🇧🇷Your complete guide to cooking authentic Brazilian food at home.
Top 10 Must‑Have Ingredients for a Brazilian Pantry
Brazilian cuisine is colourful, comforting, and deeply rooted in Indigenous, African, and Portuguese traditions. Whether you’re a Brazilian living abroad or a food lover discovering new flavours, building a proper Brazilian pantry is the first step to recreating the dishes you love.
This guide highlights the 10 essential ingredients every Brazilian kitchen needs — plus easy recipes for tapioca crepesand homemade farofa. All ingredients mentioned are available at Emporio‑Brasil.com, your trusted online shop for authentic Brazilian products in Europe.
🛒 The 10 Essential Ingredients for a Brazilian Pantry
1. Farinha de Mandioca (Cassava Flour)
A true national staple. Cassava flour is the base of farofa, used in pirão, and sprinkled over feijoada for that signature crunch.
Available at Emporio‑Brasil.com: Toasted cassava flour, farinha biju, farinha amarela.
2. Feijão Preto (Black Beans)
The heart of feijoada and a daily favourite across Brazil. Creamy, rich, and comforting.
Available: Brazilian black beans (various brands).
3. Arroz Branco (Brazilian White Rice)
Long‑grain, fluffy, and cooked with garlic — Brazilian rice is the foundation of everyday meals.
Available: Tio João, Camil, and other Brazilian rice brands.
4. Azeite de Dendê (Palm Oil)
A must for Afro‑Brazilian dishes from Bahia. Its deep orange colour and smoky aroma transform any recipe.
Available: Bahian dendê oil (various sizes).
5. Leite de Coco (Coconut Milk)
Creamy and aromatic, Brazilian coconut milk is richer than typical supermarket versions.
Available: Sococo, Menina, Ducoco.
6. Tapioca (Goma de Tapioca / Tapioca Starch)
Used for tapioca crepes, pão de queijo, and thickening sauces. Naturally gluten‑free and incredibly versatile.
Available: Hydrated tapioca starch (goma pronta), tapioca flour, sweet and sour starch.
7. Guaraná (Powder, Syrup, or Soft Drink)
A uniquely Brazilian flavour — fruity, floral, energising.
Available: Guaraná Antarctica, guaraná syrup, guaraná powder.
8. Cachaça
The spirit of Brazil. Essential for caipirinhas, marinades, and flambé desserts.
Available: 51, Velho Barreiro, Ypióca, premium artisanal cachaças.
9. Pimenta Malagueta (Malagueta Pepper)
Small, spicy, and full of personality. Adds heat and brightness to countless dishes.
Available: Malagueta in vinegar, hot sauces, dried peppers.
10. Açúcar Cristal or Demerara (Brazilian Sugar)
Perfect for brigadeiro, quindim, and caipirinhas. Brazilian sugar has larger crystals and a distinct flavour.
Available: Brazilian crystal sugar, demerara sugar.
🥥 How to Make Brazilian Tapioca Crepes
A quick, gluten‑free breakfast classic
Tapioca crepes — simply called tapioca — are one of Brazil’s most beloved breakfast foods. They’re soft, chewy, and ready in minutes.
Ingredients
- Hydrated tapioca starch (goma de tapioca) — available at Emporio‑Brasil.com
- Your choice of fillings: cheese, coconut, chocolate, ham, eggs, etc.
Instructions
- Sift the tapioca starch to remove lumps.
- Heat a non‑stick pan over medium heat (no oil needed).
- Sprinkle 2–3 tablespoons of tapioca into the pan, spreading evenly.
- After 30–60 seconds, the starch will bind into a crepe.
- Add your filling — cheese is the classic choice.
- Fold and serve warm.
Popular Fillings
- Queijo coalho or mozzarella
- Coconut + condensed milk
- Banana + cinnamon
- Ham + cheese
- Scrambled eggs
Tip: For perfect texture, use goma pronta from Emporio‑Brasil.com — it’s already hydrated and ready to use.
🥄 How to Make Homemade Farofa
The crunchy side dish Brazilians put on everything
Farofa is the soul of Brazilian comfort food. It’s savoury, crunchy, and incredibly easy to customise.
Ingredients
- 2 cups farinha de mandioca — available at Emporio‑Brasil.com
- 2–3 tbsp butter or oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1–2 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt to taste
- Optional: bacon, eggs, olives, banana, sausage, herbs
Instructions
- Heat butter or oil in a pan.
- Add onion and sauté until golden. Add garlic briefly.
- Add bacon or sausage now if using.
- Stir in the cassava flour gradually, mixing constantly.
- Toast for 3–5 minutes.
- Adjust texture:
- More butter = softer farofa
- Longer toasting = crunchier farofa
- Add optional mix‑ins and serve.
Popular Variations
- Farofa de bacon
- Farofa de ovo
- Farofa de banana
- Farofa simples
Tip: Try Emporio‑Brasil’s toasted cassava flour for a richer, nuttier flavour.