Feijoada with Farofa and Orange-Citrus Salad

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-08 · Updated 2026-05-08

A classic Brazilian black bean stew served with toasted cassava flour farofa and a refreshing orange-citrus salad for a complete traditional meal. This Brazilian recipe, ready in about 630 minutes, pairs black beans, dried, smoked pork belly, diced, pork sausage, sliced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 cups black beans, dried
• 8 oz smoked pork belly, diced
• 8 oz pork sausage, sliced
• 6 oz bacon, diced
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 cups water
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup cassava flour
• 2 orange, peeled and segmented
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 2 cups dried black beans and soak them in water overnight to soften.
2. Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 6 oz diced bacon and cook for 5 minutes until fat renders and edges are crispy.
3. Step 3: Add 1 large chopped yellow onion and 4 minced garlic cloves to the pot, sautéing for 3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
4. Step 4: Stir in 8 oz diced smoked pork belly and 8 oz sliced pork sausage, cooking for 5 minutes to brown the meats.
5. Step 5: Drain the soaked black beans and add them to the pot along with 8 cups water and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat, cover partially, and simmer for 2 to 2.5 hours until beans are tender and meat is falling apart.
6. Step 6: Meanwhile, prepare the farofa by heating 1 cup cassava flour in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly for 6-8 minutes until golden and toasted.
7. Step 7: For the salad, combine 2 peeled and segmented oranges, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tsp sugar, and a pinch of salt and black pepper in a bowl. Toss gently.
8. Step 8: Remove bay leaves from the stew. Season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper to taste. Serve the feijoada with white rice, toasted farofa, and the fresh orange-citrus salad on the side.