Feijoada Vegetariana

Feijoada is Brazil's national dish — a rich black bean stew historically made with the cheaper cuts of pork. This vegetarian adaptation honours the soul of the original through deeply caramelised onions, smoked paprika, and chipotle pepper, which recreate the smoky depth that pork would typically contribute. Served on Saturdays in homes across Brazil, feijoada is a communal ritual as much as a meal.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 400g (2 cups) dried black beans, soaked overnight
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large onions, finely diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (or 2 tsp smoked paprika + 1 tsp chili flakes)
• 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.5 litres (6 cups) vegetable stock
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Juice of 1 orange
• 500g (1 lb) cooked white rice
• 200g (7 oz) collard greens (couve), thinly sliced and sautéed with garlic
• 4 orange slices and farofa (toasted cassava flour), to serve

Instructions

1. Drain the soaked beans. In a large heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden and beginning to caramelise.
2. Stir in garlic, chipotles, smoked paprika, cumin, and bay leaf; cook 2 minutes.
3. Add drained beans and pour over the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 1.5–2 hours until beans are completely tender.
4. Remove 2 ladles of beans and mash them roughly; stir back into the pot to thicken the stew.
5. Squeeze in orange juice, season generously with salt and pepper, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes more.
6. Serve in bowls alongside white rice, sautéed collard greens, orange slices, and farofa.

Cook's Notes: The orange slice served alongside is traditional — squeeze it over the beans just before eating to cut the richness. Beans improve dramatically on day two once the flavours have melded. Omit farofa to keep the meal naturally gluten-free.