Description
A traditional Brazilian meatless dish featuring black beans, pumpkin, and kale, cooked in a single pot for a hearty and flavorful meal that brings comfort and connection.
Ingredients
2 cups Feijão carioca cozido (já escorrido)
1 cup Abóbora cabotiá picada (sem casca)
1 medium Cebola picada
3 cloves Alho picado
1/2 Pimentão verde picado
1 Tomate maduro picado
1 cup Couve fatiada fina
2 tablespoons Azeite de oliva
1 teaspoon Cominho em pó
1 teaspoon Colorau
to taste Pimenta-do-reino
to taste Sal
1/2 cup Água
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté until lightly golden, about 3 minutes
- Add bell pepper and tomato, stir well for 2 minutes until they release their juices
- Season with cumin, colorau, black pepper, and salt. Mix well
- Add diced pumpkin, sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to softe
- Add pre-cooked and drained carioca beans, gently mix to combine
- Pour in 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to low, partially cover, and cook for 10 minutes until pumpkin breaks down and thickens the broth
- Turn off heat, fold in the sliced kale, letting it wilt from the residual heat. Serve immediately
Notes
Cook the beans in advance; day-old beans release less starch and stay firmer.
Cut pumpkin into 2 cm cubes for even cooking and quick melting.
Do not skimp on the sauté; the flavor comes from well-browned garlic and onion.
Adjust salt at the end since pumpkin and beans absorb salt differently.
Add kale raw and let it wilt from residual heat to keep a crunchy texture.
For substitutions: replace pumpkin with sweet potato or mandioquinha; add smoked paprika for a smoky flavor; use black-eyed peas or lentils instead of carioca beans.
Storage: in a glass container, refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on low with a splash of water.
Serve with white rice, corn farofa, or a simple salad. Also great as a filling for tapioca or pancakes.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Brazilian