Forget boring sides, and let’s spice things up because Portuguese food is here to party! These 10 easy recipes will transform any meal into a flavor fiesta.
1. Portuguese Roasted Potatoes
You will fall in love with these if you enjoy exceptionally crispy and spicy spuds. The Portuguese really know how to roast a potato with tons of flavor. I usually skip the sausage to focus on the seasonings and potatoes.
Adding the meat makes this the literal definition of meat and potatoes though. You might think the 90 minute cook time sounds excessive. Trust me because you want to stick with it for that perfect crunch.
2. Caldo Verde
This soup contains some sausage but focuses mainly on healthy ingredients. It features kale and onions along with potatoes and garlic.
You can make this hearty and flavorful dish in about 45 minutes. It is the ideal meal for the colder months of the year.
3. Portuguese Tomato Rice
Arroz de tomate is exactly what the name implies. It is rice cooked and flavored with plenty of tomatoes. The recipe also uses onions and garlic plus bacon fat and broth.
Tomatoes and rice are definitely the main stars here. I think it tastes scrumptious even without adding extra meat. The flavor reminds me of a soup my grandmother made with elbow macaroni and bacon grease called macaroni and tomato juice.
4. Milho Frito
These look and taste somewhat like oversized croutons. The texture and consistency are slightly different though. You make croutons from fried bread while milho frito uses fried cornmeal or polenta.
They are tasty and full of herbs. This treat is less crunchy than a crouton and keeps a bit of that corn flavor.
5. Portuguese Potato, Tuna, and Olive Salad
This thick and chunky tuna salad is meant to be eaten on its own rather than as a sandwich spread. You just need to boil the eggs and cook the potatoes before mixing everything else together.
Chickpeas and olives join the tuna for a heavy dose of earthy umami flavor. The eggs and potatoes add a heartiness that keeps you full for hours. Olive oil and parsley provide a lightness that really sets off the dish.
6. Garlic Bread
I enjoy garlic bread prepared almost any way possible. This specific recipe definitely makes it into my top five favorites.
The garlic gets baked right into the dough instead of sitting on top. It is not greasy or messy like versions covered in butter.
Every single bite is infused with garlic flavor. I think this one might actually belong in my top three now.
7. Acorda (Portuguese Bread Soup)
This gorgeous green soup looks unlike anything you have seen before. Each bowl contains a poached egg and a large chunk of bread. The other ingredients are simple things like garlic and cilantro plus water and olive oil.
It packs a lot of flavor despite the limited ingredient list. The bread and egg ensure it fills you up too.
8. Portuguese Salad
The total time for this recipe is 45 minutes. It is very easy since 30 minutes of that time is just chilling in the fridge. You can whip this up with no problem if you can chop and mix veggies.
This cold and refreshing salad tastes best in the summer with fresh garden produce. You need tomatoes and cucumbers along with olives and mint.
9. Broa de Milho (Portuguese Corn Bread)
Portuguese cornbread looks nothing like the American version you might know. It forms a large round loaf with intricate cracking all over the top. The inside is dense and very tightly packed.
You will notice a subtly sweet taste that pairs well with anything. The outside of the loaf is also crispier than the cornbread we are used to eating.
10. Portuguese Fried Potatoes
Portuguese chefs are just as good at frying potatoes as they are at roasting them. Each potato gets thinly sliced and smothered in butter and olive oil. You season them with salt and pepper plus some rosemary.
They have a relatively mild flavor compared to other foods but are still unbelievably yummy.