A classic gaucho dish made with dried beef (charque), rice, garlic, onions, and sometimes tomato or bell pepper. A rustic, campfire favorite of cattle drovers. 1)
Boiled seeds of the Araucaria tree—starchy, nutty, and very regional. Served warm with butter or added to savory dishes like stews. 2)
A colossal Rio Grande do Sul-style sandwich resembling a burger, but with fillings like heart of palm, fried egg, and corn, served on a griddle-toasted bun. 3)
A rolled flank steak stuffed with eggs, carrots, olives, and peppers, then roasted or boiled and sliced like a roulade. Elegant and deeply traditional. 4)
Fried cornmeal sticks served with thick, creamy colonial cheese—an Italian-Gaúcho fusion bite, perfect with chimarrão or wine. 5)
Giant beef ribs slow-roasted over wood fire for 12 hours. Smoky, primal, and central to the gaucho identity. Often seasoned only with coarse salt. 6)
A yeasted German-style cake topped with a sugary crumble (farofa) and fruit (like banana or grapes). Found in cafés and bakeries across the state. 7)
Crushed corn cooked into a thick porridge and served with fried pork sausage. An old-fashioned dish rooted in the countryside. 8)
A mountain favorite: stir-fry of meats (pork, beef, chicken), vegetables, and boiled pinhão. Popular in winter festivals and road inns. 9)
Chicken and rice dish spiced with local açafrão-da-terra (turmeric), garlic, and herbs. Rustic, aromatic, and great for sharing. 10)
A dessert made from cassava pearls (sagu) cooked in red wine and spices, served with a velvety vanilla cream. A mix of indigenous and European ideas. 11)
Fried potato dough balls filled with cheese or meat. Crispy outside, pillowy inside—sold in fairs and markets, especially in smaller towns. 12)
Cornbread with a hint of fennel seeds—often served with jams or chimarrão. Slightly sweet and aromatic. 13)
Chicken gizzards slowly braised in red wine, onions, and herbs. Surprisingly refined and often found in taverns or family meals. 14)
Sun-dried beef simmered with chunks of pumpkin (moranga), garlic, and onion—savory, tender, and sweet all at once. 15)