Typical Portuguese Dishes

If you’re reading this you’re probably thinking of coming to Portugal, and of course, you don’t wanna miss out on the gastronomical experience that Portuguese cuisine can offer. You might be wondering what do Portuguese people eat? What are the typical Portuguese dishes? and we will give you some hints now, so you can try them yourself!

Overall, Portuguese gastronomy uses simple ingredients such as fish, meat, olives, potatoes, and olive oil. Here are some of the most popular dishes that you will find in Portugal:

🐟 Sardinhas Assadas: as simple as grilled sardines, it is mostly a summer dish but you can find it all year round at all Portuguese restaurants and it is very popular to eat during the Popular Saints festivities in Lisbon.

🍲 Caldo Verde: this soup that people enjoy the whole year is for sure the most popular in the country and it is a dish from the north of Portugal. It is made with Portuguese cabbage, potatoes, chorizo, and olive oil.

🐙 Polvo à Lagareiro: consists of a piece of first boiled and then roasted octopus marinated in olive oil and garlic served with baked potatoes, a must-try if you are a fan of seafood.

🐠 Bacalhau: it is salted dried cod and many Portuguese dishes have it as the main ingredient, a very popular one is Bacalhau à Brás which is prepared with tiny fried potatoes, onion, and scrambled eggs.

🍔 Bifanas: let’s call it the national sandwich, made with marinated pork meat served in a white bread bun and usually people add mustard and peri peri sauce. It can be eaten as a full meal accompanied by soup and fries or by itself as a snack.

🥪 Francesinha: originally from Porto and mostly popular there, it is made with bread, ham, sausages, and steak, covered with melted cheese, a fried egg, soaked in francesinha sauce made with tomato and beer, and accompanied with fries.

🍗 Chicken Piri Piri: you will find this simple dish which is braised chicken covered in peri peri chili sauce/oil at the churrascarias, usually served with fries and eaten with your hands, no cutlery.

🥧 Pastel de Nata: originally known as Pastéis de Belém due to their origin, is made with a buttery layered pastry that’s filled up with an egg custard that contains also sugar and cinnamon, the result is a very crispy and creamy pie, usually served with coffee for breakfast or as a snack.

Portuguese gastronomy is delicious, and there’s no better place to try it than Portugal!