in glasses with muddled limes.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Mira Evnine
    1/19

    Caipirinha

    Considered the national drink of Brazil, a traditional Caipirinha is made with just fresh limes, sugar, and cachaça, a Brazilian spirit distilled from sugarcane juice.

    Get This Recipe
  • Teri Lyn Fisher
    2/19

    Teeny-Weeny Coxinha

    This Brazilian fritter is traditionally shaped like a drumstick to represent the filling's main ingredient: chicken.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by MIKKEL VANG
    3/19

    Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca Capixaba)

    This version of fish stew comes from Espírito Santo, a state along Brazil's South Atlantic coastline. Fish and shrimp nestle in a bright, lime-spiked broth studded with tomatoes, peppers, and plantains.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Ben Fink
    4/19

    Chocolate Brigadeiros

    These little chocolate fudge balls are as common and as loved in Brazil as chocolate chip cookies are in the U.S.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Ben Fink
    5/19

    Baked Coconut (Cocada de Forno)

    Like a coconut pudding cake, this dessert is based on a dish served at Brazil a Gosto, chef Luiza Trajano's restaurant in São Paulo.

    Get This Recipe
  • Ben Fink
    6/19

    Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)

    A soft, chewy bread roll about the size of a golf ball infused with cheesy flavor, pão de queijo is Brazil's favorite savory snack. Manioc starch, which comes from a root vegetable also known as cassava or yucca, gives the bread an incredible gooey, chewy texture.

    Get This Recipe
  • Dan Forbes
    7/19

    Christmas Caipirinhas

    Inspired by Brazil'’s national cocktail, the caipirinha, this party drink cuts the traditional cachaça-sugar-lime trio with ginger beer and spices it up with an addition of fresh ginger.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Evan Sung © 2016
    8/19

    Grilled Beef Skirt Steak With Onion Marinade

    This is one of those recipes that will make you look like an incredible cook for very little effort. Because of skirt steak’s relatively loose grain, it soaks up marinade incredibly well.

    Get This Recipe
  • John Kernick
    9/19

    Xuxu and Shrimp with Chile and Lemon

    Crisp chayote squash goes by many names, but its Brazilian one, xuxu, was the inspiration for this quick stir-fry. After being sautéed with shrimp and hearts of palm, the whole thing is tossed with a quick sauce of garlic, onion, jalapeño, and lots of bright lemon juice.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Romulo Yanes
    10/19

    Mint Caipirinha Ice Pops

    Inspired by Brazil's national drink, these boozy popsicles are made with cachaça, lime juice, and mint.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Ben Fink
    11/19

    Toasted Manioc Flour With Eggs and Scallions (Farofa de Ovo e Cebolinha)

    Farofa is the term for a side dish using toasted farinha de mandioca—in English, manioc flour—which is similar in looks and texture to breadcrumbs, but made from yuca, a root vegetable.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Romulo Yanes
    12/19

    Grilled White Cheese With Oregano Oil

    These skewers are traditionally made with Brazilian queijo de coalho, a dense, salty white cheese very similar in taste and texture to the haloumi used in this recipe. Queso para frier (aka "frying cheese") and queso blanco, easily found at Latin markets, make fine substitutes.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Romulo Yanes
    13/19

    Potato, Pepper, and Chorizo Empañadas

    Variations on empanadas exist across Latin America, Spain, and Portugal. (In Brazil, they are most often referred to as a pastel.) Tip: Make a double batch so you'll have extra on hand for quick meals. To freeze, place individual, unbaked pies on a baking sheet and put in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic freezer bag. When you're ready to eat, transfer frozen empanadas to a parchment-lined baking sheet, place directly in a preheated oven, and add 5 to 10 minutes onto the cooking time.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Romulo Yanes
    14/19

    Chicharrones Tacos

    A wildly popular Latin snack food throughout the Americas, chicharrones are made from pork belly that has been cooked for a long time with the skin on. Though usually eaten as a crispy snack, they also make a tasty taco filling when heated in sauce until softened and chewy.

    Get This Recipe
  • CIA/Keith Ferris
    15/19

    Feijoada (Meat Stew with Black Beans)

    Advanced planning may be required for this stew of beef, pork, and black beans. The traditional orange garnish adds a nice hit of brightness to the long-simmered dish.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Evan Sung © 2016
    16/19

    Ox’s Chimichurri

    Traditionally associated with Argentina, variations of chimichurri—itself a variation of salsa verde—exist throughout South America. This condiment is usually made with parsley and a mix of other herbs, plus red peppers, green onions, and/or garlic.

    Get This Recipe
  • Tina Rupp
    19/19

    Coconut Flans with Coffee Caramel

    Quindim, a Brazilian dessert very similar to flan, is traditionally made with coconut milk. This version includes both coconut and dairy milks, and also features a sauce made with coffee, of which Brazil is the largest producer worldwide.

    Get This Recipe
Read More
The Most-Saved Recipes in the Epicurious App This Week
Like grilled chicken wings and a citrus bitters cocktail.
The Most-Saved Recipes in the Epicurious App in May
Like green falafel smash burgers and a crispy rice salad.
19 Low-Alcohol Cocktails That Still Bring the Party
Like a strawberry-rhubarb spritz, a watermelon-sherry-kombucha cooler, and more low-ABV drinks for day drinking and keeping your witz.
23 Fresh Basil Recipes for Pesto and Beyond
Grilled corn with basil butter, pineapple shrimp noodles, slow-cooker pork with zesty basil sauce, and more.
41 Father’s Day Breakfasts to Say, “Thanks, Dad”
Extra-tender cinnamon rolls, everything-bagel quiche, a chorizo and egg crunchwrap, and more ways to show your gratitude.
The Best Mac and Cheese You'll Ever Make (Restaurant-Quality)
In this edition of Epicurious 101, professional chef and culinary instructor Frank Proto demonstrates how to make the best mac and cheese at home. From the perfect melty sauce to a delicious toasted crust, follow Frank’s guide and never make a dry mac and cheese again.
31 Fourth of July Desserts for Star-Spangled Summer Fun
Like butter-pecan icebox cake, sour cherry pot pie, sheet pan shortcake, and more.
Pro Chefs Blind Taste Test Every Hot Dog
Chefs Cara Nicoletti, Pat LaFrieda, and Matt Abdoo are used to thinking outside the box when it comes to cooking; however, today on Epicurious, we’ve asked them to give us their unfiltered, honest reviews of some prominent hot dogs found on supermarket shelves. Which hot dogs pack the most bang for your budget, and which should you avoid at all costs?
Pro Chefs Blind Taste Test Every Frozen Burrito
Chefs Yara Herrera, Eric See, and Adán Medrano are used to thinking outside the box when it comes to cooking; however, today on Epicurious, we’ve asked them to give us their unfiltered, honest reviews of some prominent frozen burritos found on supermarket shelves. Which burritos pack the most bang for your budget, and which should you avoid at all costs?
Cheese Expert Tries Every Trader Joe’s Cheese
Trader Joe’s is famous for its cheese selection, but which ones are actually worth buying? Cheese expert Liz Thorpe joins Epicurious to taste test everything from classic Brie and sharp cheddar to more adventurous flavors like chocolate stilton and spicy scotch bonnet. Join Liz as she breaks down the best buys, hidden gems, and which cheeses to skip on your next Trader Joe’s run.
19 Homemade Ice Cream Recipes Worth a Second (or Third or Fourth) Scoop
Hazelnut espresso, no-churn dark chocolate, raspberry-cardamom, and more dreamy combos.
Our Favorite Carla Hall Recipes
From a black-eyed pea salad to “by far the best” shrimp and grits.