Portuguese Food Glossary
A glossary of Portuguese food words and culinary phrases. Helpful Portuguese words for food and drink to help the visitor wine and dine around Portugal and Madeira. Find lots of menu items and names of Portuguese dishes, desserts and drinks.
Further information on many of the listed terms is available via accompanying links, plus information on related products.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Abacate - avocado.
Abóbora - pumpkin.
Açorda - from the Arabic tharîd is a Portuguese dish made with thinly sliced bread with garlic, olive oil, finely chopped coriander, vinegar, water, salt and pepper with poached eggs on top.
Açucar - sugar.
Adegas - wineries or wine cellars.
Agua - water.
Aguardente - clear brandy; lit. "firewater".
Alcachofra - artichoke.
Alcatra - beef stew from the Azores made with cuts of beef braised in local wine, smoked pork fat and dried spices.
Alcomonias - a sweet made from bran and water and flavored with honey (or sugar), pine nuts and cinnamon.
Aletria - a dessert often served over Christmas in Portugal. Based on vermicelli (aletria) brought to Iberia by the Moors. The noodles are cooked in milk, egg yolks and flavored with cinnamon, sugar, and lemon zest.
Alface - lettuce.
Alfenim - from the Arabic al-fānīd is a sweet made from just sugar, water and vinegar that was exported to Brazil and Mexico where it remains most popular along with the islands of the Azores. The paste is usually crafted into the shapes of animals and humans.
Alguidar - tapered, hand-shaped clay vessel used to bake alcatra (see above).
Alheira - a type of Portuguese sausage, made with meats other than pork (often chicken, duck, rabbit).
Alho - garlic.
Alho francês - leek.
Almondegas - meatballs.
Amêijoas - clams with butter and parsley.
Amendoa Amarga - liqueur made from bitter almonds, traditionally from the Algarve region.
Ameixas - plums.
Ananás - pineapples.
Anchovas - anchovies.
Aperitivo - aperitif.
Arroz à moda de Valência - kind of paella.
Arroz de pato - duck with rice.
Arroz de polvo - octopus with rice.
Arroz doce - sweet rice/rice pudding.
Atum - tuna.
Atum grelhado - grilled tuna fish.
Azeite - olive oil
Azeitonas - olives.
B
Baba de camelo - (lit. "camel's drool") mousse made from condensed milk and eggs.
Bacalhau - dried salt cod. Read more on Portuguese food and Bacalhau.
Bacalhau à Brás - fried dried cod with fried potatoes and scrambled eggs.
Batatas - potatoes.
Batatas fritas - fried potatoes.
Batido de leite - milkshake.
Bem passado/mal passado - well done/rare.
Berbigões - cockles.
Berlingela - aubergine.
Besugo - sunfish.
Bifana - roll filled with fried pork.
Biológico - organic.
Bolo - cake.
Bolas de Berlim - custard-filled doughnuts.
Bolo Rei - fruit cake eaten at Christmas.
Borrego - lamb.
C
Cabra / Cabrito - goat / kid.
Cabrito assado - roast kid.
Cacau - cocoa.
Caldeirada de peixe - fish stew.
Caldo verde - cabbage and potato soup.
Camarão - prawn, shrimp.
Canja - chicken broth.
Caracóis / caracoletas - snails.
Carioca - weak black coffee.
Carnes - meat.
Carne assada - roast beef.
Carne de porco - pork.
Cataplana - fish/shellfish cooked with ham, onion & pepper.
Cavala - mackerel.
Cebola - onion.
Cenoura - carrot.
Cerejas - cherries.
Cerveja - beer.
Chá - tea.
Chanfana - goat stew braised in red wine.
Choco - cuttlefish.
Chouriço - pork sausage.
Churrasco - pork on a spit.
Coelho à caçadora - rabbit stew.
-com todos - "with everything" - usually boiled potatoes, salad etc.
Congro - conger eel.
Cozido à portuguesa - boiled meat and vegetables.
Creme de marisco - seafood soup.
Cuscos - the local variation of Arab couscous in Trás-os-Montes.
D
Dobrada - tripe.
Doces - desserts.
Dose - serving, portion.
Dourada - bream.
E
Empada - hot pie.
Enguia - eel.
Ensopado de enguias - eels with fried bread.
Entradas - starters, entrees.
Escabeche - a sour sauce of marinated fish, meat or vegetables, cooked in vinegar, and enlivened with citrus, paprika, and other spices. The term derives from al-sikbaj, an Arabic sweet and sour sauce made with honey and vinegar.
Espargos - asparagus.
Espetada - kebab.
F
Favas - broad beans.
Feijoa - beans.
Feijoada - dried beans with rice and meat.
Feijoada choco e polvo - bean stew with cuttlefish and octopus.
Fiambre - boiled ham.
Figado - liver.
Figos - figs.
Framboesas - raspberries.
Francesinha - "Little Frenchie" - a Porto speciality - grilled steak, ham, and cheese in a beer and tomato sauce, often topped with a fried egg. Read more on this Portuguese take on the sandwich.
Frango de carril - roast chicken in hot sauce.
Frango na pucara - chicken cassarole.
Fresca - chilled.
Frito - fried.
Fruta - fruit.
Fumado - smoked.
G
Gambas - king prawns, langoustines.
Garfo - fork.
Garrafa - bottle.
Gás - fizzy.
Gaspacho - chilled vegetable soup.
Gastronomia - gastronomy.
Gelado - ice cream.
Ginjinha or Ginja, is a liqueur made by infusing ginja berries (sour cherry).
Grao - chickpeas.
Grelhado - grilled.
H
I
Imperial - regular glass size for beer.
J
Jardim - Garden.
Jarro - jug.
K
L
Lagosta - lobster.
Lampreia - lamprey.
Lanche - from the English 'lunch' but meaning snack or anything from cheese and cakes to fried pastries and sandwiches.
Lapas - limpets.
Laranja - orange.
Leite - milk.
Leite creme - custard.
Limão - lemon.
Linguado - sole.
Lombo - pork loin.
Lulas - squid.
M
Maçã - apple.
Manga - mango.
Manteiga - butter.
Marisco - shellfish.
Melão - melon.
Meloa - cantaloupe.
Mercado - market.
Merenda - light snack.
Mesa - table.
Mexilhão - mussels.
Moela - gizzard.
Morangos - strawberries.
Morcela - black pudding/blood sausage.
N
Nabo - turnip.
No forno - baked.
O
Ostras - oysters.
Ovelha - sheep
Ovos Moles - Ovos Moles ("soft eggs") is made of egg yolks and sugar and originated in the convents of Aveiro.
P
Padaria - bakery.
Paio - smoked pork sausage.
Pão - bread.
Pão integral - wholemeal bread.
Papos de anjo - butter cakes with syrup.
Pasteis - cakes.
Pasteis de carne - pastries stuffed with meat.
Pasteis de nata - custard tart. Read more on the iconic Pastel de Nata.
Pastelaria - pastry shop.
Pato - duck.
Peixe - fish.
Peixe do dia - fish of the day.
Pepino - cucumber.
Pequeno almoço - breakfast.
Pera - pear.
Percebes - goose barnacles.
Peru - turkey.
Pescada - poached hake.
Petiscos - similar to but not the same as Spanish tapas. Petiscos are smaller versions of larger dishes.
Pimenta - pepper.
Piri piri - hot chilli sauce.
Pomba - pigeon.
Polvo - octopus.
Porco - pork.
Prato do dia - dish of the day.
Prego no pão/prato - steak sandwich topped with a fried egg.
Presunto - smoked ham.
Pudim flan - cream caramel.
Q
Quinta - country estate/villa.
Queijo - cheese.
R
Raia - skate (fish).
Rim - kidney.
Rissois de camarao - Shrimp pies.
Robalo - sea bass.
Rodovalho - halibut.
S
Sal - salt.
Salada - salad.
Salame de Chocolate - Chocolate Salami - one of Portugal's famed desserts.
Salmão - salmon.
Salsicha - sausage.
Salteado - sautéed.
Sande - sandwich.
Santola recheada - dressed crab.
Sapateira - crab.
Sarda - mackerel.
Sardinhas - sardines.
Saude - cheers!
Saval - shad.
Senhor - man.
Senhora - woman.
Sobremesa - dessert
Sopa de coentros - coriander, bread and a poached egg.
Sopa de feijao verde - green bean soup.
Sopa de grao - chickpea soup.
Sopa de legumes - vegetable soup.
Sopa de marisco - shellfish soup.
Sopa de peixe - fish soup.
Supermercado - supermarket.
T
Tabacaria - tobacconist.
Tasca - tavern.
Tomate - tomato.
Toranja - grapefruit.
Tripas - tripe.
Truta - trout.
U
Uvas - grapes.
V
Vaca - beef.
Vegano - vegan.
Verdelho - type of white wine grape grown throughout Portugal, though mostly associated with the island of Madeira.
Vinagre - vinegar.
Vitela - veal.
Vieiras - Scallops
Vinho da casa - house wine.
Vinho de cheiro - red table wine from the Azores.
Vinho tinto - red wine. Read more on Portuguese wine
Vinho branco - white wine.
Vinho verde - semi-sparkling, young wine. Read more on vinho verde
Vitela - veal.
W
X
Xarope - cordial.
Xarope de morango - strawberry cordial.
Y
Z
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