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Cozido à portuguesa (Portuguese boiled dinner)

Cozido à portuguesa is a Portuguese boiled dinner with beef, pork, chicken and chorizo simmered alongside cabbage, carrots, turnips and potatoes. It serves 4, takes 2.5 hours mostly hands off, is rated easy, and costs about €4.20 per person. The key is a gentle simmer and adding vegetables in order of toughness.

Tonight, the big Portuguese Sunday dish, a boiled dinner of meats and vegetables to share in the middle of the table.

Cozido à portuguesa (Portuguese boiled dinner)
Total time
2 h 30
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.20
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Cozido à portuguesa is Portugal's take on the boiled dinner, the kind of pot that simmers quietly while the house fills with the smell of broth and bay leaf. The meats cook long and slow until the beef shank falls apart with a fork, the pork belly adds richness to the broth, and the mild chorizo tints everything without adding heat. Every bite mixes tender meat with vegetables that still hold their shape.

This is a Sunday dish, the kind you set in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves, a bit of beef, a slice of chorizo, potatoes soaked in broth. It takes time but very little active work, which makes it a good choice for a quiet afternoon at home when you want a hearty meal without being tied to the stove.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Beef shank 600 g
  • Salt pork belly 300 g
  • Chicken thighs 2
  • Mild chorizo 1

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green cabbage 0.5
  • Carrots 4
  • Turnips 2
  • Potatoes 600 g
  • Onion 1

Pantry

  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The step by step recipe

  1. Put the beef shank, pork belly and onion in a large pot of cold water, bring to a boil and skim carefully. 20 min

    If the pork belly is very salty, soak it overnight or blanch it for 10 minutes first.

  2. Add the bay leaves, lower the heat and let it simmer gently, covered. 1 h

    A quiet simmer, not a rolling boil, is what makes the meat fall apart tender.

  3. Add the chicken thighs, chorizo, carrots and turnips cut into large chunks. 30 min

    Swap in a mild chorizo if chouriço isn't available, it's easy to find at any deli counter.

  4. Cook the cabbage in wedges and the peeled potatoes in the broth for the last 20 minutes. 20 min

    Add them last, they soften fast and fall apart if cooked too long.

  5. Drain the meats and vegetables, arrange them on a large platter, slice the chorizo and meat and serve with a little broth.

    Save the broth for a noodle soup the next day.

Our tips to get it right

  • Skim the broth carefully in the first twenty minutes, that's what keeps it clear instead of cloudy.
  • Cut the carrots and turnips into evenly sized pieces so they all cook at the same rate.
  • Taste the broth before adding salt, the salt pork and chorizo already season the dish quite a bit.

The variations

  • Swap the salt pork belly for smoked bacon if you prefer a smokier flavor over a salty one.
  • For a lighter meat version, skip the pork belly and keep just the beef and chicken.
  • To save time, use pre-shredded cabbage and already peeled vegetables, you'll easily cut fifteen minutes off prep.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread to soak up the broth
  • A side of plain white rice
  • A simple green salad after

Storage

Cozido keeps for 3 days in the fridge, with meats, vegetables and broth stored separately in sealed containers. It freezes well for up to 2 months, though it's best to leave out the potatoes since they turn mushy once thawed. Reheat gently in the broth over low heat so the meats stay tender.

Questions about this dish

Can you make cozido ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually a dish that improves overnight. Reheated gently the next day, the broth has had time to deepen and the flavors have mingled.

Can you use a different chorizo instead of mild chorizo?

You can use a spicier chorizo if you like some heat, it will flavor the broth more. Just avoid one that's too fatty, since it can make the dish feel heavy.

Do you need to soak the salt pork belly before cooking?

If it's very salty, soaking it overnight or blanching it for 10 minutes keeps the broth from becoming too salty. Otherwise it can go straight into the pot.

What should you do with the leftover broth?

Save the broth to make a noodle soup the next day, it's an easy way to use everything up. It also freezes well in individual portions.

How long does it take to make a cozido à portuguesa?

Count 2 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a cozido à portuguesa?

About 640 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a cozido à portuguesa cost?

About €4.20 per serving, or €16.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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