10 typical Brazilian dishes in a vegetarian or vegan version

Brazilian cuisine, as we know, is a universe. Each corner of the country has its seasonings, flavors and cooking styles.

From the traditional cuisine of Minas Gerais, which uses wood stoves a lot, to the gastronomy of Rio Grande do Sul, strongly linked to barbecue, passing through the coastal cuisine of the Northeast and the coast of São Paulo, the dishes of the Northeast hinterland and the carioca feijoada, there is no way not to be enchanted by the Brazilian gastronomic variety.

But for those who are vegetarian or vegan, many times, taking advantage of all this diversity can be a challenge.

In view of this, the Incredible.club presents 10 typical Brazilian dishes in the vegan or vegetarian version in which the recipe was specially adapted, substituting ingredients, without the food losing its Brazilian character or becoming less appetizing. Just follow.

Of Portuguese origin, the tripe has been present on Brazilian tables since colonial times, especially in the region of North East from the country. In its traditional version, it is made with the internal part of the stomach of beef, lamb or pork, which must be carefully prepared to eliminate dirt.

In the non-vegetarian recipe, the aroma of this dish is strong, and the flavors of other ingredients such as pork ribs and calabrese sausage predominate. Vegan/vegetarian foodies can try the recipe, only, of course, with some adaptations to replace animal-derived ingredients.

One of the main ingredients is vegan sausagewhich, in addition to the tripe, can be used, of course, in a series of other recipes, replacing the traditional sausage.

Vegan sausage can be made at home, with soy protein or soy beans and seasonings such as pepperoni, dehydrated garlic and powdered coriander, among others, in order to balance the flavors and make the delicacy more appetizing.

Here, you can find a vegan sausage recipe. And here, a vegan tripe recipe.

One of the dishes that most represent Brazilian cuisine, the origin of feijoada is usually associated with cassoulet, French dish that is made of white beans, meats and vegetables and is considered a kind of ‘French feijoada’. According to researchers on the subject, here in Brazil the dish took on a different face, with ingredients such as black beans, which replaced white beans in the recipe.

Here, you can see a version of the famous dish, only without using ingredients of animal origin. Bacon, for example, was replaced by smoked tofu with liquid smoke, which added a special touch to the flavor and aroma.

But do you know these ingredients that give the ‘vegan face’ to the dish?

Tofu: of Asian origin, it is prepared from strained and boiled soy milk. The homemade recipe (which you can find here) takes on a ‘cheese’ appearance, only more solid. For many, tofu has a neutral flavor, but it absorbs spices very well. The product is rich in healthy nutrients, being even an ally against premature aging. Tofu is a true wildcard of vegan cuisine, and can be used to flavor several recipes.

liquid smoke: used to obtain the flavor and aroma of smoke in foods, it is obtained from the steam released by the controlled burning of wood. This vapor is condensed and bottled.

There are two types of moqueca: capixaba and baiana. The difference is that the recipe prepared in the Holy Spirit besides fish, it takes tomato, onion, coriander, olive oil and annatto (coloral), while, in Bahiathe preparation is made without annatto and is added palm oil and coconut milk.

On vegan and vegetarian menus, of course, fish is not used. There are versions of this recipe (like this one) that use palm hearts and mushrooms (shitake, shimeji or Paris) and are delicious. Even for non-vegetarians. An explosion of flavors.

Acarajé is a typical dish from Bahia🇧🇷 Considered by some a sacred food, it is directly linked to rituals and religious traditions.

The origin of the name acarajé comes from the language of peoples of West Africa in which akará means “ball of fire” and je “eat”🇧🇷 There are those who like hot acarajé (well spiced) with different fillings such as caruru, vatapá — and both come with shrimp.

In the ingredients of the traditional acarajé dough, no adaptations are necessary for vegan cuisine (since there are no ingredients of animal origin), but to stuff the delicacy, instead of shrimp, a vegan vinaigrette, vatapá or caruru can be made. Or caruru can be made with just okra or with some tofu.

The traditional Sarapatel is a typical dish from the Northeast and is essentially a dish of animal origin. The original recipe uses ingredients such as liver, heart and ox blood. How, then, to create a vegan version?

Well, the ingredients of animal origin were replaced by a mix of mushrooms (shitake, shimeji, champignons and portobello) well seasoned with garlic and salt.

In the recipe (check here) for vegetarian sarapatel, a broth is formed, with a light solid texture created by the cooked mushrooms. This dish is ideal to accompany salads and to consume as a starter with breads.

Coxinha is practically an intangible heritage of Brazil; it is present at birthday parties, company get-togethers and it’s rare to meet someone who doesn’t like it. Currently, there are several types of coxinha recipe with different doughs, fillings, formats and ways of serving. So venerated, the coxinha has even become the subject of memes — as you can check here.

And, of course, with so many versions out there, a vegan one could not be missing. In the recipe, the chicken is replaced by jackfruit meat and the delicacy is visually very similar to the traditional one.

Jackfruit meat is successful in vegan and vegetarian cuisine, as it has the texture and appearance of chicken — obtained after being shredded and cooked. Because it is neutral in flavor, it is important to take care of the seasoning.

Baião de dois, popular in Northeastern cuisine, is made with typical ingredients from the sertão, such as dried meat, rice, green beans, coalho cheese and bottled butter. And, yes, there is a vegan version, with recipes (check it out here) that make the dish super colorful, attractive and very Brazilian.

Maniçoba is a food of indigenous origin that is highly appreciated by the people of Pará. A dish that is difficult to prepare in which the wild cassava leaf takes seven to 10 days to cook — this to eliminate hydrocyanic acid, a toxin present in this type of cassava and which can be lethal.

In its traditional version, the delicacy has ingredients such as beef jerky, ribs and pepperoni. And there is a delicious vegetarian version, which takes vegetables, fruits and soy, mixing typical ingredients from Pará and India. This recipe, prepared by a restaurant in Belém (PA), has already received the award for “Best Dish Made in Brazil” in 2013.

A dish that is the face of Brazil and especially of Rio Grande do Sul, barbecue matches parties and weekends. And those who don’t eat meat don’t need to rely only on side dishes, such as vinaigrette, rice, cassava and farofa.

The option, in this case, is quite simple. It can be a curd cheese for vegetarians (who generally have no restrictions on milk and eggs) or even some vegetables, such as peppers, eggplants, zucchinis and onions that, when roasted on the grill and well seasoned (with plenty of oil and spices) are simply delicious.

There are several recipes (see here) with these and other types of vegetables. Just roast them on the grill, grill or oven until they are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, and still make a delicious vegan garlic mayonnaise (check it out here), to make the dish even more delicious.

Carreteiro rice is part of the history of Rio Grande do Sul and it was created by the need for the carters (or tropeiros) who transported loads pulled by oxen, to feed themselves quickly, energetically, economically and with foods that had high durability – in this case, jerky meat and rice. Over time, Carreteiro rice became popular and gained new versions and ingredients. In the vegetarian recipe (click here), animal products make room for plant-based protein options, such as smoked sausage and tofu, which makes carter rice less greasy, healthier, but just as tasty as the traditional version.

Lucca Pietro, a student from Campinas, created the steak made from vegan bread crumbs. The product is seasoned with olive oil, curry or saffron, spicy paprika and soy sauce (full recipe here) and then fried, giving it an appearance similar to that of a chicken fillet.

The name “Robson” was chosen by Lucca as a way of getting revenge on a person named Robson who in college criticized him for being vegan.

Did Robson prove it?

Know someone who is vegetarian or vegan?

Have you ever tried any of these dishes? Tell us!