In the United States, feijoada (pronounced fay-jo-aa-duh) is better known as a Brazilian black bean stew with pork and/or beef: a dish so beloved, it has been anointed Brazil’s national dish. But the feijoada I knew growing up in India was the Goan version, usually made with pink beans or red kidney beans and Goan sausages, which are infused with cinnamon, paprika, ginger and garlic. It was differently delicious, and incredibly so. Feijoada is named for “feijão” or “beans,” in Portuguese, and there are versions of this dish to be found in many former Portuguese colonies, from Goa to Mozambique to Macau. There is also, of course, a Portuguese feijoada that inspired these other versions (read through the comments for a fantastic recipe posted by Daisy, a reader from Portugal, when I first shared this Goan Feijoada recipe many years ago). The food of former colonies like Goa offers an interesting study in how occupiers cross-pollinated culinary traditions and ingredients across the distant lands they controlled. Those influences were readily embraced by locals and they persisted long after the occupiers left, as opposed to other colonial legacies that are unwelcome and are deliberately erased or lost over time. The names of cities, for instance, are easily changed back to what they used to be, and political forces even attempt to rewrite history books to put a spin on events. But connections forged through food linger and are embedded unshakably within cultures, impossible to erase. Who would want to? In Goa, local Christian converts made feijoada by marrying pink beans or red kidney beans (also brought into India by the Portuguese from south and central America) and the meat with local spices and coconut, a fruit that grows abundantly in this coastal state. My Goan stepmother, who was a talented and adventurous cook, would make an accidentally vegan version of Feijoada. My version, which does use meatless sausages, is inspired by hers, and it is mindblowingly delicious – and quite unique. I hope you’ll try it. And if you do, be sure to let me know in the comments or take a photo and tag me @holycowvegan on Instagram.
Why you’ll love this Goan feijoada
Delicious. Imagine all those lovely textures of the beans and the sausage in that flavorful, spiced coconut sauce. Unique. This is not a dish you’ll easily find on an Indian restaurant menu, but making it at home is not at all difficult. Hearty. The beans and sausage in this recipe make for a very filling meal. Everyone-friendly: This feijoada is free of gluten and soy and it will appeal to everyone you are feeding, vegan to omnivore and kid to adult. Healthy. You know beans are great for you. The sausage, which you can leave out, adds more protein to this dish, and the spices are, of course, great for you.
How to make vegan feijoada
In a skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions and saute until they begin to turn brown. Check to get new recipe updates by email.
Add the sausages, cut into chunky but bite-sized pieces, and saute until they brown slightly.
Add tamarind or vinegar and ground masala paste into the skillet and mix well. Bring to a boil and then turn heat down to simmer and let the stew cook a couple more minutes.
Add the beans to the saucepan. If you cooked your own beans you can add a cup of the stock from the beans to the skillet at this point, otherwise just add water. Once the sauce comes to a boil, cover the saucepan and let the stew simmer for 10 more minutes.
Uncover, check for salt, add more if needed, and turn off the heat. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Serving suggestions
Rice is perfect with this stew. Use brown or white rice, preferably a long-grain rice like basmati rice or jasmine rice. In Goa, you would eat a feijoada with pav, a bread roll that’s slightly crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. Serve a fresh kachumber on the side.
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: Store in fridge in an airtight container up to five days. Freeze: Freeze in freezer-safe container for up to four months. Reheat: Thaw if frozen and reheat in saucepan or microwave until heated through. Serve hot.
More vegan Goan recipes
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