Portuguese chouriço bread Recipe | Food From Portugal (2024)

FAQs

What is the traditional bread of Portugal? ›

Most Spanish chorizos feature three common ingredients: pork, smoked paprika and garlic. The pork is coarsely chopped and mixed with bits of pork fat and seasonings, which vary based on the region. The mixture is then stuffed into natural casings, and the chorizos are left to cure and dry.

A journey through Portugal's bread culture would be incomplete without mentioning Alentejo's sourdough, locally known as Pão Alentejano. Alentejo, the breadbasket of Portugal, boasts this bread as its pride.

For both chouriço and linguiça, you can substitute Spanish chorizo, but make sure it's the dry-cured version; Spain also makes a raw product.

Portuguese bread is special for a few reasons: Texture: It's got a crunchy outside and a soft inside, making it super yummy. Taste: Portuguese bread tastes rich and a little sweet, thanks to how it's made and the good ingredients.

Bacalhau

The national dish of Portugal, bacalhau is dried and salted codfish, which is usually soaked in milk or water before cooking. The Portuguese have been eating bacalhau since the 16th century when their fishing boats brought it back from Newfoundland.

Discover The Recipe

Chouriço (pronounced SHO-reet-suh) is a delicious Portuguese pork sausage made with spices and red wine.

She also highlighted Portuguese chouriço's versatility. It can be eaten cold (charcuterie-style), fried, grilled and boiled, which makes it a popular ingredient in Portugal's hearty soups. The most famous: Kale soup or “Caldo Verde.”

Is chorizo an unhealthy choice? Being a cured meat variety, chorizo has a high amount of sodium and saturated fat in it. It cannot be suitable for many people with special health conditions, and also for those who maintain a healthy diet. Therefore, it is advised to consume in moderation.

This very iconic Portuguese bread comes from the Alentejo region. The wheat flour should come from the Alentejo, the yeast should be home-made and it should be cooked in a wood oven to be authentic. Because it's such a large bread, it's usually eaten in slices. It has a little extra “crown” on top.

What is the difference between Portuguese bread and Italian bread? ›

Barbara Peev, manager of Bread-Z, explained the difference between Italian and Portuguese breads: “Italian bread is a little more dense with a little more salt. Portuguese bread is lighter inside and a little less salty, which makes it a little sweeter dough.”

Massa sovada originated in the Azores islands, but can also be found in Portugal, where it is more popularly called pão doce, meaning sweet bread. In Portuguese communities throughout the U.S. and Canada, it's also common to find massa sovada at community celebrations such as their annual festa.

The traditional Spanish chorizo is fermented, smoked, and cured – just slice it up and it can already be eaten and enjoyed as is! The version that Portugal has, which they call chouriço, can also be eaten raw though a popular way of preparing it is by flame-cooking slices over alcohol.

There are two kinds of pork chorizo: Mexican and Spanish. Mexican chorizo is generally packaged raw and must be cooked before you eat it. Spanish chorizo is made safe to eat through a curing process, so you don't need to cook it. Food poisoning is common and can cause severe illness that can lead to hospitalization.

Are chourico and linguica fully cooked? Yes, unlike fresh sausages like Italian sausage or Mexican chorizo, Portuguese chourico and linguica are smoked sausages, meaning they are fully cooked and ready to eat.

Barbara Peev, manager of Bread-Z, explained the difference between Italian and Portuguese breads: “Italian bread is a little more dense with a little more salt. Portuguese bread is lighter inside and a little less salty, which makes it a little sweeter dough.”

Often the breads are dense and chewy, and many visitors end up buying baguettes and other non-Portuguese breads instead. A lot of Portuguese bread is also designed to be eaten the same day, some of it within a couple of hours of being made, and that can be frustrating to those that are used to longer-life bread.