Portuguese Food Glossary

The Portuguese names you'll see on shelves, labels and butcher's counters in Portugal, with the English name and a line on how each one is sold.

açúcar em pó

powdered sugar

Powdered (confectioners') sugar. Not to be confused with açúcar amarelo, which is light brown sugar.

amêijoas

clams

Clams, sold alive at fish counters and markets. Soak them in salted water to release their sand, and throw away any that are open before cooking.

arroz agulha

long-grain rice

Long-grain rice, whose grains stay separate. Carolino is the shorter, starchier Portuguese rice used for creamy rice dishes.

arroz carolino

carolino rice

A medium-grain Portuguese rice that absorbs a lot of liquid and turns creamy. Used for soupy rice dishes, tomato rice and rice pudding.

azeite virgem extra

extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil. Portuguese cooking uses it both in the pot and raw, poured over the finished dish.

bacalhau

salt cod

Cod preserved in salt and dried. Sold whole, in pieces or as thick loins (lombos); soak it in cold water before cooking. Supermarkets also sell it ready-soaked and frozen, labelled "demolhado".

banha de porco

lard

Pork lard, sold in tubs. Used for frying and in traditional stews.

batata palha

matchstick potatoes

Very thin fried potato sticks, sold in bags. A quick stand-in for the homemade ones in bacalhau à Brás.

batata para cozer

boiling potatoes

Potatoes for boiling. Bags of potatoes are often labelled by use: para cozer (boiling), para puré (mashing) or para fritar (frying).

batata para fritar

frying potatoes

Potatoes for frying. Bags of potatoes are often labelled by use: para fritar (frying), para cozer (boiling) or para puré (mashing).

batata para puré

floury potatoes

Potatoes for mashing. Bags of potatoes in Portuguese shops are often labelled by use: para puré (mashing), para cozer (boiling) or para fritar (frying).

bolacha Maria

Maria biscuits

Plain, round, lightly sweet biscuits, sold in packs of several rolls. The base of bolo de bolacha and many no-bake desserts.

broa de milho

cornbread

A dense bread made with corn flour mixed with wheat or rye flour, from the north of Portugal. Served with caldo verde and many other dishes.

chispe

pig's trotter

Pig's trotter, used in feijoada and cozido for its gelatin.

chouriço de carne

Portuguese smoked sausage

Smoked pork sausage seasoned with garlic and paprika. Spanish chorizo is a different sausage and tastes different.

coentros

cilantro

Fresh cilantro (coriander leaves), sold in bunches. Common in the cooking of the Alentejo and the south.

colorau

sweet paprika

Ground sweet paprika, also called pimentão-doce.

couve-galega

Portuguese cabbage (collard greens)

A cabbage with large, flat, dark green leaves, close to collard greens. For caldo verde it's sold already shredded into very fine strips.

couve-lombarda

savoy cabbage

Savoy cabbage, with crinkly green leaves.

cravinho

whole clove

Whole clove, the spice.

entrecosto

pork spare ribs

Pork spare ribs. Butchers will cut them into pieces for stews.

farinha sem fermento

plain flour

Plain (all-purpose) wheat flour. Flour comes either sem fermento (plain) or com fermento (self-raising), so check the bag.

farinha tipo 55

all-purpose flour

Standard wheat flour. Portuguese flour is labelled by type: tipo 55 is all-purpose, tipo 65 is for bread.

farinheira

bread sausage

A smoked sausage made with wheat flour, pork fat and seasoning. Prick it before cooking so it doesn't burst.

febras

thin pork slices

Thin slices of pork, usually from the shoulder or loin. Butchers will slice them to order.

feijão vermelho

red kidney beans

Red kidney beans, sold dried (soak them overnight) or cooked in cans and jars.

fermento de padeiro

baker's yeast

Baker's yeast, sold fresh in small cubes or dried in sachets. Fermento em pó is baking powder, which is different.

fiambre

cooked ham

Cooked ham, sold sliced at the deli counter. Cured ham is presunto.

flor de sal

sea salt flakes

Delicate sea salt flakes skimmed from the surface of salt pans, used to finish dishes.

fruta cristalizada

candied fruit

Candied fruit, sold chopped and mixed, or in larger whole pieces. Used in bolo-rei.

galinha caseira

free-range stewing hen

An older free-range hen, tougher than a young chicken (frango) but with much more flavor for broth. Usually sold with the giblets (miúdos).

hortelã

mint

Spearmint, sold in bunches. The usual mint in Portuguese cooking, added to canja and many soups.

linguiça

linguiça sausage

A thin smoked pork sausage, sold near the chouriço.

lombo de porco

pork loin

Pork loin, sold whole, in a piece or already cut into cubes or steaks.

louro

bay leaf

Bay leaf. Sold dried with the herbs and spices.

malagueta

chili pepper

Small hot chili pepper, fresh or dried. Piri-piri is the very hot small variety, also sold as a sauce.

massa de pimentão

red pepper paste

A paste of salted red peppers, sold in jars. Used in marinades for pork.

massa folhada

puff pastry

Puff pastry. Sold chilled in rectangular or round rolls.

molho bechamel

bechamel sauce

White sauce made with milk, butter and flour. Supermarkets sell it ready-made in cartons.

morcela

blood sausage

Smoked blood sausage, sold at the charcuterie counter.

natas

cooking cream

Cream for cooking, sold in small cartons. Natas para bater is whipping cream.

pá de porco

pork shoulder

Pork shoulder, a fatty cut that stays juicy when stewed or boiled.

pão de forma

sandwich bread

Sliced sandwich loaf. Bakeries sell it in thicker slices than the supermarket kind.

papo-seco

crusty roll

A small white bread roll, crisp outside and soft inside, sold at every bakery. Also called carcaça in some regions.

pau de canela

cinnamon stick

Cinnamon stick. Ground cinnamon is canela em pó.

picles

pickled vegetables

Mixed vegetables pickled in vinegar, such as carrot, cauliflower and gherkin, sold in jars.

polpa de tomate

tomato passata

Strained crushed tomato, sold in cartons or jars.

polvo

octopus

Octopus, sold fresh or frozen. Frozen octopus is often more tender, because freezing breaks down the fibers.

queijo flamengo

mild sliced cheese

A mild, semi-hard cheese similar to Edam, sold sliced. It melts well.

sal grosso

coarse salt

Coarse sea salt, the usual salt for cooking water and soups. Fine salt is sal fino.

salsa

flat-leaf parsley

Flat-leaf parsley, sold in bunches.

salsichas frescas

fresh sausages

Fresh (uncured) pork sausages, sold at the butcher's or meat counter.

toucinho fumado

smoked bacon

Smoked pork belly or back fat, sold in a piece. Used to flavor stews and cozido.

vinho do Porto

port wine

Port, the fortified wine from the Douro valley. A splash adds depth and sweetness to stews and sauces.