So the question is…
What do they eat on Christmas in Brazil?
Well, Christmas day is one of the main dates of celebration for us, Brazilians. This celebration is not new; it dates back to the colonization of the colonization of Brazil. From the poorest family to the richest, from the Christians to those with no religion, practically every family celebrates Christmas in Brazil.
My fondest memories of Brazil are at the end of the year when the Christmas festivities take place. Playing with my cousins, my playful uncles, my loving grandparents, and what’s more: a unique and wonderful cuisine. And for you, the traveler, celebrating such a date in Brazil, is to immerse yourself in the local culture and traditions, and in fact, Christmas is a unique moment for this.
Christmas feasts in Brazil are blending tradition with innovation in exciting ways. Alongside classics like roast turkey and rabanada, plant-based options like lentil-stuffed chester are gaining fans. Dessert tables now feature panettone infused with local guava or cupuaรงu, showcasing regional flair. Itโs a festive nod to evolving tastes and sustainability.
Many things have changed over the years, not just in Brazil, but all over the world. Brazil, but all over the world. One example is the decrease in births in Brazilian families. Until the 1990s, it was common for a family to have 6 to 10 children. Nowadays, it’s more common for families to have no children or at most one or two maximum. But in any case, family gatherings at the end of the year retain their year retain their quality, even if there are fewer people.
We Brazilians have main courses with different types of meat, such as types of meat, such as Christmas tenders, codfish, picanha, suckling pig ร pururuca, lamb, pork loin, the Christmas turkey, and shank with side dishes (rice and farofa), salads (salpicรฃo, potato mayonnaise, cold salads and variety of salads), vinaigrette and various fresh and dried fruits.
And there’s a healthy discussion among Brazilians whether or not to add raisins to rice. Until I was 10 years I hated it, but today, at 28, I love the combination! But there are those who hate it.
Oh and if you are looking to come here for Christmas and plan to travel all around, we have a complete Brazil travel guide you can read later. Now back to Xmas!
And make no mistake: if you’re looking to lose a few pounds, and be a fitness person, this is not the right time to come to Brazil! But I don’t I don’t see any problems with that, because we eat very well, enjoy our friends and family, and so we start the year energized, with a lot of love in our hearts.
As I mentioned above, this end-of-year party should be remembered for being caloric. We should therefore remember the sweets. The typical Brazilian dessert you’ll see at Christmas will be local cakes, dulce de leche, pave local cakes, chocolate cake, pave, German pie, milk pudding, brigadeiros, egg white pudding, tarts, and French toast.
Below, we’ll list the various Christmas foods that we eat here in Brazil. I sincerely hope that you have the opportunity to try this rich cuisine, which has its origins in Italian, French, Portuguese, German, Polish, and our indigenous people.
What do they eat on Christmas in Brazil
Chester or Turkey
Turkey roasting: Christmas tradition for Brazilian locals courtesy of Lucas
In Brazil, it is common for families to serve brisket or turkey on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve, whether stuffed or not. One dish that has this context is chester, an option that many consider to be exclusive to the country.
Chester is essentially a chicken with a larger amount of meat around the thighs of meat around the thighs and breast, thus giving rise to the name “Chester”. This bird also stands out for having significant proteins and less fat, making it a competitive alternative to turkey.
As for the stuffing options, they range from terrine to farofa, the latter being a very popular accompaniment in Brazil. When it comes to seasoning, it’s common to roast the chester with onion, garlic, butter, parsley, and white wine, following the traditional recipe. However, there are regional variations that offer different touches of flavor.
To accompany it, traditional options include potatoes or cassava, both of which perfectly complement the flavor of the main dish.
What do they eat on Christmas in Brazil
Codfish
Local Brazilians preparing codfish, a Christmas delicacy courtesy of Lucas
This renowned Portuguese dish has also become an integral part of Brazilian cuisine. Cod is the predominant (and often only) choice for those who wish to enjoy fish during the Christmas festivities.
The most popular way to prepare bacalhau is to accompany it with potatoes, olives, egg mixture, and different colored peppers. It has a unique salty flavor that can be a little intense for some palates!
Leg
We are preparing pernil, a Christmas specialty courtesy of Talia
Some families choose to serve poultry during their Christmas celebrations, while others prefer pork, known around here as pernil. This Brazilian roast shank recipe is a festive choice for the Christmas table, providing a delicious and succulent dish. Our pernil is prepared with garlic, onion, butter, rosemary, ground pepper, and lemon juice, giving it an irresistible flavor.
Although it’s relatively easy to prepare, it’s important to note that roast pork shank requires a considerable amount of cooking time to achieve the desired texture and flavor.
What do they eat on Christmas in Brazil
Pork Purรฉe
Christmas traditions: A lovely pork! Courtesy of Lucas
A traditional dish that dates back to the first Christmas celebration in colonial times, several years ago, is the whole pig roast. In this delicacy, a whole pig is marinated in wine and slow-cooked for several hours until the meat becomes juicy and tender, while the skin turns into a crispy delight known as torresmo.
The long wait for this dish is rewarded by its exceptional quality, and even if it’s hard to resist the incredible aroma as it cooks, it’s worth every minute of anticipation until it’s time to taste it.
This generous meal is enough to safely feed at least a dozen people. Although it is still a popular dish for Christmas, its delicate and laborious preparation, not to mention the need for an oven large enough to accommodate a whole pig, makes it less common in urban areas. However, it remains a favorite choice for farmers and rural dwellers
โChristmas Tender
Christmas tender: Traditional dish for Brazilian locals, courtesy of Lucas
The third and final meat option for Christmas dinner is ham, known in Brazil as “pernil”.
This ham is prepared with a combination of honey, mustard, white wine, and cloves, as well as being decorated with pineapple, grapes, and cherries, making it not only delicious but also juicy. To further enhance its flavors, we accompany the ham with a fruity sauce made with ingredients such as orange, pineapple, passion fruit, and apple.
Christmas in Brazil is characterized by a mixture of apple pie and fruit aromas, adding a lovely tropical touch to festive meals.
What do they eat on Christmas in Brazil
Salpicรฃo
Local Tradition: Preparing Salpicรฃo, a Christmas delicacy, courtesy of Lucas
Although it may sound peculiar to some, we Brazilians have a special appreciation for combinations such as Brazilian chicken salad with turkey or chester.
In fact, we have a habit of consuming a lot of starches in our meals, as you’ll see in this article about Christmas dinner.
Salpicรฃo de frango, for example, consists of shredded chicken, potatoes, mayonnaise, raisins, and other ingredients. It’s worth noting that the presence of raisins is a common feature in many Brazilian dishes during the holidays. For some reason, this ingredient is more frequent in our meals during the Christmas season.
Even everyday dishes, such as white rice, are given a special touch during Christmas, simply because it’s a festive occasion.
Christmas Farofa
Farofa cooking: Christmas tradition for Brazilian locals, courtesy of Lucas
Farofa is essentially a dish prepared with a generous portion of butter, onions, and sometimes eggs, fried bananas, or some kind of meat, such as bacon, Brazilian sausages, or beef. All these ingredients are then mixed with the key component: toasted cassava flour.
This is one of the most popular side dishes in Brazil and goes well with a variety of dishes: fish, poultry, and meat, adding a crunchy texture that always leaves you wanting more.
Christmas farofa follows the same line as Brazilian Christmas rice. All the usual ingredients are incorporated, plus some less conventional additions, such as nuts, raisins, peppers, and other local peppers. There seems to be a trend among Brazilians to enjoy robust and full-flavored dishes at their Christmas celebrations!
What do they eat on Christmas in Brazil
Potato Salad
Potato mayonnaise making: A local tradition at Christmas, courtesy of Lucas
At our Christmas dinner, we usually serve chicken salad or the traditional Brazilian potato salad. In Sรฃo Paulo, my hometown, we opt for potato salad.
As well as being a classic side dish for barbecues, this salad is delicious when served with white rice – yes, the double starch, I know… Potato salad is made with potatoes (of course!), carrots, mayonnaise, boiled eggs, peas, green beans, corn, onion, garlic and lemon juice. Some variations include hearts of palm and apples, although I don’t like apples in savory dishes.
With all these ingredients, this salad is a perfect option to accompany Christmas dinner or even to be served on French bread. And it’s very satisfying!
White rice
Brazilian locals cooking white rice for festive holiday meals, courtesy of Lucas and Pablo
For Brazilians, white rice (as well as all types of beans) is the equivalent of pasta for Italians – the basis of countless dishes. It’s a food that’s often on our tables, and not just at Christmas.
Many of our traditional dishes have rice as a key ingredient. Examples include galinhada, a chicken dish cooked with rice in a single pot, and arroz doce, a delicious dessert or breakfast option, if you prefer Brazilian rice is usually prepared with chopped garlic, onion, and salt, resulting in a delicious dish that is simple to prepare and complements many meals very well. And as I mentioned in the introduction to this text, we can add the delicious raisin to white rice.
What do they eat on Christmas in Brazil
Brazilian French Toast
Brazilian locals frying up delicious Brazilian French toast for holiday breakfast
Rabbanada is the Brazilian equivalent of French toast. It first appeared as a way to avoid wasting the day’s bread, and today it is an important part of our Brazilian Christmas traditions.
In this classic recipe, the bread is delicately sliced and soaked in a mixture of milk and sweetened condensed milk, before being dipped in eggs and fried until golden brown. Finally, it is sprinkled with sugar and/or cinnamon and nutmeg to add a final touch of flavor. Every bite is a true celebration of Christmas!
German Pie
Local Brazilians preparing German pie, a Christmas delight, courtesy of Lucas
Although less popular than pave, German pie is loved by most and always causes excitement when served by the host. Despite its German name, the recipe has its roots in the Brazilian version of cuisine.
According to the story, a German immigrant missed the recipes from her homeland and decided to adapt them with the very different tropical ingredients she had at her disposal. Surprisingly, her creation was an instant success, perhaps even surpassing the original. At the very least, Brazilians appreciated it enough to incorporate it into their own culinary culture.
What do they eat on Christmas in Brazil
Pavรช Dessert
Pavรช making: Christmas tradition for Brazilian locals, courtesy of Talia
This was one of the desserts my late grandmother loved to make the most. It is truly a culinary masterpiece. Although we can enjoy it all year round, it is most commonly enjoyed during Christmas.
Pave is essentially a no-bake layer cake made up of a combination of ladyfinger cookies or Marie cookies, cream, and chocolate – that’s the traditional recipe.
However, we often experiment with flavors other than chocolate, such as pineapple, peanut, strawberry, white chocolate, and coconut, among others.
A fair warning: pave is addictive, delicious, and sure to bring a lot of joy to your Christmas table. You have been duly warned.
Favorite Drinks to Have on Christmas Eve
Brazilian locals mixing Caipirinha for festive holiday drinks, courtesy of Lucas
Of course, we couldn’t leave out the typical Brazilian Christmas drinks. After all, most Brazilians eat their meals with some kind of drink with them: water, soft drinks, juices, etc.
I’ve listed below some of the drinks we usually enjoy on Christmas Eve in Brazil:
- Champagne or Sparkling Wine: It’s common to toast Christmas with champagne or sparkling wine, especially during festive suppers.
- Caipirinha: This Brazilian national drink, made with cachaรงa, lemon, sugar, and ice, is a popular choice during the Christmas festivities.
- Mulled wine: A drink traditionally consumed during the Christmas period, especially in colder regions of the country. It is prepared with red wine, spices such as cloves and cinnamon, and sugar.
- Fruit punch: A refreshing drink made with a mixture of fruits, such as pineapple, apple, grape, and orange, usually mixed with soda or fruit juice and sometimes with a touch of alcohol, such as rum.
- Soft drinks: I don’t think this is just a Brazilian tradition. However, every part of Brazil has traditional soft drinks, which will always be on the Christmas dinner table.
Wrapping Up: What do they eat on Christmas in Brazil
Mix of traditional Brazilian foods: Christmas delight for Brazilian locals, courtesy of Lucas
Preparing a delicious dinner for the whole family is a cherished tradition during Christmas in Brazil, and the meals mentioned above are part of a sort of unwritten norm for most households.
As I write these words, I feel great happiness, remembering the countless Christmases I spent with family and friends. All the fond memories I have of this celebration and how unique our cuisine is.
The same joy and energy that we radiate during Carnival or while cheering at a soccer match is also experienced during this festive season. It’s contagious.
If you have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas in Brazil with a friend’s family, don’t hesitate. I’m sure it will be a delightful experience.
In the meantime, you can try your hand at preparing these dishes and recreating the atmosphere of a Brazilian Christmas dinner in your own home.
In any case, I wish you a Merry Christmas, and may you enjoy your meal! Or as we say in Portuguese, Feliz Natal e Bom apetite!
