Portuguese Food Glossary

Since I wrote earlier about our trip to Portugal, I thought I would post a Portuguese food glossary. It is helpful to know some terms before heading to a restaurant in whatever country you are in. Also, always learn a few language basics, a little effort can go a long way. (To view the entire glossary, click on "read more.")

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.

Açucar - sugar.

Adegas - wineries or wine cellars.

Agua - water.

Aguardente - clear brandy; lit. "firewater".

Alcachofra - artichoke.

Alface - lettuce.

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

Bacalhau - dried salt cod.

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.

Bolo - cake.

Borrego - lamb.

C

Cabrito - goat.

Cabrito assado - roast kid.

Cacau - cocoa.

Caldeirada de peixe - fish stew.

Caldo verde - cabbage and potato soup.

Camarão - prawn, shrimp.

Canja - chicken broth.

Carioca - weak black coffee.

Carne assada - roast beef.

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.

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.

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.

Espargos - asparagus.

Espetada - kebab.

F

Favas - broad beans.

Feijoa - beans.

Feijoada - dried beans with rice and meat.

Fiambre - boiled ham.

Figado - liver.

Figos - figs.

Framboesas - raspberries.

Francesinha - "Little Frenchie" - a Porto specialty - grilled steak, ham, and cheese in a beer and tomato sauce, often topped with a fried egg.

Frango de carril - roast chicken in hot sauce.

Frango na pucara - chicken casserole.

Fresca - chilled.

Frito - fried.

Fruta - fruit.

Fumado - smoked.

G

Gambas - king prawns, langoustines.

Garfo - fork.

Garrafa - bottle.

Gás - fizzy.

Gaspacho - chilled vegetable soup.

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.

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.

Melão - melon.

Meloa - cantaloupe.

Mercado - market.

Merenda - light snack.

Mesa - table.

Moela - gizzard.

Morangos - strawberries.

Morcela - black pudding/blood sausage.

N

Nabo - turnip.

No forno - baked.

O

Ostras - oysters.

P

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.

Pato - duck.

Peixe - fish.

Pepino - cucumber.

Pera - pear.

Peru - turkey.

Pescada - poached hake.

Pimenta - pepper.

Piri piri - hot chili 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.

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.

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.

Vinagre - vinegar.

Vitela - veal.

Vieiras - scallops

Vinho da casa - house wine.

Vinho tinto - red wine.

Vinho branco - white wine.

Vinho verde - semi-sparkling, young wine.

Vitela - veal.

W

X

Xarope - cordial.

Xarope de morango - strawberry cordial.

Y

Z