Feijoada
Black Bean and Pork Stew
Brazil's national dish: a hearty stew of black beans slow-cooked with a variety of pork cuts including sausage, ribs, and dried beef, served with rice, farofa, collard greens, and orange slices.
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Brazilian Cuisine Guide
Brazilian Allergen Guide
From churrasco to moqueca — know exactly what's on your plate.
Staple carbs:Rice, cassava (mandioca), farofa, corn
Key proteins:Beef, pork, chicken, fish, black beans
Signature fats:Dendê (palm) oil, lard, butter, olive oil
Common flavour bases:Garlic, onion, tomato, cilantro, lime
Watch out for:Wheat flour in coatings, condensed milk in desserts, hidden dairy in pão de queijo
Allergen Overview
How common each allergen is in this cuisine. Always confirm with staff.
Gluten
Often Present
Wheat flour is used extensively in fried snacks (coxinha, pastel, bolinho), breaded dishes (bife à parmegiana), and baked goods. Farofa is cassava-based and usually safe, but cross-contact is common.
Dairy
Often Present
Cheese, butter, and condensed milk are pillars of Brazilian cooking. Pão de queijo is pure cheese, desserts rely on leite condensado, and many dishes get a finishing touch of cream or butter.
Eggs
Sometimes Present
Eggs appear in breaded items (coating), desserts like pudim and quindim, and sometimes in farofa tropeiro. Not as pervasive as dairy but still common.
Fish
Sometimes Present
Coastal and Bahian dishes feature fish heavily. Moqueca, vatapá, and acarajé all contain fish or shrimp. Inland dishes rarely include fish.
Shellfish
Sometimes Present
Shrimp is very popular in Bahian and Northeastern cuisine. It appears in moqueca, vatapá, acarajé, and bobó de camarão. Elsewhere it's less common.
Soy
Sometimes Present
Soybean oil is a common cooking oil in Brazil. Many fried items and restaurant dishes may be cooked in soy oil even when it's not listed.
Sesame
Rare
Sesame is not a traditional ingredient in Brazilian cooking. It may appear occasionally in bread toppings or fusion dishes but is not a core concern.
Tree Nuts
Sometimes Present
Cashews (castanha de caju) and Brazil nuts (castanha-do-pará) are native and appear in sweets, granolas, and some savoury dishes. Coconut is extremely common, especially in Bahian cuisine.
Peanuts
Sometimes Present
Peanuts feature in Northeastern dishes like vatapá and paçoca. They also appear in candy bars (paçoquinha) and some festive snacks during Festa Junina.
Hidden Ingredients to Watch
Unexpected allergen sources that may not be obvious on menus.
Dendê oil (palm oil)
Distinctive orange oil from palm fruit. Generally allergen-safe but can cause digestive issues; sometimes confused with tree nut oils.
Found in: Moqueca Baiana, acarajé, vatapá, caruru
Leite condensado (condensed milk)
Contains dairy and is extremely common in Brazilian desserts, often unlisted when used as a base.
Found in: Brigadeiro, pudim, mousse de maracujá, pavê, beijinho
Farofa with butter or bacon
Plain cassava flour is allergen-friendly, but farofa is almost always enriched with butter, bacon fat, or eggs.
Found in: Served alongside feijoada, churrasco, and most traditional mains
Catupiry or cream cheese
A soft processed cheese spread used as a filling or topping; dairy that's often not mentioned in dish names.
Found in: Coxinha, pizza, pastel, grilled meats, sushi rolls
Soybean oil
The most common cooking oil in Brazil; rarely specified on menus but present in most fried and sautéed dishes.
Found in: Virtually all fried street food, restaurant cooking
Dried shrimp (camarão seco)
Contains shellfish protein, often ground into pastes or sauces where it's not visually apparent.
Found in: Vatapá, acarajé filling, caruru, some Bahian rice dishes
Wheat in salgados
Brazilian savoury snacks (salgados) almost always use wheat flour dough, even when the filling seems gluten-free.
Found in: Coxinha, empada, esfiha, bolinho, risole
Featured Dishes
Moqueca Baiana
Bahian Seafood Stew
A vibrant seafood stew from Bahia made with fish or shrimp, coconut milk, dendê (palm) oil, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and fresh cilantro, typically served in a clay pot with rice.
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Coxinha
Chicken Croquette
Brazil's most popular street snack: a teardrop-shaped croquette with a wheat-flour dough shell filled with shredded chicken in a creamy sauce, breaded and deep-fried until golden.
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Pão de Queijo
Cheese Bread
Small, puffy cheese rolls made from tapioca (cassava) starch and cheese — naturally gluten-free but loaded with dairy. A beloved snack from Minas Gerais eaten at any time of day.
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Picanha
Grilled Rump Cap
The most prized cut of Brazilian churrasco (barbecue): a rump cap steak with its fat cap intact, seasoned with coarse salt and grilled on skewers over open flame, then sliced thin to serve.
No common allergens
Pastel
Deep-Fried Stuffed Pastry
A thin, crispy, deep-fried pastry folded into a half-moon or rectangle shape, stuffed with fillings like ground beef, cheese, chicken, shrimp, or hearts of palm — a staple at street markets (feiras).
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What to Ask the Staff
Copy these questions to show restaurant staff. Available in English and Portuguese.
English
- Does this dish contain wheat flour or gluten?
- Is there any dairy — milk, cheese, butter, or cream — in this dish?
- Are eggs used in the preparation or coating?
- Does this contain fish or shrimp?
- Is this fried in soybean oil or another type of oil?
- Does the farofa contain butter, bacon, or eggs?
- Is there catupiry or cream cheese in the filling?
- Can this dish be prepared without the sauce?
- Are there any nuts — peanuts, cashews, or Brazil nuts — in this?
- Is the dough made with tapioca starch or wheat flour?
- Do you share frying oil between different items?
- Can you prepare this dish separately to avoid cross-contamination?
Portuguese
- Este prato contém farinha de trigo ou glúten?
- Tem algum laticínio — leite, queijo, manteiga ou creme — neste prato?
- Ovos são usados no preparo ou na cobertura?
- Este prato contém peixe ou camarão?
- É frito em óleo de soja ou outro tipo de óleo?
- A farofa contém manteiga, bacon ou ovos?
- Tem catupiry ou cream cheese no recheio?
- Este prato pode ser preparado sem o molho?
- Tem alguma castanha — amendoim, castanha de caju ou castanha-do-pará — neste prato?
- A massa é feita com polvilho ou farinha de trigo?
- Vocês compartilham o óleo de fritura entre diferentes itens?
- Vocês podem preparar este prato separadamente para evitar contaminação cruzada?
Menu Glossary (Portuguese)
Common menu words to help identify ingredients and allergens.
farinha de trigo= wheat flour
Contains gluten; used in breading, pastries, and baked goods
polvilho= tapioca starch
Gluten-free cassava starch; base of pão de queijo
mandioca= cassava
Gluten-free root vegetable; also called aipim or macaxeira
farofa= toasted cassava flour
Usually gluten-free but often enriched with butter, bacon, or eggs
leite condensado= condensed milk
Dairy; foundation of most Brazilian desserts
requeijão= Brazilian cream cheese
Dairy; a soft spreadable cheese used in fillings and as a condiment
catupiry= processed cream cheese (brand)
Dairy; commonly used as a filling in coxinha, pizza, and pastéis
dendê= palm oil
Oil from palm fruit; allergen-safe but very rich and distinctive in Bahian food
camarão= shrimp
Shellfish; prevalent in Bahian and Northeastern dishes
amendoim= peanut
Appears in vatapá, paçoca, and festive sweets
castanha de caju= cashew nut
Tree nut; used in sweets, salads, and some savoury sauces
castanha-do-pará= Brazil nut
Tree nut; commonly eaten as a snack, also in granola and sweets
ovo= egg
Used in breading, desserts (pudim, quindim), and some farofa
queijo= cheese
Dairy; Minas cheese and mozzarella are especially common
linguiça= pork sausage
May contain milk powder, wheat fillers, or soy — check labels
azeite de oliva= olive oil
Generally allergen-safe; used for finishing dishes and salads
coco= coconut
Tree nut concern for some; extremely common in Bahian and Northeastern cuisine
sem glúten= gluten-free
Useful label term when scanning menus or packaging
Frequently Asked Questions
It's mixed. Many staples like rice, beans, grilled meats, and cassava-based sides are naturally gluten-free. However, street food and snacks (coxinha, pastel, bolinho) are almost always wheat-based. Always verify with staff.
Related Guides
Explore similar cuisines and dietary guides for more allergen insights.
Important Disclaimer
Niblu provides guidance based on publicly available ingredient data and AI analysis. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always confirm ingredients directly with restaurant staff, especially for severe allergies. Recipes and preparations vary by restaurant and region.