My Family’s Feijoada (Bean Stew)
Every region in Portugal—and, in fact, every family—has its own version of this traditional bean and chorizo dish. It is amazing how, with a small portion of meat and some humble vegetables, you can make something so tasty, filling, and varied. We love the smell of the chorizo that fills the kitchen during cooking.
This dish relies on just four essential ingredients that can be found in almost every Portuguese pantry: beans (tinned are perfectly acceptable), onions, garlic and chorizo. Beyond that, there is plenty of room for personal interpretation. Some feijoadas include a generous selection of cured meats, while others are simpler. Some cooks add different cuts of pork, while others enrich the stew with cabbage, carrots, peppers, or a combination of all three. Even the type of bean varies from household to household.
In our home, we have two main versions of feijoada that we rotate throughout the year, choosing one or the other according to the season. This is our autumn version, when its warm copper tones seem to mirror the colours of the leaves outside and a hearty bean stew feels particularly comforting. At this time of year, we often add mushrooms and cabbage, which bring extra flavour, texture and a little seasonal variety to the pot.
The quantities provided are for four main-course servings, but I always cook a much larger portion and freeze the leftovers.
We usually have it with plain rice, but feel free to vary it: have it with a thick slice of bread or even just on its own—it is delicious!
Serves 4 (can easily be doubled to serve 8)
Ingredients
All ingredients, except the garlic, should be chopped or cut into cubes (diced) of approximately the same size as the beans. This recipe is very forgiving—even though I indicate quantities below, these are just for guidance
2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (use only 2 if the chorizo has a lot of fat)
1 medium onion (100–150 gr)
1 long celery stalk or 2 medium ones (50–60 gr)
½ chorizo, cut into cubes, or 75 to 100 gr diced chorizo (Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients Diced Chorizo is a good option if you cannot find a whole chorizo). If you cannot find chorizo, alternatives include pancetta or smoked bacon
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 large can (850–900 gr) cooked beans with their liquid (Bortoli beans are a good option in the UK, but this recipe works with any kind of bean). The brand I use contains very little salt and no additives. With other brands, you might want to replace the liquid with water to avoid too much salt or too many preservatives
3 tablespoons of tomato passata
Salt to taste—note that the chorizo and beans are already salty, so you may not need any extra salt
Black pepper to taste
Equipment
Large saucepan with a lid / casserole pan (ideally a tight-fitting one, like a Dutch oven, or you will lose moisture during cooking and your stew can burn).
Method
1. Bring the pan to a medium heat (setting 5 out of 9 in an induction or electric hob). Add the olive oil, onion and celery to the pan and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the chorizo and garlic to the pan and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. After a few minutes, when you can smell both the garlic and chorizo, and the oil and onion have turned a bright orange colour from the chorizo (as in the photo), it is time to add the beans with their liquid.
3. Mix in the passata, and other vegetables if using them. If the bean can contains very little liquid, add a glass of water to cover the vegetables, but remember that all vegetables will release water during cooking, so do not add too much. Taste the stew, and if needed, season with salt and pepper to your liking.
4. Bring the mixture to the boil in the uncovered pan. As soon as the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to low (2 out of 9) and cover the pan. Let it cook / simmer for a minimum of 15 minutes, up to 2 hours to infuse the flavours (a bit longer will not matter if the lid has a tight fit that prevents the steam from escaping).
5. Check again for seasoning and fine-tune to your preferences. Some people enjoy the stew more liquid, like a soup; others, like us, prefer it to be more like a thick gravy. You might need to add water to adjust the stew to your liking or let it boil uncovered to reduce the liquid.
6. The stew is now ready to serve with white rice or crusty bread. In our household, we always let the stew cool down in the pot and reheat it the following day. We think it tastes even better then.
Tips
Try using other type of beans and vegetables, such as cabbage or cauliflower. Black beans and mushrooms are a particular favourite combination.
Make double the quantity and keep the leftovers for another meal. The stew will last in the fridge for about 5 days and can be frozen. If frozen, just leave it outside the fridge/freezer for a few hours before your desired mealtime. To reheat, transfer the stew to a large saucepan over low to medium heat (3 or 4 out of 9) until it starts boiling.
