Recipe · Side dish
Farofa – toasted cassava flour
In Brazil, farofa accompanies almost every plate: toasted cassava flour with butter and onion, crunchy and nutty. It pairs well with churrasco, moqueca and bean dishes – and is ready in 15 minutes.
Method
- If you use bacon: fry the diced bacon until crisp in a large pan and remove it.
- Melt the butter in the pan, sweat the onion until translucent, then add the garlic and fry briefly.
- Add the eggs, if using, and let them set while stirring.
- Let the cassava flour trickle in gradually and toast for 5–8 minutes while stirring constantly, until golden yellow and dry and crunchy.
- Fold in the bacon and parsley, season with salt and serve warm.
- “Torrada” or “crua”? “Torrada” is already toasted, “crua” is raw and has to be toasted for longer. Check the pack.
- Vegetarian: Leave out the bacon. With eggs or a few tablespoons of chopped nuts it is still satisfying.
- Storing: Farofa tastes best fresh; in an airtight tin it stays crunchy for a few days.
Handy extras
If something is missing for the recipe: Ad: The Amazon links are affiliate links. They lead to search results, not to a specific offer.
Cassava flour (farinha de mandioca torrada)
The basic ingredient. Look for “torrada”.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use breadcrumbs instead of cassava flour?
As a stopgap, yes, but it tastes different and contains gluten. You can find cassava flour in Latin American shops or online.
Why does my farofa turn mushy?
The pan was probably too full or the heat too low. Toast in smaller batches over medium heat.
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