Portugal’s best rice dishes (and where to eat them in Lisbon)

Portugal is one of Europe’s biggest rice lovers. We’re not just saying that because we adore rice recipes, whether it’s as a main dish or as a side; we literally are the Europe continent’s largest consumers, eating more rice per capita than most countries on this side of the world. To be more precise, the average Portuguese person eats 15 kilos (a little over 33 pounds) of rice per year. While the average European might save rice for risotto or the occasional stir-fry, the Portuguese will include it in many daily meals, both at home and at restaurants, particularly tascas.

Feat photo by Expresso

Photo by Lisboa Secreta

Rice has been cultivated in what we now call Portugal since at least the 8th century. It was popularized during the Arab occupation of the Iberian Peninsula. The Moors introduced irrigation systems and new agricultural practices that changed the way people on these lands eat forever. One of the new crops they introduced and that started thriving around here was rice. Some argue that even before them, the Romans may have had sporadic contact with rice via trade, but it was under Moorish influence that rice truly rooted itself in Iberian soil, both here in Portugal, but also in neighboring Spain.

Over time, the production of rice and also how we prepare it, evolved because of geography, but mostly because of the contact with different peoples and cultures, especially after the 16th century, when the Portuguese started establishing colonies in different parts of the world.

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Fast forward to today, and Portugal is the largest rice producer in Europe just after Italy, with over 30,000 hectares of rice paddies, mostly in the Tagus River Valley, Mondego, and Sado river basins. These wetlands, fed by tidal rhythms and freshwater estuaries, create the perfect terroir for rice cultivation. The main varieties grown here are Carolino and Agulha. Carolino is a short-grain, starchy rice that soaks up flavor like a dream. This is our go-to for soupy dishes such as arroz malandrinho, or creamier preparations, including sweet rice pudding (arroz doce). Agulha, thinner and longer, is better suited for drier, fluffier preparations, and it is often used simply as a steamed rice (arroz branco), to be served as a side. 

Over the last decade, Portuguese agronomists have even been developing a new variety of rice, genetically better adapted to our soils and climate, called Caravela rice. It is now being sold in supermarkets. Let’s wait and see how the Portuguese chefs and home cooks will get inspired to create new Portuguese recipes and dishes using Caravela rice.

When you walk into any Portuguese supermarket these days, you’ll see shelves lined with Carolino and Agulha, the Portuguese’s favorite rice varieties, and also with imported ones like Basmati, Jasmine, and, increasingly, even sushi rice. But when it comes to preparing the classics of Portuguese comfort food, most folks stock the local varieties for daily cooking.

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If you’re really curious about rice besides craving to taste it, we’d encourage you to visit the Rice Museum in Comporta (N261 Km 0, Comporta). Housed in an old rice husking factory, it tells the story of the region’s agricultural traditions, complete with vintage equipment and historical context. Comporta is just about an hour from Lisbon and, as it is already part of the Alentejo, you can surely expect to find a lot of delicious Alentejano food, including beloved regional rice dishes.

No matter where you travel to in our country, you’ll certainly find several rice dishes on any given local menu. If you’re unsure where to start, here are some of Portugal’s most popular rice dishes:

Vegetarian Portuguese rice dishes

Arroz de feijão | Kidney beans rice

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Arroz de feijão is a classic Portuguese side dish made with Carolino rice and red kidney beans (feijão encarnado), cooked in a tomato-based broth. It’s so comforting, often malandrinho (loose and saucy), and served alongside everything from fried fish to pork cutlets.

The base is typically a refogado of onion, garlic, olive oil, tomato and, sometimes, a pinch of paprika. Canned beans are usually used nowadays, though traditional cooks may still soak and cook their beans from scratch. The starch from the beans and rice thickens the broth slightly, creating a dish that’s humble but full of flavor.

You’ll find arroz de feijão across Portugal, especially in the North and Centre, and it’s often associated with home cooking, school canteens, and budget-friendly weekday meals. Some versions may include small pieces of chouriço for extra flavor, but it’s more often than not made meat-free. And this is where it becomes interesting for vegetarian or vegan travelers: in a country where most traditional restaurants still center meals around meat or fish, arroz de feijão is one of the rare menu items that is accidentally plant-based, or at least very easily made that way. While it’s technically a side, combine it with a vegetable soup or maybe a simple side salad (salada mista), and you get yourself a complete meal with carbs, protein and vegetables, which is usually cheaper than a main dish featuring animal proteins. Here’s a smart hack for eating well and enjoying traditional Portuguese flavors, in places where plant-based options aren’t explicitly offered.

We believe the best arroz de feijão in Lisbon can be found at A Merendinha do Arco Bandeira (Rua dos Sapateiros 230), where it is wonderful with their fluffy salt cod cakes, pataniscas – as pictured here.

Vegetable rice dishes served as sides

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Portugal is best known for rice dishes with seafood or meat, like we will explain below. But a big part of everyday eating, especially at home, revolves around simpler vegetable rice sides. These humble rice preparations are usually served with fried fish, grilled meats or even oven roasted meals. They’re quick, cheap and easily adaptable to whatever there may be in the fridge.

Two of the most iconic versions are tomato rice (arroz de tomate) and rice with cilantro (arroz de coentros), both commonly served in homes and traditional restaurants.

Arroz de tomate is especially popular in the Alentejo and Ribatejo regions, though it’s now cooked all over the country. Made with Carolino rice, simmered in olive oil, onion, garlic, and ripe tomato, the dish is usually saucy and very comforting. It’s typically served with pan-fried fish, such as battered filets (filetes de pescada), as pictured above, or grilled sardines. Some cooks add green pepper or a dash of wine for depth, depending on personal or regional habits.

Arroz de coentros is a very aromatic rice made by adding chopped fresh cilantro to rice cooked with a lightly seasoned broth, sometimes with a squeeze of lemon juice. It’s most popular in Lisbon and the coastal South, where fresh herbs are common in everyday cooking. Arroz de coentros pairs well with boiled or grilled fish, and it’s a favorite during warmer months when lighter flavors are preferred.

Beyond these two, Portuguese home cooking offers a wide variety of vegetable rice dishes, sometimes found on restaurant menus and certainly always present in family kitchens and even school canteens, and weeknight dinners. 

Turnip greens rice (arroz de grelos) is particularly popular in the North and Centre. It’s slightly bitter so it goes well with stronger flavors like grilled alheira.

Other options may feature peas (arroz de ervilhas), carrots (arroz de cenoura), broccoli (arroz de brócolos) or spinach (arroz de espinafres), just to name a few. All of these are quite representative of Portuguese day to day food habits, because most of us aren’t certainly not eating arroz de marisco every week!

Portuguese rice dishes from the sea

Arroz de marisco | Seafood rice

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Arroz de marisco is one of Portugal’s most iconic dishes. This brothy rice is made with a mix of shellfish such as prawns, clams, mussels, and crab, cooked with Carolino rice in a flavorful base of garlic, onions, tomatoes, white wine, and fresh herbs like coriander or parsley. The final result is typically malandrinho, meaning the rice is saucy and almost soupy, rather than dry.

Unlike Spain’s paella, which is drier and relies on a socarrat (crispy bottom), arroz de marisco is all about moistness and depth of flavor. The rice soaks up the shellfish stock, becoming tender and infused with a briny taste from the ocean. It’s served very hot, often in the same pot it was cooked in, with lemon wedges and fresh herbs on top. There is no crust, no saffron, and no attempt to separate the rice from the broth. In fact, the brothy texture is part of what defines this dish as uniquely Portuguese. If you really, really crave paella while in Portugal, order arroz à valenciana (featuring a mix of seafood and seafood and meats like chicken, pork and chouriço) but, honestly, we think you’d be better off eating paella in Spain and indulging in arroz de marisco while traveling in Portugal. 

While the basic concept of arroz de marisco remains consistent, there are many regional and personal variations of the recipe. Some versions use lobster or small spider crabs (sapateira), while others stick to shrimp and clams. In fishing communities, whatever is fresh and available that day ends up in the pot. The choice of rice can vary too, though Carolino is the most traditional due to its ability to absorb flavor while maintaining a soft, creamy texture. Some chefs add just a hint of piri-piri for spice and, even if the one you order is not spicy, remember you can always ask for piri-piri at any Portuguese restaurant, and add a little sauce to taste directly on your plate. 

Arroz de marisco is most commonly served in coastal restaurants, seafood restaurants (marisqueiras), and family gatherings, especially on weekends or festive occasions. It’s designed to be shared, ideally between people who don’t mind getting their hands dirty peeling shrimp or cracking crab claws mid-meal. Do not expect your shrimp to be fully peeled or shells not to show up swimming in the brothy rice. Even though it can be pricey because of the seafood included in the recipe, this is not a refined dish when it comes to eating it. It’s more about abundance and flavor, than elegance.

Popular places to eat a good arroz de marisco in Lisbon include Uma Marisqueira (Rua dos Sapateiros 177), Nunes Real Marisqueira (Rua Bartolomeu Dias 172 E F), and the city’s most well-known marisqueira amongst travelers, Ramiro (Av. Alm. Reis 1H).

Arroz de polvo | Octopus rice

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Not only is arroz de polvo one of Portugal’s best octopus dishes, it is also one of our most popular rice recipes. Made with Carolino rice, this is a flavorful dish that brings together tender octopus and saucy rice cooked in a tomato broth. The result is soft, a little sticky because of the octopus and visually quite eye-catching, as the cephalopod paints everything in a purple(ish) hue. The dish is traditionally made saucy (malandrinho), though some versions are thicker and served more like a wet risotto.

The octopus is usually simmered with onion, garlic and bay leaf. Some people back in the day would also add a cork to the boiling water as that was believed to help make the meat more tender. One thing is for sure: you can’t leave the octopus in the water too little time as it’ll be tough, but if you are late to remove it from the heat by just a couple of minutes, the exact same thing can happen. Once you achieve a tender octopus, you’re supposed to chop it into small pieces and add it to the rice, which is cooked in the flavorful poaching liquid. A classic base includes olive oil, garlic, onion, tomato, white wine, and parsley. Some versions finish the dish with a squeeze of lemon or a handful of fresh coriander.

This dish is found all over Portugal but is especially associated with coastal regions, from the North (like Viana do Castelo and Póvoa de Varzim) down to the Algarve. It’s a favorite at both home and traditional restaurants, especially in areas where octopus fishing is part of local life. If you want to turn this dish into something even more special, ask for filetes de polvo com arroz do mesmo.

This second preparation, whose name roughly translates as “octopus filets with rice of the same” is like a two-in-one dish. The octopus is cut into steaks, coated in batter or breadcrumbs, and pan-fried until crisp, then served alongside the same saucy rice made from its cooking liquid. It’s a great way to stretch a whole octopus into a full meal for a crowd, and it ends up showcasing more variety of flavors and particularly of textureson the place.  Interestingly, filetes de polvo com arroz do mesmo has also inspired modern reinterpretations. In Lisbon, AO 26 Vegan Food Project (Rua Horta Seca 5) serves a vegan version of the dish that swaps octopus for eryngii mushrooms, mimicking the texture in a surprisingly accurate way. 

For a traditional arroz de polvo in Lisbon, visit Adega das Gravatas (Tv. Pregoeiro 15) in the neighborhood of Carnide, or Tasquinha do Lagarto (Rua de Campolide 258) in Campolide. 

Arroz de tamboril | Monkfish rice

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Arroz de tamboril is a classic Portuguese rice dish made with monkfish (tamboril), a firm, meaty white fish prized for its texture and ability to hold together during cooking. Like many of Portugal’s seafood rice dishes, it’s prepared malandrinho, with the rice soft and brothy, somewhere between a stew and a risotto. 

For arroz de tamboril, the fish is usually cut into chunks and cooked briefly toward the end to keep it tender, while the rice is cooked in a stock made from the fish bones and head. Similarly to arroz de polvo, this dish is typically flavored with tomato, onion, garlic, olive oil, and white wine, and finished with fresh coriander or parsley. Monkfish is a favorite in Portuguese cooking because of its texture and somewhat sweet flavor (sometimes compared to lobster), but it’s not a fish we use on everyday cooking, as it is expensive. 

This dish is especially associated with the central and southern coast of Portugal, particularly Setúbal, Alentejo Litoral, and the Algarve. In some regions, it’s common to include prawns or clams in the recipe alongside the monkfish, making it even more festive and protein rich. But the traditional version keeps the focus on the fish and its clean flavor. The rice of choice is usually Carolino, which absorbs the fish stock well and creates the slightly creamy, cohesive texture expected from a proper arroz malandrinho. The balance of acidity (from the tomato and wine), sweetness (from the fish), and freshness (from the herbs) defines the dish is what makes this seemingly easy preparation stand out.

You’ll find this arroz de tamboril in seafood restaurants along the coast and it is usually something you need to order for at least two people. In central Lisbon you’ll find it at restaurants like Taberna do Lis (Rua dos Douradores 142) or Maria Catita (Rua dos Bacalhoeiros 30). But you may want to consider hopping the boat to the other side of Tagus river, and enjoy arroz de tamboril in some of Cacilhas’ best seafood restaurants, such as Farol (Rua do Ginjal 5, Almada).  

Arroz de bacalhau | Salt cod rice

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Arroz de bacalhau is one of the more modest but no less satisfying members of Portugal’s extensive salt cod recipes repertoire. It’s honestly quite a straightforward recipe, using  shredded salt cod combined with Carolino rice, simmered in a tomato and onion base, often with garlic, bay leaf, and olive oil. Like most rice dishes with fish or seafood, it’s prepared in a brothy style, and finished with a touch of fresh herbs, either parsley or coriander.

This dish is more commonly eaten at home than in restaurants, and it doesn’t typically feature on menus alongside showier bacalhau preparations like bacalhau à Brás, creamy oven baked cod (bacalhau com natas), or other lesser known Portuguese regional salt cod dishes [inserir link para artigo sobre bacalhau recipes you don’t know]. But it’s liked because you can do a lot with little ingredients, and the end result is tasty, comforting and rather budget friendly too. It’s a great way to use up leftover desalted cod from previous meals and works well with trimmings or smaller flakes that wouldn’t hold up in grilled or baked dishes.

As with many cod-based meals, the fish is pre-soaked to remove excess salt, then flaked and added toward the end of cooking so it stays tender. The rice absorbs the fish’s flavor without becoming overwhelmingly salty, thanks to the balance of tomato, wine, and herbs.

As mentioned, this is more of a home dish but, occasionally, it may appear as a  daily special in tascas. If you don’t randomly come across it in a traditional eatery, go to a bacalhau specialized restaurant in Lisbon, such as D’Bacalhau (Zona Ribeirinha Norte, Rua da Pimenta 45) or Laurentina (Av. Conde Valbom 71A), which has an incredible version of this dish featuring spinach, and which goes by the name arroz de bacalhau e espinafres.

Arroz de peixe | White fish rice

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Arroz de peixe is one of the most flexible sea inspired rice dishes in Portugal. There’s no single standardized recipe for it, and it’s more of a concept based on rice, broth and white fish. The most common species are usually inexpensive and flaky varieties like hake (pescada), meagre (corvina), or grouper (cherne), but it really depends on what’s available. Depending on the cook’s preference, the rice may be thicker like a stew, or lighter and brothier. Either way, this is Portuguese comfort food at its best. 

The foundation is usually a refogado of onion, garlic, olive oil, and tomato, often with white wine or vinegar added for acidity. Chopped peppers, carrots, peas, or greens can be added, and the rice is cooked directly in a fish stock, ideally made at home using the fish head, bones, or trimmings. The fish itself is typically poached separately and then flaked or cut into chunks and added back in at the end so it doesn’t disintegrate.

One of the key appeals of arroz de peixe is how versatile it is. It can be made with leftover fish, with frozen fillets, or with fresh catch from the market. Some versions include shellfish, such as clams or shrimp, while others are intentionally kept simple and frugal. As usual, Carolino rice is key to make the dish velvety as a good arroz malandrinho should be.

There are some regional styles, but the variations have more to do with personal preference rather than region. Still, in the Alentejo, you might find it cooked with local herbs like pennyroyal (poejo), while in the Algarve, it could be loaded with tomatoes and peppers and have a brighter, lighter profile. In the North, it’s not uncommon to add a few cubes of smoked chouriço to enhance the taste.

You are more likely to come across arroz de peixe as a main dish served at lunch, often listed as a daily special during the week. If you crave it any other moment, go straight to some of our most recommended Lisbon restaurants specializing in fish, such as Aqui Há Peixe (Rua Trindade 18A), in the historical centre, or head to the area of Restelo and visit A Marítima do Restelo (Rua Bartolomeu Dias 110) to taste their version with shrimps (arroz de peixe e gambas).

Arroz de lingueirão | Razor clams rice

Photo by Tuga na Cozinha on Youtube

Arroz de lingueirão is a rice dish linked with the coastal culture of the Eastern Algarve, where the long, narrow razor clam (lingueirão) has been a part of the local diet for many generations. It’s especially tied to the area around the Ria Formosa lagoon system, where the tide retreats to reveal sandy mudflats full of shellfish, including the prized lingueirão. To eat authentic arroz de lingueirão, visit local restaurants in Algarvian towns like Olhão, Tavira, or Fuseta.

There’s no precise written history of when arroz de lingueirão first appeared, but it’s safe to say it’s been part of Algarvian home cooking for at least a century, having come up as a response to making good use of the abundant local shellfish, particularly during times when access to meat was limited. Razor clams are easy to collect by hand during low tide and don’t require a boat or expensive gear, so they are a good choice for anyone who’s up to foraging them, like many locals do. In parts of the Algarve, harvesting lingueirão is done with a simple trick: locals pour salt into the small holes where the clams hide. Within seconds, the clams shoot up from the sand and you can pick them. Walk around coastal areas during low tides and you may catch a glimpse of local folks doing this.

The dish itself is straightforward: Carolino rice cooked in the clam’s own broth, seasoned with olive oil, garlic, sometimes tomato, and often finished with lemon and coriander. The flavor is strong, saline and a little sandy, but not in a bad way (we’re talking about flavor, not texture).

Despite its strong identity in the Algarve, arroz de lingueirão isn’t that common in other parts of Portugal. As here in the capital we’re lucky to have restaurants serving food from all over the country, you can indeed enjoy razor clams rice at establishments like Os Courenses (Rua José Duro 27D), or Adega do Silva (Rua Alexander Fleming 7B).

Arroz de lampreia | Lamprey rice

Photo by Ponte de Lima à Mesa

Arroz de lampreia is made with lamprey, a rare jawless, eel-like fish with ancient roots and a flavor profile that’s anything but neutral. This is not everyday food. It’s a highly seasonal, regional specialty eaten almost exclusively in the Minho region, where lamprey is fished from the Rio Minho and Rio Lima during a narrow window between January and April.

The dish consists of chunks of lamprey cooked in a rich sauce made with the animal’s blood, red wine, onions, garlic, bay leaf, and spices like clove and cinnamon. This recipe sounds a little old school but the result is beloved by many locals who eagerly await for lamprey eason. Because of environmental reasons and overfishing, recipes featuring lamprey are part of a wider list of traditional Portuguese recipes that are disappearing. Historically, lamprey was considered a noble delicacy, served mostly in royal courts. With time, it became more common but, in recent years, it’s a rare treat yet again. So, if you crave velvety rice with strong notes of wine and even iron, if you do come across lamprey rice, make the most of the opportunity. 

The preparation of arroz de lampreia requires a little time and know-how. The animal must be bled properly after being killed, and its slippery skin is often scalded or scrubbed to remove the slime before cooking. The broth itself is built slowly, with wine and seasonings to mellow the fishy and mineral character of the blood.

In many households and traditional tascas in Minho, lamprey is cooked whole and then served over rice (à bordalesa style), while others prefer to fully integrate it into the rice itself, making arroz de lampreia a one-pot meal. Some versions may also include a little cured ham in the base to add complexity.

This dish is almost impossible to find outside northern Portugal, and rare in Lisbon itself, unless during specific seasonal menus in restaurants that specialize in Minho cuisine, such as Solar dos Presuntos (Rua das Portas de Santo Antão 150) or Dom Feijão (Largo Machado de Assis 7D), in the neighborhood of Alvalade. 

For those willing to travel within Portugal, northern towns like Caminha, Ponte de Lima, and Monção host lamprey festivals every spring, where the dish is prepared in both traditional and creative ways. A little closer to the Portuguese capital, roughly between Lisbon and Porto, you’ll also find lamprey festivals such as Festival do Arroz de Lampreia, hosted every year in Montemor-o-Velho. 

Portugal’s best rice recipes with meat

Arroz de pato | Duck rice

Photo by Despensa Avó Zé

Arroz de pato is a traditional Portuguese rice dish made with shredded duck, short grain Carolino rice, and smoked chouriço, baked in the oven until the top layer becomes golden and lightly crispy. The preparation begins by simmering the duck with aromatics such as onion, garlic, bay leaf, and sometimes white wine. After the meat is cooked and shredded, the resulting broth is used to cook the rice, which absorbs all the flavor from the duck. The rice and duck are then layered in a tray, topped with thin slices of chouriço (or, sometimes, a little thick bacon too), and baked.

Even though you can find duck rice all over the country, this dish is associated with northern Portuguese culinary traditions, especially linked with the city of Braga, where it is known as arroz de pato à moda de Braga. It was historically considered a festive or Sunday dish, as duck was more expensive and less accessible than chicken or pork. Today, while still seen as special, it’s commonly found in both home kitchens and restaurant menus on any given day.

The preferred rice for this dish is Carolino, Portugal’s native short-grain variety, known for its ability to soak up broth and flavors without drying out in the oven. The result is a dish that is moist inside, with a lightly toasted surface from the oven bake. It’s exactly this contrast between the moist rice on the inside and golden crust on top that defines a good arroz de pato.

Here in Lisbon, many restaurants serve arroz de pato, including appearances as a daily special (prato do dia) during weekdays, in humble eateries and even pastelarias. Adega da Tia Matilde (Rua da Beneficência 77) might not serve the most affordable version, but if you visit this restaurant you can be rest assured you’ll get to taste a deliciously traditional arroz de pato, many Lisboetas will defend as the best in the city.

Arroz de cabidela | Braised chicken rice with blood

Photo by Visão

Arroz de cabidela may be one of Portugal’s most divisive dishes as some people truly love it, but there’s also plenty others who can’t stand it. Those who like it, will argue that those who don’t are stuck with a mental block, and it has little to do with the taste or texture of the actual dish.

Cabidela rice is a rich preparation made with poultry (most often chicken or rooster), cooked with the bird’s own blood, which is added to the dish along with vinegar to prevent coagulation and give it a distinct tang. The resulting rice is dark and intensely flavorful, with a slightly acidic finish that balances the richness of the meat and broth. The recipe starts by browning the meat with garlic, bay leaf, olive oil, and sometimes a bit of onion or tomato. Once it is well seared, water or broth is added, and the short grain rice is cooked in the same pot. The blood-vinegar mixture is only stirred near the end of cooking, when the rice is nearly done. Timing and temperature control are crucial, as if the blood is added too early or at the wrong temperature, it can curdle. Arroz de cabidela, also known as galinha de cabidela (that is, cabidela chicken instead of cabidela rice), could be perceived as a bloody chicken risotto, and it is often highlighted as one of Portugal’s most bizarre foods.

This dish originates from the Minho region, in northern Portugal, where it is especially popular in rural and agricultural communities. There, it can also be known by the name arroz pica-no-chão. Traditionally, it was made during home slaughters, when every part of the animal was used. The fresh blood was caught in a bowl with vinegar immediately after slaughter and reserved specifically for the cabidela. In the north, it is most commonly made with free-range hen (galinha caseira or galinha do campo), which has firmer meat and is much more flavorful meat compared to supermarket chicken. Versions of the recipe swapping the chicken for duck or rabbit also exist, but they are less common.

While it may be unfamiliar or even intimidating to some travelers, arroz de cabidela is considered a true delicacy by many locals, especially in the north. So much so, that even vegetarian and vegan versions have popped up in recent years, obviously omitting the meat and the blood, swapping it for shredded mushrooms and red wine vinegar to try to emulate the nostalgic traditional flavor those who have stopped eating meat may still miss. 

If you’d like to taste a proper cabidela while in Lisbon, your best bet is to head straight to a restaurant specializing in traditional Portuguese cuisine, such as Adega das Mercês (Tv. das Mercês 2) or O Jacinto (Av. Ventura Terra 2). If you end up heading to Adega da Tia Matilde which we have recommended above for the arroz de pato, know that their arroz de cabidela is also outstanding, so make sure you go with more people, as these are heavy dishes and portions in typical Portuguese restaurants tend to be quite generous.

Arroz de sarrabulho | Pork rice with blood

Photo by Renascença

If you thought arroz de cabidela was a little too intense, allow us to introduce you to arroz de sarrabulho. This is another hearty and traditional dish from northern Portugal, especially associated with the Minho and Douro Litoral regions. It’s made with a mix of pork meat, sometimes chicken or veal, and thickened with pig’s blood, seasoned with cumin, cloves, and sometimes lemon. This is not an everyday dish but a seasonal treat that is usually enjoyed when animals are (or where…) slaughtered at home and their blood is readily available. 

To understand arroz de sarrabulho, you have to understand the overall concept of sarrabulho. The word refers to the blood-based seasoning used in various dishes that emerged from the matança do porco, the traditional pig slaughter, which still takes place in many parts of the North in the colder months, usually between November and February. The event was (and in some places still is) a full-day ritual involving family and neighbors, music, a big communal meal, and lots of drinking. Almost every part of the animal is used, and sarrabulho was born from this no-waste mentality. The pig’s blood is collected, seasoned with vinegar, and used to enrich stews, sausages and, of course, rice.

In arroz de sarrabulho, the rice is cooked similarly to cabidela above, in this case in a broth made from different cuts of pork (such as ear, belly, ribs, and offal), often with additional meats like chicken or veal, depending on local custom or simply what’s available. Near the end, the blood is stirred in, thickening the mixture and giving it a deep brown color and a rich flavor some would say is slightly metallic. Spices like cumin and clove are key, not just for the sake of taste, but actually to help balance the intensity of the blood. As one could easily expect, this is a very heavy dish, but it’s a bold recipe that has northern Portugal DNA all over it. 

Unlike cabidela, arroz de sarrabulho isn’t always served as a stand-alone dish. In some areas, it accompanies rojões, chunks of fried pork marinated in garlic and wine, forming the famous dish rojões à moda do Minho com arroz de sarrabulho. Sometimes, in this combination, the rice can also be replaced by papas de sarrabulho, a similar preparation using corn flour instead of rice, and resulting in a savory porridge instead of a saucy rice.

Finding authentic arroz de sarrabulho outside of the North, especially in Lisbon or in bigger cities in general, can be difficult. It’s a seasonal and regional dish, and even in the North, it’s more common in winter and during festivals or local celebrations. A few traditional restaurants in Braga, Barcelos, and Póvoa de Lanhoso still serve it regularly. In Porto, some tascas and rustic-style restaurants also include it on the menu in colder months. For anyone wanting to try it in the right context, the best time is during the winter food festivals in Minho, particularly the Fim de Semana Gastronómico do Arroz de Sarrabulho, held in Ponte de Lima in January. Outside the colder months, you may be lucky to find it in places that specialize in northern cuisine, but that would honestly be a lucky find.

Empadão de arroz | Oven-baked rice casserole

Photo by Ekonomista

When people think of Portuguese cuisine, their minds usually go straight to seafood stews, grilled sardines, or pastel de nata. But the truth is, to understand how people really eat in Portugal, you have to look at what’s served at home, way beyond that you’d normally see featured in restaurants’ menus. It’s almost exclusively at home that you’ll find dishes like empadão de arroz.

Empadão is a kind of baked casserole layered with a starchy base (most often mashed potatoes, but sometimes rice or pasta) and a savory filling, usually ground meat, shredded chicken, tuna, or even vegetables. The top layer is also starchy, featuring either more potato pure or rice, and sometimes a little egg wash to help it become golden and crispy, once the dish is baked in the oven. While empadão de batata (with mashed potatoes) is more common, empadão de arroz is certainly also a classic of home cooking across Portugal.

In this version, cooked rice replaces mashed potatoes and is used as both the base and top layer. The filling is typically a saucy ground meat preparation, similar to a ragù you’d use for a lasagna, which is most commonly made with beef or pork and a tomato based sauce. There are also versions with chicken (empadão de arroz com frango) or tuna (empadão de arroz com atum), and, in more plant-forward households, texturized soy (empadão de arroz com soja) is also common.

This dish rarely (if ever!) appears on restaurant menus. You might spot it here and there as a prato do dia in a not too fancy eatery, but it’s basically something you’d eat in someone’s kitchen, not their business. At the most, kids will get to enjoy it at their school canteen, as this is indeed one of those dishes that is great to feed a crowd.

Eating out in Portugal, as in most of the world, only shows part of what our food culture is like. The real day-to-day cooking in ordinary kitchens is where tradition and the Portuguese way of life can be felt the most. This is why we’d encourage you to join our experience Dinner at a Portuguese Local Home.

Arroz de miúdos | Giblets rice

Photo by A Mesa dos Portugueses

Arroz de miúdos is a classic Portuguese side dish made with poultry giblets. It most typically features liver, heart, gizzards, and sometimes a little neck meat, all finely chopped and sautéed with garlic, onion, and bay leaf before being simmered with rice and stock. It’s a humble dish but it certainly doesn’t lack in flavor and, as other rice dishes we’ve featured above, it showcases the traditional Portuguese approach of using the entire animal, especially in home cooking and rural contexts.

This is a side dish most often served alongside roast chicken or roast turkey, especially during family lunches, Sunday meals, or festive occasions like Christmas or Easter. In some regions, particularly in the North and Centre, it’s considered the proper and expected companion to oven roasted poultry. 

The cooking process starts by simmering the giblets to create a base stock, typically with aromatics like garlic, onion, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Once tender, the giblets are finely chopped and returned to the pan, where they’re sautéed before adding the Carolino rice and broth. Some versions include a splash of white wine, and finishing with a handful of chopped parsley is common. The end result is moist, slightly sticky rice packed with umami.

Arroz de miúdos is rarely found in restaurants, except maybe as part of a festive roast plate or as a side in very traditional tascas. It’s more commonly seen in home kitchens, where cooks have access to the full bird and are careful not to waste any part of it. While it’s technically a side dish, it’s rich enough that many people look forward to the rice more than the meat it’s meant to accompany. If you’re craving a real feast while in Lisbon, we recommend heading to Restaurante a’BEIRA-te (Av. de Berna 11 A) and ordering the roasted kid goat with this rice as a side (cabrito assado no forno com arroz de miúdos).

Arroz de carqueja | Carqueja rice

Photo by Caras

Arroz de carqueja is a way lesser-known dish than the others we have explored above, but it’s such a treat that we thought we’d recommend it to you here as well. This traditional Portuguese recipe is made with foraged carqueja (baccharis trimera), a wild, bitter mountain herb native to northern and central Portugal. Used for centuries in rural cooking and folk medicine, carqueja brings an earthy, slightly astringent flavor to the rice, unlike anything found in more common herb based dishes like, for example, cilantro rice (arroz de coentros).

The recipe originated in Trás-os-Montes and Beira Alta, regions known for their harsh winters, resourceful cooking, and a strong connection to the land. Traditionally, carqueja was gathered by hand in the hills and used fresh or dried. Its natural bitterness makes it a flavor enhancer in long-simmered dishes. In arroz de carqueja, the herb is usually infused into the broth that cooks the rice, sometimes on its own, but most commonly with meats like chicken, pork and cured meats (enchidos). In its most classic form, this rice is saucy and robust, somewhere between a stew and a pilaf. Beyond the dish itself, carqueja is a plant with cultural and medicinal value. Infusions made from its leaves are believed to aid digestion, lower blood sugar, and relieve fatigue. If you eat it in rice form though, we can’t guarantee you won’t feel like taking a nap after your meal.

Despite being tied to the interior of Portugal, you can try this dish in Lisbon, specifically in the Ajuda neighborhood, at a small, family-run restaurant called Recanto Serrano (Calçada da Ajuda 206). They focus on mountain cuisine from Trás-os-Montes, and arroz de carqueja is one of their house specialties. It’s not something you’ll see on every menu, even in the North, so finding it in Lisbon is a rare treat. May arroz de carqueja be your delicious introduction to the cuisines of Trás-os-Montes and Beira Alta, often forsaken for travelers who come to Portugal and don’t get to experience much beyond coastal and Alentejo cuisines.

Portuguese rice sweets you must try

Arroz doce | Sweet rice pudding

Photo by 24Kitchen

No list of Portuguese rice dishes would be complete without arroz doce, the country’s version of sweet rice pudding. Made with Carolino rice, milk, lemon peel, sugar, and finished with a generous dusting of cinnamon, this creamy dessert is a staple at restaurants and home celebrations and it is, by far, one of the most widely made desserts all over the country.

Many countries around the world have their own version of sweet rice pudding. The roots of arroz doce in Portugal date back centuries, with connections to Arab culinary traditions, where sweets made with rice and milk were common. The Portuguese version evolved during the Age of Discoveries, when the country had access to sugar from Brazil and spices from the East. What was once a luxurious dessert made in convents, eventually became part of everyday home cooking.

Traditional recipes start with Carolino rice slowly cooked in water until tender, then simmered with hot milk, lemon peel, and a pinch of salt. Toward the end, sugar is added, and so are egg yolks, which are tempered and stirred in to make the texture richer and the color also more attractive. The pudding is typically decorated with cinnamon patterns, including crosshatches, initials, flowers, or hearts, and traditionally served in clay bowls.

Occasionally, you’ll find arroz doce queimado, which is topped with a caramelized sugar crust, similarly to leite creme queimado, known internationally as crème brûlée.

It is indeed very common to find arroz doce in restaurants, specially traditional ones, served in individual ramekins. At home, you’ll most likely find it in large shallow dishes. While in Lisbon, do not miss incredible versions of arroz doce at places like Estrela d’Ouro (Rua da Graça 22) or, if you visit during June, you’ll be able to grab one from the many street stands that sell it during the Santos Populares parties. 

Bolo de arroz | Rice muffin

Photo by RTP

Technically not a rice dish, but as there aren’t in fact many Portuguese sweet recipes featuring rice, we thought to include this classic of Portuguese pastelarias here as well, to best satisfy those with a sweet tooth. You’ll find this light, cylindrical cake in almost every pastelaria, usually standing upright in a paper wrapper with the words BOLO DE ARROZ printed across it in bold green or blue letters. This is such an iconic sight for generations of Portuguese school kids and coffee drinkers, especially those who appreciate a good dunkin session.

The cake is made from a simple batter of rice flour, blended with wheat flour (so note that it is not gluten free), along with eggs, sugar, butter (or margarine), milk, and baking powder. Lemon zest is often added for aroma, and a dusting of sugar on top creates a subtle crust when baked, as we all know that muffin tops are the best part. What sets it apart from other sponge cakes is its light, crumbly texture, thanks to the rice flour, and its mild, slightly nutty flavor. It’s not overly sweet, making it a popular choice for breakfast or a mid-morning snack with coffee or milk.

Despite being a modern pastry case regular, bolo de arroz has been around since at least the early 20th century, when rice flour became more commonly available. It reflects a time when Portuguese bakers began incorporating new ingredients and baking methods, combining French-inspired pastry techniques with local tastes. The cylindrical shape and paper collar are a nod to individual-sized sponge cakes that became popular in European cafés during that period.

While it’s not a dessert in the traditional sense as you will not see bolo de arroz after a family meal or at a restaurant’s menu (by the way, the same used to apply to pastel de nata before mass tourism!), it’s ever present in pastelaria counters, including the best pastry shops in Lisbon. 

When you go eat out in Portugal, remember how rice dishes speak so much about how locals eat. For other insider tips in Lisbon and beyond, make sure to follow Taste of Lisboa on Instagram.

Feed your curiosity on Portuguese food culture:

Traditional Portuguese dishes that are disappearing

The other bacalhau dishes you’ve never heard of

Comfort food: Naughty rices the Portuguese simply love

Comporta travel guide for food lovers

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