Gastronomy of Portugal
Last update: May 2023
Specialties of Portuguese Cuisine
Fish, Seafood and Meat
Best Specialties of Portuguese Cuisine
The
Gastronomy and Cuisine of Portugal are based on the rich heritage that, from
north to south of Portugal, constitutes a great legacy of tradition and dedicated work transmitted
through generations. From the
Traditional Portuguese Cuisine, the basis of everything,
stand out some products and culinary elaborations that are the testimonies of the best of the art of
Lusitanian cuisine.
Gastronomy of Portugal © Alma Mollemans / Images of Portugal, Illustration
Both the day-to-day cuisine, the traditional cuisine, and its more refined gastronomy, use these most used,
basic products, some of the which protected. In addition to these typical products, so to speak, their
drinks and various
wines - added to all the knowledge
used to highlight your best dishes and specialties - enhance this world of flavors and smells.
The culinary knowledge of Portugal rests on
some products, namely:
fish (among which
highlights the cod,
the seafood, the cataplana, the stew, the meats, the Portuguese stew, the wines of the
Porto, Vinhos Verdes and Douro wines, custard tarts (or pastéis de Belém) and the skill of its
chefs.
Whether you are a lover of
traditional or contemporary cuisine, there will be a wide range of dishes and
specialties to be discovered and tasted.
More specifically for traditional cuisine, see the section
Traditional Portuguese Cuisine
to learn more about this tasty cuisine.
Gastronomy of Portugal © / Images of Portugal, Illustration
Sea products
Despite being a small country, Portugal has a coastline of around 830 km. The influence of the sea is essential, with its varied products, fish and
crustaceans. Among these, no item is as important to Portuguese cuisine and gastronomy as
cod,
whose fishing and preparation goes back centuries.
Diverse cultural influences. Everything contributed to enrich the gastronomic practice and experience in Portugal.
From the popular
petiscos (snacks) to the
gourmet cuisine proposals.
See also:
7
Wonders of Portuguese Gastronomy.
Cod, sea bass, grouper, monkfish, sardines and crustaceans. According to the opinion of many specialists, the fish caught
off the extensive Portuguese coast are among the best in the world.
In the chapter dedicated to meat, in Portuguese Gastronomy, the highlights are
lamb, kid, pork and veal.
These are the favorite meats for the great specialties of Portuguese cuisine. Baiirada suckling pig, oven-roasted kid,
Oven-roasted lamb, Maronesa meat or Barrosão beef are highly appreciated specialties.
Several other traditional products complete the list of
Portuguese gastronomy ingredients: chestnuts, sausages (embutido),
olive oil, wines, cheeses, local fruits and aromatic herbs, many other items that go into the elaboration of the delicacies of the
Portuguese cuisine and gastronomy.
Gastronomy of Portugal © / Illustration
From the lands of the northwest, between Minho and Douro, to the rolling lands of the Alentejo and the sunny Algarve
a gastronomy that must be tasted and appreciated by all who pass through here.
Despite being
small, Portugal presents, fortunately for us gastronomists, a large, rich
and varied cuisine.