Christmas is perhaps the most significant holiday in Portuguese culture. Throughout the whole of December, family and friends will gather to share a meal, exchange gifts, visit Christmas markets, or to simply admire the Christmas lights. Whatever the tradition, food is always at the centre of the festivity, with several dishes that are specially prepared at this time of the year. Lets explore the festive season in Portugal, and what foods and dishes are featured on a typical Portuguese Christmas table!
How is Christmas Celebrated in Portugal
Unofficial celebrations of Christmas in Portugal may start as early as November. It’s when companies throw Christmas dinner parties for their employees, and when people will have group meals with friends and those they might not see on Christmas Eve or Day. The official celebrations take place on the 24th (Consoada) and 25th of December (Dia de Natal) and are reserved for closer family members and friends. The food served on these two occasions are slightly different, at Consoada it’s typical to serve a lighter meal while on Christmas Day you will see heartier roasts and red meats.
Christmas Eve – Consoada
The Christmas Eve or Consoada takes place on the 24th, and it’s marked by the Consoada supper, and gift exchanges after midnight. The more traditional Catholic families may also attend the Missa do Galo or Midnight Mass after supper. As the Catholic tradition recommends cutting down on red meat, cod and octopus dishes are often the stars of the feast.
The most typical being Bacalhau da Consoada, Pastéis de Bacalhau, and boiled octopus. This may vary from home to home, some people take this opportunity to cook their favourite cod dishes such as Bacalhau com Natas or Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá. In some parts of the country, the meal will start with Canja de Galinha, a soup made with shredded chicken and pasta.
Christmas Day – Dia de Natal
On Christmas day celebrations resume at lunch time, with the much-anticipated Ceia de Natal. This feast is more elaborate than the one served at Consoada, and usually includes Roast Lamb or Goat with potatoes, and Roast Turkey. The cod leftovers from the night before don’t go to waste and are reused to make Roupa Velha. No Portuguese Christmas ‘dinner’ is complete without the traditional deep fried desserts (fritos), the most popular being Fatias Douradas and Sonhos. Here’s some of my favourite Portuguese Christmas dishes!
12 Essential Dishes for an Authentic Portuguese Christmas Feast
- Bacalhau da Consoada
- Roupa Velha
- Cabrito Assado
- Borrego Assado
- Pastéis de Bacalhau
- Polvo à Lagareiro
- Peru Recheado
- Sonhos
- Arroz Doce
- Aletria
- Fatias Douradas
- Bolo Rei
Bacalhau da Consoada (Christmas Eve Cod)
Bacalhau da Consoada is a cod dish that’s typically served on Christmas eve. Although a special Christmas dish, it’s one of the simplest Portuguese cod dishes that there are. Cod loins, potatoes, eggs, and Portuguese kale are boiled and drizzled with a sauce made of extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, and garlic. It’s simply delicious and comforting, and you should always aim for leftovers as they are specifically used in another Christmas specialty called Roupa Velha. Here’s the full recipe for Bacalhau da Consoada!
Roupa Velha (Old Rags)
Roupa Velha is another classic food served on Christmas day in Portugal. It’s essentially an upcycled Bacalhau da Consoada. The leftover cod, potatoes, eggs, and kale are fried together in a pan with more olive oil and garlic until nice and hot. It’s arguably even better than Bacalhau da Consoada, and some people will make sure to prepare extra so they can make it the next day!
Cabrito Assado – Roast Kid with Potatoes
Some people might not know that there’s more to Portuguese cuisine than cod and seafood dishes. From North to South you will find meat heavy stews, soups, and roasts. Christmas is the perfect moment to showcase all this diversity. Cabrito Assado or Roast Kid is often the choice for the feast on Christmas day. Think goat meat seasoned with lots of paprika, garlic, and white wine, slowly roasted with some baby potatoes. It’s simply delicious and can be paired with a variety of sides. Here you can find the full recipe!
Borrego Assado – Roast Lamb with Potatoes
On Christmas day some families prefer serving lamb instead of goat. Similarly, a whole leg of lamb, and sometimes an entire lamb, is marinated in a mix of white wine, paprika, garlic, and fresh herbs. The roast stays in the oven for several hours as it fills the homes with a delicious smell that’s almost unique to Christmas time! It’s also served with potatoes, and can be paired with carrots, and other seasonal veggies too. Roast Lamb with Potatoes recipe available here!
Pastéis de Bacalhau – Cod Cakes
An appetiser that’s present at most Christmas dinners is Pastéis de Bacalhau. This classic is consumed year round in Portugal, and the Portuguese always make sure to make room for a cod cake or two while waiting for the big feast. In case you aren’t familiar with this delicacy, it’s made with shredded salt cod, mixed with mashed potatoes, onions, and lots of fresh parsley. They are shaped using two spoons and deep fried in hot oil until golden. Here you can learn how to make Authentic Portuguese Cod Cakes!
Polvo à Lagareiro – Baked Octopus
Some families make their Christmas meal even more special by preparing octopus, either simply boiled or baked. In Polvo à Lagareiro, octopus’ tentacles are confit with a garlic infused olive oil until tender, and served with smashed potatoes. This fabulous Portuguese octopus dish is enjoyed year round, but becomes extra special as a Christmas dinner main. Here’s my recipe if you want to prepare it this Christmas!
Peru Assado – Roast Turkey
Although less common than cod and lamb, roast turkey is the centrepiece of many Portuguese Christmas dinners. There are a handful of recipes, from marinades made with white wine, sliced oranges, and clover, to turkey stuffed with chestnuts and chouriço. Since it’s a more modern addition to Portuguese cuisine, it often varies from family to family.
Sonhos de Natal – Portuguese Sweet Fried Puffs
With the Christmas dinner out of the way, it’s time to address a second feast, the feast of Portuguese Christmas desserts! There’s a whole category of them called ‘fritos’ or fried desserts. That is, dozens of deep fried desserts served with a dusting of cinnamon and sugar.
Sonhos is one of those desserts, some people call them Portuguese doughnuts, however, they are more like deep fried eclairs. The choux dough is flavoured with lemon or orange, and deep fried in hot oil until golden. There are two variations of sonhos, they can be simply dusted with cinnamon and sugar or drizzled with an orange syrup. The name simply means ‘dreams’ and they are indeed dreamy and light despite being deep fried!
Fatias Douradas – Portuguese French Toast
Still in the fritos territory, Portugal’s very own ‘French Toast’ is a mandatory Christmas dessert. Differently from the French toast, sliced bread is coated in a mix of milk, sugar, and lemon, then dipped in whisked eggs before being deep fried in hot oil until golden. Thus the name fatias douradas meaning golden slices. To bring out that Christmassy flavour they are sprinkled with a mix of sugar and cinnamon powder! Here you will find my full Fatias Douradas recipe!
Arroz Doce – Portuguese Christmas Dinner
Another classic Portuguese dessert that makes an appearance during Christmas is Arroz Doce. The Portuguese take on rice pudding includes an egg custard infused with lemon peel and vanilla, and it’s served with a generous dusting of cinnamon. It’s very lush and delicious, and my favourite rice pudding recipe. Here’s my Portuguese Rice Pudding recipe!
Aletria – Sweet Angel Hair Pasta
Aletria is also a typical dessert served at Christmas in Portugal. It’s a more old-fashioned dessert made with angel hair pasta, eggs, milk, sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon, and vanilla. It’s very similar to Portuguese rice pudding, however not as popular. Still it’s a delicious dessert that’s super fun to make and has a festive taste to it! You can find the recipe for it here!
Bolo Rei – Portuguese King Cake
Another symbolic Portuguese Christmas food is Bolo Rei or King Cake. It’s a hybrid between a sweet bread and a cake and has all the typical Christmas flavours like cinnamon and orange. It usually has a crown shape and it’s decorated with candied fruit and powdered sugar. In the variation called Bolo Rainha (Queen Cake) the candied fruit is left out catering to those who dislike it.
Festive Beverages: What Portuguese Drink at Christmas
To help wash down all the festive food, there’s an array of drinks and liqueurs that are brought to the table. The most obvious choice is a good Portuguese red wine from one of the many wine regions in the country. To toast to the festive occasion, Portugal’s sparkling wine (Espumante) is the best option. Now to help digest the heavy food, there are many options of fortified wines, spirits and liqueurs to choose from. The most popular being Vinho do Porto (Port Wine), Moscatel, Madeira (Madeira Wine), Ginjinha (Cherry Liqueur), and Aguardente (Portuguese Brandy). Since you can’t have too many espressos in Portugal, coffee is always served too!