One Christmas, I sneaked into the kitchen as my cousins argued over the last piece of chesterโitโs a memory that still makes me smile. Down here, the holiday table is a wild mix of flavors, from juicy meats to desserts that melt in your mouth, all served with a side of laughter. Iโve spent years savoring these dishes, and trust me, thereโs more to Brazilian Christmas food than meets the eye. Ready to taste the magic through my familyโs favorites?
We usually start our Brazilian Christmas dinner late on Christmas Eve, allowing everyone to eat, drink, and socialize until at least midnight, when we wish each other a Merry Christmas in the early hours of Christmas Day.
With the arrival of Christmas, we Brazilians feel that the warmth is not only in our climate but also in everyone’s hearts. This festive season of the year when we meet our relatives and family members, who come from their home states so that we can celebrate together with a delicious feast full of tropical colors and flavors.
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 food!
Christmas in Brazil food incorporates elements of cuisines from all over the world, adapted to our local palate. Local ingredients not only further enrich the taste, but also the appearance of our Brazilian Christmas dinner.
These are some of the Brazilian Christmas foods I grew up with Christmas turkey, Chester, tenders, pork a purpura, codfish cakes, rice with raisins and walnuts, Brazilian potato salad, Brazilian french toast, panettone, and much more. I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do!
Christmas in Brazil Food
The Christmas Turkey
Brazilians often add their own special touch by including turkey in Christmas meals, a worldwide tradition. Here in Brazil, we usually marinate the turkey in a tasty mixture of herbs and spices before roasting it to perfection. We usually serve the turkey with a variety of side dishes, such as fruit salads and farofa.
Although it may seem strange, we Brazilians love to combine a chicken salad with turkey or cheese. On the other hand, most Brazilian dishes that include raisins are almost always festive dishes. For some reason, it’s an ingredient we consume more often during the holidays. Salpicรฃo is a favorite in Brazil. I particularly can’t imagine a Christmas celebration without it!
Christmas Chester
Christmas Chester is a popular choice for festive celebrations here in Brazil. It’s a bird that’s similar to chicken but with softer, juicier meat. In my family we prepare it and bake it in the oven, stuffing it with a variety of spices and herbs to enhance its flavor.
To prepare the Chester, we marinate it in a mixture of orange juice, white wine, garlic, herbs, and spices, which gives the meat a delicious, aromatic flavor. During the time it’s in the oven, it’s common to drizzle the Chester with its own marinade sauce to keep the meat moist and juicy.
Christmas Chester is a popular choice for festive suppers, as it is an elegant and tasty option that appeals to all palates.
Christmas in Brazil Food
Chicken Salpicรฃo
Christmas salpicรฃo is a popular dish during the Christmas season in Brazilian culture. It consists of a cold salad made with a mixture of shredded chicken, potatoes, mayonnaise, vegetables such as carrots and peas, and other ingredients to taste, such as raisins and chopped green apples.
To prepare the salpicรฃo, the chicken is boiled and shredded, while the potatoes are boiled and diced. All the ingredients are then mixed with mayonnaise and seasoning to create a creamy and tasty salad. The salpicรฃo can be served as an accompaniment to a main dish such as Christmas turkey.
With its unique combination of flavors, Christmas salpicรฃo is a very welcome addition to the festive table of Brazilian cuisine, bringing a touch of freshness and lightness to the end-of-year celebrations.
Mayonnaise Salad
Mayonnaise salad is also a great side dish for barbecues and is wonderful when served with Brazilian Christmas rice. This salad contains potatoes, carrots, mayonnaise, boiled eggs, peas, corn, onions, and garlic and some variations include palm hearts.
There’s also a version of tropical fruits with pineapple, mango, and apple. I particularly LOVE this mayonnaise salad.
Christmas in Brazil Food
Codfish Cakes
In Brazil, bolinho de bacalhau is eaten during the festive season. During these festive days, Brazilians prepare these delicious dumplings, made with shredded cod, potatoes, spices, and herbs.
The dough is shaped into small dumplings, which are fried until they are golden and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Bolinho de bacalhau is a popular choice both as an appetizer before Christmas dinner and as part of the festive feast. It is enjoyed by people of all ages and adds a special touch of flavor and tradition to Brazilian Christmas traditions.
Rice With Raisins
Here in Brazil, rice with raisins is a staple side dish served during the Christmas festivities. To prepare it, you start by cooking the rice with water and salt, as usual.
While the rice is cooking, the raisins are hydrated in warm water for a few minutes to make them softer. Once the rice is ready, the raisins are added to the pan and mixed gently, allowing them to incorporate into the hot rice.
Some variations can also include other ingredients, such as sliced almonds or walnuts, to add an extra touch of flavor. Rice with raisins is served hot and is a tasty and festive addition to the Brazilian Christmas table a delicious dish.
Christmas in Brazil Food
Farofa
Ah, farofa this mixture of toasted manioc flour is WONDERFUL, and I think it’s my favorite side dish. In Brazil, the farofa made at Christmas is a tradition that enriches the festive celebrations even more.
Prepared with toasted cassava flour and seasoned with a variety of ingredients, Christmas farofa is a versatile and tasty accompaniment that complements many typical dishes of the season.
During the Christmas festivities, some special ingredients are added, such as dried fruit, chestnuts, raisins, bacon, smoked sausage, or even pieces of fresh fruit, adding even more flavor and texture to the dish. As well as being served as an accompaniment to roast turkey or Chester, farofa is an essential element in many Brazilian Christmas suppers.
Having farofa on the table is so important that many families consider Christmas incomplete without a good portion of farofa at the table. Thus, the farofa made at Christmas in Brazil is not just a simple side dish, but a symbol of tradition, flavor, and family togetherness during this very special time of year.
Pork a Pururuca (Pork Roast)
A traditional dish that was served at the first Christmas party in colonial times a few hundred years ago is roast suckling pig. In this tradition, a whole pig is bathed in wine and cooked slowly for several hours, until the meat is juicy and tender, and the skin turns into a crispy delicacy called torresmo.
This dish continues to be enjoyed as a delicious festive delicacy in many parts of Brazil during the Christmas celebrations. The long wait for this dish is worth it, and one can forgive the hours of being tortured by the incredible smell but still not being able to eat it.
Although it is still a popular Christmas dish, it is less common in the cities, due to the delicate and laborious preparation (not to mention putting a whole pig in the oven). However, it is the preferred choice of farmers and people living in rural areas.
Christmas in Brazil Food
Rabanada
In Brazil, during the Christmas festivities, we make bananas. To prepare them, we dip slices of French bread or bread rolls in a mixture of milk, eggs, sugar, and spices such as cinnamon and cloves. Then fry the slices of bread in hot oil in, a frying pan, until they are golden and crispy on the outside but soft on the inside.
Once fried, we sprinkle the toast with sugar and cinnamon or drizzle it with sugar syrup or condensed milk. Some variations include additional toppings such as condensed milk, dulce de leche, or dried fruit. Served warm or cold, rabanadas are appreciated for their soft texture on the inside and crunchy outside, along with the aroma of spices, during the Christmas festivities in Brazil.
Panettone
Christmas panettone is a popular Christmas dessert that we eat during the holidays here in Brazil. It is a sweet bread made with a slightly sweet dough, enriched with candied fruit and raisins. To prepare panettone, the dough is fermented for a prolonged period to ensure a soft, airy texture. Once fermented, the dough is mixed with the candied fruit and raisins before being shaped into its characteristic tall cylinder shape.
The panettone is then baked until golden brown, resulting in a delicious dessert fragrant dessert with a unique flavor. Some modern variations can include additional fillings, such as chocolate we have chocotone, which is also delicious cream or dried fruit, to add even more indulgence to the dish.
Panettone is a much-loved dessert during the Christmas holidays here in Brazil, and we share it with our friends and family as a symbol of celebration and togetherness. Its soft texture and sweet taste make it a popular choice to accompany a cup of coffee or tea during the end-of-year festivities.
Christmas in Brazil Food
Milk Pudding
Pudim de Leite is a classic Brazilian dessert, and one of my favorites that we eat here in Brazil, especially during the Christmas feast. It is made with a simple combination of milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla, resulting in a creamy texture and an incomparable taste. To prepare the pudding, a mixture of milk, eggs, and sugar is poured into a caramelized pan and baked in a bain-marie until firm. Once cool, the pudding is unmolded, revealing a layer of golden caramel on top and a soft, silky interior.
Pudim de Leite is a versatile dessert that can be enjoyed on any occasion, but it seems to have a special flavor at Christmas. Its smooth texture and delicate flavor perfectly complement a festive meal, making it a beloved choice for many families during the end-of-year festivities.
Pavรช
Pave is a Brazilian recipe that is also very popular during the Christmas festivities. It basically consists of alternating layers of cookies or cookies, cream (usually made with condensed milk, cream, and chocolate, or other flavors), and chopped fruit or chocolate.
To prepare the pavรช, you usually start with a layer of cookies soaked in milk, followed by a layer of cream, and so on, until you’ve filled the mold. Once assembled, the pavรช is refrigerated for a few hours to allow the layers to firm up and the flavors to blend.
Pave is a dessert that can be adapted in various ways, depending on individual preferences. It can be decorated with fresh fruit, for example, chocolate shavings, or even a whipped cream topping. Whatever the variation, pave is a very welcome addition to the Christmas table, and it’s impossible to resist a little piece of this dessert.
Merry Christmas (Feliz Natal) and Happy Holidays
As Christmas Day approaches, Brazilian households are preparing to immerse themselves in the joy of the season. The country’s Christmas traditions, rooted in diverse cultural influences, promise a unique and exciting experience. From beautiful nativity scenes to delicious dishes such as Bacalhau and Rabanadas, Brazilian Christmas traditions offer a delightful fusion of flavors and customs.
Christmas in Brazil is an opportunity to express love, share special moments with family and friends, and cultivate values of solidarity and compassion. Amid old traditions and new trends, Christmas in Brazil remains a warm and welcoming celebration, full of meaning and lasting memories for everyone.
As such, we Brazilians are ready to celebrate Christmas Day with warmth, love, and a dash of enchantment.
