Portuguese cuisine offers something for everyone

“Portugal’s seafaring past has influenced the cuisines of South America, Africa and parts of Asia. Tempura was introduced to Japan by Portuguese missionaries and seafaring merchants.”

There are three things that keep Portugal top of mind for us as a favourite destination.

The people, the scenery and of course the food.

Over the last decade, Portugal has moved out from the culinary shadow cast by neighbor Spain and France, attracting foodies from around the world and opening up cooking classes and food tours as a popular must-do for visitors.

The cuisine of Portugal reflects its beautiful and dominant coastline and the traditional occupations which are responsible for all those picturesque villages dotted along the country’s Atlantic seaboard - fishing and seafaring exploration.

In fact Portugal’s seafaring past has influenced the cuisines of South America, Africa and parts of Asia e.g., tempura was introduced to Japan by Portuguese missionaries and seafaring merchants.

Let’s explore what makes Portuguese cuisine unique.

Fresh Seafood

What Portuguese locals take for granted is a delight for visitors - fresh fish, from small sardines to huge yellowfin tuna. If it lives in the Atlantic Ocean it is a safe bet the Portuguese have found a way to eat it. Octopus. squid, mussels, oysters, clams crabs squid, octopus, clams, can all be found on Portuguese restaurant menus, and also featured at home. This accounts for Portugal being the world’s third largest seafood consumer, right behind Iceland and Japan.

Salted Fish

Cod is king in Portugal but it’s not served as fish'n'chips as we and a great part of the world, are use to it being served.

The Portuguese love Cod - bacalhau - the Portuguese word for the fish and also what they call the salted and dried version of cod.

There is a saying in Portugal - there are 365 ways to prepare bacalhau—one for each day of the year.

Salt cod might not be high on your usual list of things to eat at home, but no trip to Portugal is complete without giving it a try. With all of the ways to serve it, there’s got to be one you’ll like!

Pork in Portugal

Almost as popular as seafood is pork, or ham, or really any part of the pig.

Presunto is a cured ham made from wild black pigs. Whole-roasted suckling pig is a mainstay in small towns and villages throughout the country - leitão assado or leitão da bairrada, are popular methods of preparation, where the slaughtered suckling pig is covered liberally in a paste of olive oil, garlic, black pepper, and butter, before being spit-roasted.

The Portuguese also are not squirmish about using the whole hog e.g Tripas à moda do Porto, a popular dish in the Porto region - a stew made with the ears, feet, brains and tripe.

Portuguese Stews

If one had to pick a national dish for Portugal, cozido would get our vote.

It is a boiled feast in a pot, served often as a mid-day, family meal.

The ingredients of cozido vary from region to region, but there are some common ones - root vegetables such as carrots and turnips, cabbage, potatoes and various kinds of Portuguese sausage - including the Portuguese version of Spain’s chorizo, chouriço, and blood pudding. It can include beef, chicken, beef and pork.

On the Azores island of São Miguel, cooking cozido is truly unique - huge sealed pots of cozido are put in a hot spring heated by a local volcano, and slow-cooked for several hours.

Port the perfect digestif

No Portuguese meal would be complete without the country’s famed port wine which is made from grapes from the Douro Valley. It is commonly served after a meal—many times with São Jorge, a cow’s milk cheese, but it is not a law to have your Port for dessert as Tawny and even white Ports are also served as an aperitif.

This article only scratches the surface of Portuguese cuisine. There are a multitude of delicious, rice-based dishes, and for the adventurous eater, the country offers foods many first try as a dare, but find delicious.

All in all, Portugal’s menus offer something for all tastes, Enjoy!

Take a Portuguese cooking class