Brazilian Farofa Recipe for Turkey Stuffing ~ Farofa de Natal
Farofa is a very traditional side in Brazil and for Brazilian cuisine. This version has even more goodness since it's a Stuffing version. It has smokey bacon, salty calabrese sausage, sweet carrots, briny and salty olives, and aromatic onions and garlic. It is served with feijao (beans), meats, rice, and more. In this Brazilian Farofa recipe, it's used as a stuffing for turkey, which is also a very traditional use at Christmas, called Farofa de Natal.
Servings 8 Servings
Ingredients
- 4 slices Bacon, sliced
- 6 ounces Calabrese sausage/salami, diced (or any mild, hard salami)
- 1 Medium Carrot, grated
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- ¾ cup Scallions (green onions) sliced. Or yellow or red onion, finely diced.
- 1 Green Pepper (You can use any bell pepper, poblano, or jalapena)
- 1 cup Olives, pitted and chopped (I used green, but kalamata are good too)
- ¼ cup Fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons Butter, salted
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground Black PEpper
- 3 cups Cassava Flour
- 1-3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Eggs, hard boiled (large or extra large)
Instructions
- Dice the bacon strips (see notes for Tip!). Dice the Calabrese sausage. Mince the garlic. Slice the scallions. Finely dice the green pepper. Grate the carrot. Chop the olives. Chop the cilantro.4 slices Bacon, sliced, 6 ounces Calabrese sausage/salami, diced, 1 Medium Carrot, grated, 3 cloves Garlic, minced, ¾ cup Scallions (green onions) sliced., 1 Green Pepper, 1 cup Olives, pitted and chopped, ¼ cup Fresh cilantro leaves
- Hard boil the eggs by putting them in a pot of water and then bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for 7 minutes. Once cooled enough to handle, peel the eggs and then rough chop.4 Eggs, hard boiled
- Preheat a pot on the stove. Add the diced bacon on medium-low heat. Stir so that the bacon doesn't burn. Render the fat and crip the bacon, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon leaving the fat behind and place on a plate lined with paper towel. Set to the side or store in the fridge if doing this in advance.4 slices Bacon, sliced
- To the same pan, add the diced sausage, carrots, scallions, and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until the carrots start to soften. Then add the cilantro, olives, bacon, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter. If butter, let it melt before moving to the next step.2 tablespoons Butter, salted
- Finally, add 1 cup of the cassava flour at a time, mixing after each cup so it is coated with fat. Drizzle in Olive oil as needed to help moisten all of the cassava flour. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Last, mix in the chopped eggs.4 slices Bacon, sliced, ½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Ground Black PEpper, 3 cups Cassava Flour, 4 Eggs, hard boiled, 1-3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Notes
- Bacon ~ My tip for slicing or dicing bacon is to freeze it! Bacon is generally very fatty and therefore, difficult to cut. When it's frozen, however, it's super easy to cut off what you need, then simply dice it. Then store the rest right back in the freezer.
-
What sausage can I use other than Calabrese?
I recommend a dried or cooked sausage so you don't have another cooking step. Calabrese is a common sausage that is used in São Paulo, Brazil. Any mild, hard Italian salami or even Spanish Chorizo will work. You can also use precooked sausages, like Italian sausage or Kielbasa or even chicken sausage. If you use a raw calabrese or other raw sausage, make sure to cook the sausage thoroughly before adding the other ingredients. -
Can I freeze this Farofa recipe?
Yes, but I recommend holding off on adding the hard boiled egg until you have thawed and reheated the farofa, so it doesn't get rubbery. To freeze it, you can use a freezer bag or airtight container. It will last for 6 months in the freezer. To reheat, you can thaw it in the fridge for an hour or so, just to loosen up the farofa. Then add it to a casserole dish and warm it in the oven at 375 F degrees for 15-20 minutes, covered. Remove the cover for the last 5 minutes. -
Can I make this Farofa recipe Vegetarian?
Yes, here are some recommendations for substitutes for the sausage and bacon. Diced Portabella mushrooms are great for the meaty texture and then for the smoky flavor, you can use a teaspoon of smoked paprika. You can also use meat alternatives or diced extra firm tofu with paprika. They also make vegetarian chorizo, so check that out!