What kind of food people eat in Brazil?

Our beautifully diverse country is a melting pot of cultures and it is not any different when it comes to food. We were influenced by European, Amerindian and African gastronomy, reflecting the mix between immigrants and native populations. Just when you think Brazilian cannot get more diverse, the national culinary tends to vary according to the region of the country.

We made a selection of our favorite Brazilian specialties, check it out:

Coxinha

This is one of the most famous Brazilian finger foods/snack! This popular pastry called coxinha (literally translated as “little tight”) consists in shredded pieces of chicken breast covered in dough, modeled in a shape that looks like a chicken leg and deep fried.

Pastel

Another popular fast food in the country, this consists in a retangle or half-circle shaped thin crust with various fillings, fried in vegetable oil. It is believed that Japanese and Chinese immigrants brought this pastry to Brazil, it kinda resembles the Japanese Gyoza. For many Brazilians, pastel serves as a quick lunch, afternoon tide-me-over or a treat that can be eaten anytime at a fair, beach or market. It can have many different fillings, although the most common ones are cheese, minced meat, banana, chicken and palmetto.

Mousse de Maracujá (Passion Fruit Mousse)

This is a very traditional dessert in Brazil and it involves no cooking at all! It is perfect for those who doesn’t like their desserts too sweet because it has a little bit of sour taste on it. It is basically a mixture of passion fruit, cream and condensed milk that makes everybody happy during get togethers and family reunions.

Misto quente

Misto Quente takes part of the breakfast one millions of Brazilians every day. This is basically melted ham and cheese sandwich, usually on white bread. There is a variation called “misto frio” where everything is the same except for the fact that the ham and cheese are not melted.

Tapioca

For those who are not familiar with the name “tapioca”, this consists on starch extracted from cassava (which also plays a big role in Brazilian cuisine) root.  Nowadays “tortillas” made out of goma de tapioca (tapioca flour) became really popular in the country and are usually eaten by people who are in a diet because it is healthier than bread. It can be filled with a large variety of things, the most common ones are cheese, condensed milk, coconut sprikles, chicken and butter.

Mandioca Frita (Fried Cassava)

Just like Belgium is known for its fries, Brazil is known for its Cassava fries. It is pretty much slices of cassava fried like fries. People usually eat it with fish, chicken or as snacks.