I’ve developed a vegan feijoada recipe that tastes amazing, and makes me question why I ever ate meat. Feijoada has been one of my favourite meals. I remember when I first had it in a Brazilian restaurant.
The perfect combination of the flavours, the beans and the Farofa has always been something I’ve loved, and a truly original meal. If you’re wondering what Farofa is, it is toasted Cassava Flour, popular in Brazilian cuisine, usually mixed with spices.
You can find some in Brazilian or Portuguese restaurants in Stockwell, known as “little Portugal”.
Feijoada, and feijao (Beans – usually black beans and kidney beans), has always been a big part of Portuguese and Brazilian culture. Our stews being infamous for their distinct flavour.
Meat is usually a bit part of Feijoada, particularly pork, which is traditionally added to feijao recipes along with other meats. However, as I’ve spent more time living on plant based foods, I’ve noticed that the meat was never necessary.
Making feijoada vegan is as easy as subbing out the meat for a vegan alternative.
How I Veganised Feijoada
What I noticed that I’ve loved from Feijoada, was not the bacon bits, but the beans; the texture of the stew; the Farofa, stew and rice combo, that was what it was all about.
So I combined some spices I’ve been experimenting with (paprika, coriander, cumin, etc). Spices which have always reminded me of the flavour used to make meat “nice”. The more I cook with veg, the more I realised it’s all in the spices. There’s no real “flavour” in pig.
This veganised Portuguese Feijoada recipe is flavourful, satisfying and perfect for one who enjoys a good plate of Feijoada – but wants to cut down on the meat.
I feel many seem to think that the flavour or feel of Fejoada itself comes from the meat. But I have learnt that spices and a mixture of textures can go a long way.
I’ve added vegan bacon bits to the mix, which actually managed to stew pretty well considering!
Feijoada (Portuguese Black Bean Stew) Recipe
I’ve looked around the net and seen numerous methods of making a vegan Feijoada. Many vegan feijoada recipes contain soy, or smoked tofu (to be more specific), to further capture that bacon-ey flavour, I assume.
I’m proud to say this veganised feijoada recipe contains plant based bacon bits, and is very tasty! I’ll also experiment with tofu, soy curls, etc.
But other than that, hopefully you have fun with this veganised Portuguese black bean stew (Feijao) recipe, enjoy!
| Prep Time | 10 Minutes |
| Cook Time | 45 Minutes |
| Passive Time | 55 Minutes |
| Servings |
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- 400 Millilitres Vegetable Stock Or one stock cube, dissolved in water
- 2 Cans Black Beans
- 1 Onion Diced or finely chopped
- 4 Cloves garlic
- 1 Heaped Tsp Paprika
- 1 Tsp Cumin
- 1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 Tsp Coriander
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Whole Bay Leaf
- 50 Grams Plain Flour To thicken (Optional)
- Himalayan Pink Salt To taste
- Black Pepper To taste
- 50 Grams Farofa For Topping
- 100 Grams Vegan Bacon Bits I used vivera
- 1.5 Cups White Rice
- 3 Cups Water
- Himalayan Pink Salt To taste
- 1 Whole Bay Leaf
- 2 Cloves garlic Minced
Ingredients
Black Bean Stew (Feijoada)
Simple Rice
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- Heat oil in a pan on a medium heat, then add chopped onions, garlic and spices, cook until onions are translucent (3-5 Minutes).
- Add bacon bits, coat in spices, cook and stir for 4 minutes.
- Add the black beans, 1 bay leaf and the vegetable stock, bring to a boil and cover and simmer on a low heat for 25-30 minutes.
- Whilst the stew is stewing, heat oil and add minced ginger, cook for 1 min on a medium to low heat, then add rice.
- Coat rice in garlic-ey oil, add hot water according to ratios specified above, as well as salt and bay leaf, bring to a boil and cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until soft and fluffy.
- After 20 minutes of stewing, add sifted flour to mix and stir to thicken the sauce, leave to cook for 5 minutes or until you're satisfied with the texture (should be a creamy/gravy like texture). Taste the sauce and check whether you need additional salt and/or pepper. Add cornflour to thicken if needed.
- Serve fluffy rice, topped with vegan feijoada, and sprinkle the Farofa freely to your taste (personally I have a lot LOL).
