15 Easy Portuguese Breakfast Recipes (2024)

If you glance through the names on this list of Portuguese breakfast recipes, you’ll see many things that look like average American breakfast items.

There’s juice, eggs, French toast, cheese toasts, jams, and even mochas!

So, what exactly is it about these recipes that turn everyday foods into “Portuguese breakfast” foods?

15 Easy Portuguese Breakfast Recipes (1)

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In a word, the answer is usually spice! Portuguese dishes have a lot of herbs, zest, and spice.

It’s those things that take these “normal” breakfast items and catapult them into “extraordinary” breakfast items.

You’ll see a few more exotic dishes on this list, as well, but don’t jump straight to them and overlook those recipes that look more common.

I’ll bet there’s something about all of these that you’ll enjoy.

1. Portuguese Baked Eggs with Cheese and Toast

You’ve probably had eggs for breakfast a thousand times in your life, but you’ve never had eggs quite like these.

Smothered in three different cheeses, at least four different peppers, and a spicy tomato sauce, these eggs are a whole new experience.

The garlic, onions, and an array of herbs and spices make them even more incredible, and you’ll find yourself wanting them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

2. Portuguese French Toast

Unlike fried French toast, Portuguese French toast is baked in the oven. As a result, it’s crispier than the French toast you may be used to eating.

In typical Portuguese style, they also jazz it up a little by adding orange zest to the egg mixture.

It adds the perfect hint of zestiness to the overall sweetness of the dish.

3. Portuguese Sweet Bread

There’s something about homemade bread that just makes me warm and happy on the inside. I love to make it; I love to share it, and I love to eat it.

This Portuguese sweet bread is a favorite of mine.

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It’s delightfully sweet and light. It also smells incredible.

When it comes out of the oven all soft and warm, it’s hard not to sit down with a stick of butter and devour the whole thing.

Perhaps more importantly, especially if you’re taking this bread to a get-together of some kind, it’s also beautiful.

The braid puffs up perfectly, leaving you with something that looks as good as it tastes.

4. Papas (Portuguese Porridge)

All you’ll need to make this warm, thick, and sweet porridge is about 15 minutes and five ingredients that everyone has in their kitchen – milk, sugar, salt, flour, and cinnamon.

If you can boil, whisk, and sprinkle a little cinnamon on top, then you can make this hearty breakfast with no trouble at all.

5. Portuguese Prune and Orange Juice

This is another no-cook recipe with easy-to-follow instructions that you can make in about 15 minutes.

All you’ll have to do is mix prune pulp, orange juice, honey, and mint leaves together in a large pitcher, then pour it over ice.

If you want to add a couple of mint leaves to the top as a cute garnish, you can. It’s a little thicker than orange juice and a bit more tart, thanks to the prunes.

If it’s too bitter for your liking, add a little extra honey to the mix.

6. Portuguese Style Mocha

If you like to start your mornings off with something strong and sweet, this is the beverage for you. It contains espresso, cocoa powder, sugar, and milk.

Depending on how you make your espresso, all you need to make it is a mug, a microwave, and something used for stirring.

There are no frothers or fancy cappuccino makers required!

7. Portuguese Galao (Latte) Recipe

For this morning beverage, you will need a frother, though a whisk will do in a pinch.

All you’ll have to do is grind your espresso, heat your milk on the stove, froth it, and add it and the espresso to your mug.

The whole process takes about 6 minutes, and it’s a delicious, caffeinated way to start the day.

8. Papo-Seco (Portuguese Bread Rolls)

These Portuguese bread rolls are an excellent alternative to toast or biscuits for those mornings when you’re tired of eating the same old thing.

Plus, you use a folding technique to make them, so you don’t have to break your back trying to knead the dough.

When finished, these have light, fluffy middles surrounded by warm, crispy outsides.

9. Portuguese Tosta Mista (Ham & Cheese Melt) Recipe

Portuguese tosta mista puts a more herby twist on the classic ham and cheese breakfast sandwich.

They taste best when made with the papo-seco rolls mentioned above, but you can fix them on any type of bun or bread roll.

Stuff the middle with plenty of ham and cheese. Then cover the bread rolls with a beaten egg and oregano.

It’s the oregano that makes all the difference. Add salt and pepper to suit your taste.

10. Portuguese Fig Jam

For this recipe, you need a couple of pounds of figs, a half-cup of sugar, and a single cinnamon stick for spice.

Simply peel the figs and throw everything into a saucepan. Simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once it’s done, trash the cinnamon stick and leave the jam to cool.

It’s perfect with morning biscuits or with crackers. Refrigerate any leftover jam in a sealed glass jar.

11. Portuguese Pear Jam

Portuguese pear jam is made almost exactly like Portuguese fig jam.

The difference is, you’ll add pears and a bit of liquor to the saucepan to make this sticky sweet jam. Otherwise, everything else is just the same.

12. Broa De Milho (Portuguese Corn Bread)

Broa de milho is a sourdough cornbread that probably doesn’t look like any cornbread you’ve ever seen. It’s brown, fat, and full of cracks. Also, it’s scrumptious.

Despite the cracks in the outside, once you slice it open, the inside is so beautifully smooth, it almost doesn’t look real.

You can prepare it in under 30 minutes, but it takes a few hours for the dough to be ready, so factor in at least 3-and-a-half hours for it to set and rise.

13. Bolo do Caco (Sweet Potato Bread)

This is one of those unique breads that’s both savory and sweet and somehow pulls it off perfectly.

The bread itself is made with white sweet potatoes, which are, true to their name, sweet.

If you want them to have that authentic burned look, cook them in a cast-iron skillet. That’ll also help them crisp up as they should.

Once they’re done, you’ll smother them in homemade garlic butter, which adds the savory element.

I don’t know any other way to describe these except to say they’re fantastic.

14. Pao De Deus

The literal translation for the name of this Portuguese bread is “bread of God,” and if that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about it, I don’t know what could.

My family jokingly refers to this bread as “manna,” the biblical food that kept the Israelites alive after they fled Egypt, because it’s so good that they claim they could eat it every day.

The inside is soft and fluffy, and the outside is covered in an amazing coconut crunch crust. Eat it for breakfast, or serve it for dessert. Either way, it’ll be a hit.

15. Portuguese Breakfast with Fruit

I love this breakfast dish because it’s gorgeous, and it’s surprisingly healthy.

Although the recipe calls for papayas or pineapples, you can use whatever fruit you like best. You can even mix and match them!

Aside from the fruit, all you’ll need is yogurt, honey, your favorite seeds, and four tablespoons of cornflakes (or muesli).

When it’s finished, you basically have a really lovely, sweet, and fruity breakfast parfait.

15 Easy Portuguese Breakfast Recipes (2)

15 Easy Portuguese Breakfasts (Sweet and Savory)

These Portuguese breakfast recipes are full of flavor and spice! From baked eggs to sweet bread to jams, switch things up with a taste of Portugal.

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  • Prep a Portuguese recipe in 30 minutes or less!
15 Easy Portuguese Breakfast Recipes (3)

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15 Easy Portuguese Breakfast Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is a full Portuguese breakfast? ›

Normally the Portuguese eat toast with butter or a sandwich or croissant with a slice of ham or cheese. With this, they usually have Portuguese drinks such as drinking a milky coffee or freshly squeezed orange juice. The Portuguese usually eat just enough to get through to 11 am.

What is the most popular breakfast in Portugal? ›

Most commonly, the Portuguese will have something simple, like toast with butter, however, there are a few more bread selections to choose from. Croissant: either plain or with ham and cheese for a bit more sustenance. Toast: as mentioned, usually with butter. However, some people swap out butter for fruit jelly.

Do Portuguese eat eggs for breakfast? ›

Do Portuguese eat eggs for breakfast? Eggs are not a common part of a traditional Portuguese breakfast. The Portuguese breakfast is more focused on bread, cheese, and sweet pastries. However, some people might include eggs in their breakfast during the weekend when there's more time for a leisurely meal.

What do Portuguese drink for breakfast? ›

Drinks for Breakfast

It seems that only during breakfast do the Portuguese drink longer cups of coffee. Frequently, a milky coffee like a galao is served in a tall glass, with around 75% milk and 25% coffee. Alternatively, a 50% milk meia de leite In a tiny mug, 50% coffee is served.

What are the top 3 Portuguese foods? ›

Here are 10 must-try traditional Portuguese dishes that will take your taste buds on an unforgettable journey.
  1. Bacalhau à Brás. Perhaps no other dish represents Portugal more than one made from codfish. ...
  2. Francesinha. ...
  3. Cozido à Portuguesa. ...
  4. Caldo Verde. ...
  5. Pastéis de Nata.

Do Portuguese eat oatmeal? ›

Bread (rye, wheat, barley, oats) was widely consumed and a staple food for most of the populations. Oranges were introduced in Portugal by Vasco Da Gama in the 15th century.

What is the main meal of the day in Portugal? ›

The main meals are lunch, between 12:00 and 2:30 p.m., which is often eaten at a restaurant near work, and dinner between 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.Most people eat a full meal including soup, a main dish and dessert or fruit.

What time do Portuguese eat breakfast? ›

Portuguese Breakfast (8 a.m. to 9 a.m.)

At home or at your neighborhood café, a typical Portuguese breakfast usually starts with coffee. Some locals like to have a quick espresso. Others prefer to order a bigger drink like a galão (milk with coffee) and catch up with the news.

What is the staple food of Portugal? ›

Cod (bacalhau) is one of Portugal's most important staple foods. Whether as a starter, main meal or even dessert – the edible fish from the Atlantic is to be found in every course. Pastéis de Bacalhau is one of the most famous starters with cod. The fish is processed in small cakes and then fried until crispy.

What food dominates the Portuguese diet? ›

Breads, olive oil and vegetables such as different types of cruciferous greens are also defining when it comes to understanding what Portuguese food is all about.

What are four foods they eat in Portugal? ›

What To Eat in Portugal: 15 Must-Try Dishes
  • Bacalhau. Bacalhau—dried and salted codfish—is Portugal's culinary constant. ...
  • Just-caught Atlantic seafood. ...
  • Sardines. ...
  • Arroz de marisco or arroz de pato. ...
  • Conventual sweets. ...
  • Frango piri-piri. ...
  • Francesinha. ...
  • Porco Preto Alentejano.
Mar 10, 2024

Do Portuguese eat yogurt? ›

Portugal is Yogurt Heaven

There is a wall of yogurt in every grocery. All kinds of yogurt, including liquid yogurt (I don't even wanna know). Greek yogurt, regular yogurt, yogurts of every flavor, consistency, whatever. In a year of living here, I have yet to buy yogurt.

What is a Portuguese cup of coffee? ›

Bica is the term commonly used in certain areas of Portugal for a café ('coffee' in Portuguese) that is similar to espresso, but extracted to a greater volume than its Italian counterpart (akin to a lungo in Italy) and a little bit smoother in taste, due to the Portuguese roasting process being slightly lighter than ...

Do the Portuguese like coffee? ›

Drinking quality Portuguese coffee is an everyday part of life, and because of this, cafés can be found on almost every street. Espresso is the most common coffee drink served in Portugal, and the price of coffee is much cheaper to drink out of the home, than it is here in the UK.

What cocktail is Portugal known for? ›

The world famous Caipirinha can easily be made with Macieira or Licor Beirão, with the advantage that you only need to add lime to Licor Beirão due to the sweetness of this liquor.

What is a typical Brazilian breakfast consists of? ›

A favorite breakfast in Brazil is pingado with french bread or rolls. Pingado is a beverage made with steamed milk and just a splash of coffee. It can be plain or sweetened with sugar. It is paired with a warm baguette from the bakery, smeared with plenty of butter.

What is the biggest meal of the day in Portugal? ›

The main meals are lunch, between 12:00 and 2:30 p.m., which is often eaten at a restaurant near work, and dinner between 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.Most people eat a full meal including soup, a main dish and dessert or fruit.

What is the main meal in Portugal? ›

Bacalhau, which translates to cod in English, is Portugal's national dish, a symbol of the country's identity, and one of the most popular foods in restaurants across the country.

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