Portuguese

If you’re looking to zero in on our most beloved and popular Portuguese recipes, consider the humble Pastéis de Bacalhau (salt cod and potato fritters) as a nibble. And there’s this lovely modern Portuguese recipe variation: Chouriço and Potato Balls. Same concept but using the classic Portuguese sausage in place of fish.

My grandmother’s malassadas (Portuguese doughnuts) are always a crowd-pleaser. And my Portuguese Orange Olive Cake, which has been sold in a few pastry shops in Paris, no less!)  is divine, if I say so myself. But without a doubt, the number-one most popular Portuguese recipe here is Pastéis de Nata (Portuguese custard cups) with their shatteringly crisp shell and creamy custard.

David Signature

A bifana, a Portuguese pork sandwich on a white plate with a bottle of mustard in the background.

Bifanas ~ Portuguese Pork Sandwiches

In the pantheon of great Portuguese foods, there are few sandwiches that are more superlative than the bifana. Essentially pork, bread, and sauce, it’s comfort food at its simplest.

A platter of Azorean carne assada--chunks of roasted beef, carrots, and sausage on a white plate.

Portuguese Carne Assada

A traditional Azorean dish that boasts meltingly tender oven-braised beef, potatoes, chouriço, and onions. It’s a rustic, homey, Sunday supper sorta dish from David’s VERY Portuguese mom.

Four links of homemade Portuguese chouriço hanging

Homemade Portuguese Chouriço

If you’ve got some time, patience, and access to a smoker, homemade smoked Portuguese sausage is within your reach. Go on. Impress your friends.

An enamel pot filled with Portuguese bean soup with a hint of bread roll and a spoon.

Portuguese Bean Soup

A leisurely way to make a super comforting and filling soup that makes rainy days more bearable. And the leftovers are even better.

A person holding a spoonful of milk mayonnaise above a jar.

Milk Mayonnaise

Maionese de leite in Portuguese, milk mayonnaise–you heard us–is a creamy, eggless emulsion held together by oil, milk (natch), and a lotta love.

A ladle scooping Portuguese fennel soup into a white bowl on a white plate with a silver spoon beside it.

Portuguese Fennel Soup

Fennel soup, or sopa de funcho in Portuguese, is a staple in Madeira and the Azores Islands. This recipe is full of fennel, pork, sausage, cabbage, and beans.

A wide ceramic bowl filled with Portuguese duck risotto, topped with orange zest and parsley.

Portuguese Duck Risotto

A dreamy, creamy riff on the classic arroz de pato, this dish call in flavor favors from duck, cured ham, spicy sausage, and tangy oranges.

A piece of Portuguese tea flan on a white plate, drizzled with caramel sauce with the remaining flan in a bowl in the background.

Portuguese Tea Flan

Creamy custard is infused with tea for an unusual take on the classic Portuguese flan. The classic caramel topping gives the dessert its depth and sweetness.