Brazilian Feijoada
A weeknight-friendly beef built around dried black beans, pork ribs and smoked sausage — roughly 70 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and large pot. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (7)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: contains meat, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: none of the major allergens we track from the ingredients listed.
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- The night before, soak the dried black beans in plenty of cold water; separately soak the jerked beef in cold water overnight to draw out excess salt, changing the water once or twice.
- Drain the beans, place them in a large pot with the bay leaves and fresh water to cover by several inches, bring to a boil, then simmer partially covered for about 1 hour until starting to soften.
- Cut the ribs, ham steak, smoked pork chops, and drained jerked beef into chunks, add them to the beans, and continue simmering for 45 minutes, topping up with hot water as needed to keep everything submerged.
- Slice the smoked sausage and add it to the pot, then cook for another 30 minutes until all the meats are tender and cooked through and the beans are creamy.
- In a skillet, heat the olive oil and fry the chopped onion and garlic until golden, then ladle in a cup of beans, mash them into the onion, and stir this back into the pot to thicken the stew.
- Season the feijoada with salt to taste, squeeze in the juice of the orange, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes more so the flavors meld.
- Serve hot over white rice with sauteed collard greens, orange segments, and toasted cassava flour on the side.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Large pot · Saucepan
Tips & common questions
How long does Brazilian Feijoada take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Brazilian Feijoada is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Feijoada (Brazilian dish), São Luís, Maranhão.jpg (CC0) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.