A warm welcome to all my friends! Let me take you on a flavor-filled journey through the rich culinary traditions of my beloved Portugal.
From the robust flavors of hearty meat stews like cozido à portuguesa to the bright, briny tastes of grilled sardines fresh from the ocean, Portuguese cuisine delights in contrasts. Rooted in rustic, peasant-style cooking using whatever ingredients were readily available, our dishes may seem simple, but they are masterful in their artful blending of flavors.
As you explore this collection of 25 authentic Portuguese dinner dishes, I invite you to dive headfirst into the vibrant tastes of my culture. Prepare to fall in love with the complex, homey comfort of dishes like the iconic caldo verde soup, the decadent francesinha sandwich, and the garlic-laced shrimp açordas. Let me guide you through the time-honored techniques and ingredients that make Portuguese cuisine so unique and unforgettable.
1. Cozido à Portuguesa (Portuguese Boiled Dinner)
A hearty, flavorful stew with a mix of smoky, salty, and rich flavors.
Ingredients: Salt-cured pork, smoked sausages, beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, chickpeas
- Cook time: 2-3 hours
- In a large pot, layer the meats, vegetables, and chickpeas with water to cover
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours until meats are tender
- Serve with potatoes, carrots, and broth from the pot
2. Bacalhau à Brás (Salted Cod with Eggs and Potatoes)
A classic with flaky, salted cod, creamy eggs, and crispy potato bits delivering a umami-rich taste.
Ingredients: Salted cod, eggs, onions, potatoes, parsley, olive oil
- Cook time: 30 mins
- Soak and desalt the cod, shred it into pieces
- Fry the potatoes until crispy, set aside
- Sauté onions, add cod and continue cooking
- Push everything to the side of the pan, crack in eggs and scramble
- Mix everything together, garnish with parsley
3. Frango Piri Piri (Portuguese Piri Piri Chicken)
Spicy and smoky with a hint of citrus from the marinade. Chicken is tender and juicy.
Ingredients: Chicken, piri piri chilies, garlic, paprika, lemon, olive oil
Cook time: 1 hour (plus marinating time)
- Make piri piri marinade by blending chilies, garlic, paprika, lemon, oil
- Marinate chicken for 2-4 hours or overnight
- Grill or roast the marinated chicken until cooked through
4. Leitão Assado (Roasted Suckling Pig)
Crispy, crackling skin giving way to succulent, juicy pork with hints of garlic and salt.
Ingredients: Whole suckling pig, salt, garlic, laurel leaves, white wine
Cook time: 2-3 hours
- Rub the pig cavity and exterior with salt, garlic, and laurel
- Tie the legs and stuff cavity with more seasonings
- Roast at high heat until skin is crispy, then reduce heat and continue roasting
- Let rest, carve, and serve with roasting juices
5. Caldo Verde (Portuguese Potato and Kale Soup)
Silky, creamy soup with vibrant kale flavor and a kick from the smoked sausage.
Ingredients: Potatoes, kale, onions, garlic, olive oil, smoked sausage
Cook time: 1 hour
- In a pot, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil
- Add sliced potatoes and cover with stock, simmer
- Once potatoes are soft, smash some against side of pot
- Add chopped kale and sliced sausage, cook 10 more mins
6. Bifanas (Portuguese Pork Sandwiches)
Savory pork marinaded in white wine and garlic tucked into fresh bread rolls.
Ingredients: Pork loin, white wine, garlic, paprika, bay leaves, bread rolls
Cook time: 1 hour
- Marinate sliced pork in wine, garlic, paprika, bay leaves for 30 mins
- Sauté marinated pork until cooked through
- Pile pork onto fresh bread rolls, drizzle with cooking juices
7. Sardinhas Assadas (Grilled Sardines)
Perfectly grilled sardines with crispy, salty skin and tender, flavorful flesh.
Ingredients: Fresh sardines, olive oil, lemon, coarse salt
- Cook time: 15 mins
- Rinse and butterfly the sardines, pat dry
- Brush with olive oil and season with salt
- Grill over hot coals for 5-7 mins per side until cooked
- Squeeze lemon juice over top before serving
8. Arroz de Pato (Portuguese Duck Rice)
Rich and satisfying with moist duck meat and flavorful rice cooked in duck stock.
Ingredients: Duck legs, white rice, onions, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, duck stock
Cook time: 1.5 hours
- Sear duck legs until browned on both sides
- In same pan, sauté onions, garlic, peppers
- Add rice and toast for 2 mins, then duck stock
- Place duck legs on top, cover and simmer for 25 mins
- Remove duck legs, fluff rice and adjust seasoning, serve together
9. Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato (Clams in Garlic Sauce)
Briny clams in an aromatic garlic, cilantro, and white wine sauce with a hint of heat.
Ingredients: Littleneck clams, garlic, cilantro, white wine, olive oil, piri piri sauce
Cook time: 20 mins
- Clean the clams under running water, discard any open ones
- In a pot, sauté garlic in olive oil until fragrant
- Add wine and piri piri sauce, bring to a simmer
- Add clams, cover and cook for 5-7 mins until they open
- Discard any that don’t open, stir in cilantro and serve immediately
10. Açorda à Alentejana (Portuguese Bread Soup)
Hearty, rustic soup with garlic-scented broth and olive oil-drenched bread crumbs.
Ingredients: Day-old bread, garlic, olive oil, eggs, cilantro, water/broth
Cook time: 30 mins
- Make garlic-olive oil mixture by simmering crushed garlic in olive oil
- In a pot, tear bread into chunks and cover with water/broth
- Poach eggs directly in the broth
- Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle with garlic-oil and sprinkle with cilantro
11. Cataplana de Marisco (Portuguese Seafood Stew)
A medley of sweet, briny seafood in a tomatoey, garlicky sauce with smoky paprika.
Ingredients: Clams, shrimp, firm fish, tomatoes, onion, garlic, paprika, white wine
Cook time: 45 mins
- In a cataplana or pot, sauté onions and garlic
- Add tomatoes, paprika, wine and simmer to make sauce
- Layer in seafood, don’t overcrowd
- Cover and steam everything for 10-12 mins until seafood is cooked
12. Francesinha (Portuguese Sandwich)
An indulgent, messy sandwich with layers of cured meats and smoky sausage under a blanket of beer-cheese sauce.
Ingredients: Bread, linguiça, ham, steak, tomato beer sauce, cheese
Cook time: 30 mins
- Layer cured meats and steak onto bread
- Make a tomato beer sauce with garlic, paprika, beer
- Pour sauce over sandwich and top with cheese
- Bake until cheese is melted and sauce is thick and gooey
13. Bolinhos de Bacalhau (Salted Cod Fritters)
Light, fluffy fritters with salty pops of preserved cod and a crispy exterior.
Ingredients: Salt cod, potatoes, onion, parsley, eggs, milk, flour, olive oil
Cook time: 45 mins
- Soak and shred the salt cod, removing any bones
- Boil and mash potatoes with onions and parsley
- Mix in cod, eggs, milk, flour to make a thick batter
- Fry spoonfuls of batter in hot olive oil until golden brown
14. Polvo à Lagareiro (Portuguese-style Octopus)
Tender, garlic and paprika marinated octopus with crispy roasted potatoes.
Ingredients: Octopus, potatoes, garlic, paprika, olive oil, bay leaves
Cook time: 1.5 hours
- Boil octopus with bay leaves for 45 mins until tender
- Marinate with garlic, paprika, olive oil for 30 mins
- Roast marinated octopus and potatoes until potatoes are crispy
15. Rojões à Moda do Minho (Pork Loin Stew)
Stew of succulent pork loin in a rich, smoky sauce of smoked sausages and vegetables.
Ingredients: Pork loin, linguiça, vegetables, white wine, paprika, olive oil
Cook time: 2 hours
- Sear pork loin pieces in olive oil until browned
- Add sliced linguiça, sauté briefly
- Pour in wine, paprika, vegetables, broth – bring to a boil
- Reduce heat and simmer for 1.5 hours until pork is very tender
16. Arroz de Tamboril (Monkfish Rice)
Firm, meaty monkfish combined with flavorful tomato rice seasoned with paprika and garlic.
Ingredients: Monkfish, white rice, onions, garlic, tomatoes, paprika, white wine
Cook time: 1 hour
- Season and sear the monkfish fillets until lightly browned
- In a pot, sauté the onions and garlic until soft
- Add paprika, tomatoes, wine, and simmer to make a sauce
- Stir in the rice and stock, nestle in the monkfish fillets
- Cover and simmer for 20-25 mins until rice is cooked through
17. Açorda de Camarão (Shrimp Bread Soup)
A shrimp-studded garlic broth poured over crispy bread crumbs – comforting and delicious.
Ingredients: Shrimp, garlic, olive oil, eggs, cilantro, crusty bread
Cook time: 30 mins
- Make a garlic-olive oil mixture by simmering crushed garlic in oil
- Add shrimp shells and water/stock, simmer to make a broth
- Add shelled shrimp and poach for 2-3 mins until cooked
- In a bowl, crack eggs into broth and scramble lightly
- Pour over toasted bread crumbs and garnish with cilantro
18. Bife à Portuguesa (Portuguese-style Steak)
Juicy steak smothered in a rich sauce of garlic, beer, and mushrooms. Rustic comfort food.
Ingredients: Ribeye steaks, mushrooms, garlic, beer, butter, parsley
Cook time: 45 mins
- Pan-sear the ribeye steaks until nicely browned; set aside
- In the same pan, sauté mushrooms and garlic in butter
- Deglaze pan with beer, simmer until thickened
- Return steaks to pan and warm through, basting with the sauce
- Garnish with parsley and serve steaks drenched in the mushroom sauce
19. Cabidela de Frango (Portuguese Chicken Rice)
Chicken and rice infused with deep, complex flavors from the rich chicken-blood sauce.
Ingredients: Chicken, rice, chicken blood, vinegar, mint, olive oil
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- Cook time: 1.5 hours
- Cook chicken pieces until browned, reserve chicken stock
- In a pot, simmer chicken blood with vinegar and mint
- Add rice and chicken pieces, pour in the reserved stock
- Simmer covered for 20 mins, then bake uncovered until rice absorbs liquid
20. Feijoada à Transmontana (Portuguese Bean Stew)
Hearty stew of beans cooked with lamb, pork, and smoked meats creating deep, savory flavors.
Ingredients: Kidney beans, lamb, pork, linguiça, vegetables, olive oil
Cook time: 2-3 hours
- Soak beans overnight, then simmer with meats and vegetables
- In another pot, brown lamb, pork and linguiça in olive oil
- Add browned meats to the bean pot and continue simmering
- Cook for 2-3 hours until thick and beans are extremely tender
21. Lapas Grelhadas (Grilled Limpets)
Briny, chewy grilled limpets drizzled with garlic-herb butter with a squeeze of lemon.
Ingredients: Fresh limpets, garlic, parsley, lemon, butter
Cook time: 15 mins
- Scrub and rinse the limpets under running water
- Make a garlic-parsley butter for basting
- Grill the limpets over hot coals for 5-7 mins per side
- Baste with garlic butter and finish with lemon juice
22. Arroz de Marisco (Portuguese Seafood Rice)
A bounty of fresh seafood adorns saffron-infused tomato rice. Bright and satisfying.
Ingredients: Shrimp, mussels, clams, fish, tomatoes, onion, garlic, saffron, rice
Cook time: 1 hour
- Make the tomato-saffron sauce by simmering tomatoes, garlic, saffron
- In a paella pan, sauté the onions and toast the rice
- Pour in the sauce and stock, arrange seafood over the top
- Cover and simmer for 20 mins until seafood is cooked and rice absorbed
23. Migas à Alentejana (Portuguese Bread Crumb Dish)
Crispy bread crumbs tossed with garlic, cilantro and smoky chorizo in a savory, crunchy delight. Ingredients: Day-old bread, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, chorizo, eggs
- Cook time: 30 mins
- Tear bread into pieces and pulse into coarse crumbs
- In a skillet, fry garlic in olive oil until fragrant
- Add bread crumbs and fry until crispy and golden brown
- Mix in sliced chorizo, chopped cilantro, and scrambled eggs
24. Caldeirada de Peixe (Portuguese Fish Stew)
A tomato-based stew brimming with a variety of fish and shellfish in a garlicky, wine-infused broth.
Ingredients: Firm fish, shrimp, clams, tomatoes, onion, garlic, white wine, potatoes
Cook time: 1 hour
- In a pot, sauté the onions and garlic until soft
- Add white wine, tomatoes and potatoes, simmer for 10 mins
- Layer in the fish and shellfish, don’t overcrowd
- Cover and cook for 15-20 mins until all seafood is opaque
25. Papas de Sarrabulho (Portuguese Bread and Pork Dish)
Humble comfort food of shredded pork and bread soaked in a garlic-mint broth.
Ingredients: Day-old bread, pork loin, garlic, mint, olive oil, eggs
Cook time: 1.5 hours
- Simmer the pork loin in water with garlic and mint until very tender
- Shred the cooked pork and mix with some of the cooking liquid
- In a pot, cover torn bread pieces with remaining broth
- Add shredded pork mixture and poached eggs, let soak 10 mins
Conclusion
No matter which of these 25 delectable Portuguese dishes you choose to prepare, I hope they provide you with a genuine taste of the country I love so dearly. From my family’s kitchen to yours, these recipes represent generations of tradition, passion, and an unwavering reverence for simple, impeccable ingredients.
In Portugal, our food is more than just sustenance – it is a love letter to our heritage, our people, and the very essence of what makes our culture so vibrant. With each aromatic spoonful, each succulent bite, you honor the hard-working hands that have tilled the lands, the calloused fingers that have kneaded bread doughs, and the weather-worn faces that have cast nets into the vast Atlantic for centuries.
Obrigado for joining me on this delectable journey. I hope you walk away with full bellies, open hearts, and a deeper appreciation for the humble beauty of Portuguese home cooking.