Portugal has been raking in plenty of World Travel Awards, making it the new hotspot country to visit in Southern Europe. It’s not hard to see the allure: Portugal is a country with a diverse landscape, stunning cities, charming towns and villages, and friendly and hospitable people- and not to forget the fantastic weather.
But a trip to gorgeous Portugal would be incomplete without sampling some of the country’s most delicious local Portuguese dishes and desserts.
Although the Portuguese have an absolute penchant for cured hams and pork dishes, the country’s cuisine is thankfully quite varied and offers many tasty, traditional alternatives too!
In this guide, I’m going to outline my all-time favorite must-try foods in Portugal, focusing on traditional Portuguese foods and pastries (without pork) you have to eat on your next trip to Portugal.
Table of Contents
Traditional Portuguese Dishes You Must Try
Portuguese gastronomy has been gaining more attention as more visitors start discovering Portugal’s delicious fare, and I’m sure once you visit, you’ll fall in love with the tastes of Portugal too!
Additionally, if you plan to explore the length and breadth of this gorgeous country, each region has its own traditional cuisine and variations of Portuguese dishes to try. Here are 5 of my all-time favorite meals you have to taste when visiting Portugal.
Bacalhau à Brás
First on my list of must-try Portuguese dishes is Bacalhau (codfish). This is essentially the national dish and is so popular that the Portuguese cook it in hundreds of different ways!
Undoubtedly my favorite, and one that takes me straight back to fond childhood memories of my grandmothers delicious cooking, is the much-loved variation called Bacalhau à Brás.
This version of Bacalhau is a combination of shredded codfish, garlic, onions and potatoes, all cooked with scrambled eggs. Black olives and some parsley are added for extra flavor and garnish. Delicious!
Other popular varieties of cod fish dishes include Bacalhau com Broa and Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá.
Grilled sardines (Sardinhas)
When visiting Portugal, you’ll find that it’s not uncommon to find sardines being grilled on an open barbecue. They’re popular all over the country, but particularly in Lisbon. In fact, they’re celebrated during the month of June when the annual St. Antonio festivals take place (Lisbon’s patron saint). During these ‘Santos’ festivals, the oldest neighborhood of Lisbon, Alfama, comes alive with festivals and parties hosted almost every night.
During this time, food stalls line the cobbled streets, many of which serve these freshly grilled sardines (coated with olive oil and salt) to partygoers. If you’re ordering Sardinhas in a restaurant, they’ll likely be accompanied by a salad or baked potatoes.
Arroz de Marisco
Portugal has been raking in plenty of World Travel Awards, making it the new hotspot country to visit in Southern Europe. It’s not hard to see the allure: Portugal is a country with a diverse landscape, stunning cities, charming towns and villages, and friendly and hospitable people- and not to forget the fantastic weather.
But a trip to gorgeous Portugal would be incomplete without sampling some of the country’s most delicious local Portuguese dishes and desserts.
Although the Portuguese have an absolute penchant for cured hams and pork dishes, the country’s cuisine is thankfully quite varied and offers many tasty, traditional alternatives too!
In this guide, I’m going to outline my all-time favorite must-try foods in Portugal, focusing on traditional Portuguese foods and pastries (without pork) you have to eat on your next trip to Portugal.
Table of Contents
Traditional Portuguese Dishes You Must Try
Portuguese gastronomy has been gaining more attention as more visitors start discovering Portugal’s delicious fare, and I’m sure once you visit, you’ll fall in love with the tastes of Portugal too!
Additionally, if you plan to explore the length and breadth of this gorgeous country, each region has its own traditional cuisine and variations of Portuguese dishes to try. Here are 5 of my all-time favorite meals you have to taste when visiting Portugal.
Bacalhau à Brás
First on my list of must-try Portuguese dishes is Bacalhau (codfish). This is essentially the national dish and is so popular that the Portuguese cook it in hundreds of different ways!
Undoubtedly my favorite, and one that takes me straight back to fond childhood memories of my grandmothers delicious cooking, is the much-loved variation called Bacalhau à Brás.
This version of Bacalhau is a combination of shredded codfish, garlic, onions and potatoes, all cooked with scrambled eggs. Black olives and some parsley are added for extra flavor and garnish. Delicious!
Other popular varieties of cod fish dishes include Bacalhau com Broa and Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá.
Grilled sardines (Sardinhas)
When visiting Portugal, you’ll find that it’s not uncommon to find sardines being grilled on an open barbecue. They’re popular all over the country, but particularly in Lisbon. In fact, they’re celebrated during the month of June when the annual St. Antonio festivals take place (Lisbon’s patron saint). During these ‘Santos’ festivals, the oldest neighborhood of Lisbon, Alfama, comes alive with festivals and parties hosted almost every night.
During this time, food stalls line the cobbled streets, many of which serve these freshly grilled sardines (coated with olive oil and salt) to partygoers. If you’re ordering Sardinhas in a restaurant, they’ll likely be accompanied by a salad or baked potatoes.
