Baião de Dois (Brazilian Black-Eyed Peas and Rice) Recipe

By
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
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Updated on 06/6/22
Brazilian Black-eyed Peas and Rice - Baião-de-dois
Flickr CC 2.0
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 70 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
554 Calories
16g Fat
77g Carbs
26g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 554
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 52mg 17%
Sodium 658mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 77g 28%
Dietary Fiber 7g 26%
Protein 26g
Calcium 466mg 36%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Fresh black-eyed peas and rice make a great team in this excellent Brazilian comfort food dish - the  Brazilian equivalent of red rice and beans, or moros y cristianos.  

Baião is a traditional style of music from Northeastern Brazil. This music evolved as a combination of the music of the indigenous people in that region and that of African and European immigrants (just like the cuisine!). Baião is also the name of a folk dance from this region, and so the name of this dish literally means "baiao (dance) for two".

Baião become very popular in the mid 20th century, and around that time a pair of musicians wrote a popular song called "baião-de-dois" that became associated with this dish.  

Baião-de-dois is best when made with fresh black-eyed peas, which can be hard to find but are usually available in the frozen food section. In Brazil, this dish is often prepared with dried beef (carne de sol) but pork (bacon in this case) is also popular.  

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus 1 tablespoon
  • 2 cups fresh (or frozen) black-eyed peas
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 1/4 cups rice
  • 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 ounces smoked mozzarella (or regular whole milk mozzarella) cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Coarsely chop the bacon and place it in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook until bacon is browned and crispy. Remove about 1/4 of the bacon pieces and set aside for garnish.

  2. Add the chopped onion to the saucepan and cook over medium heat in the bacon grease until softened. Add the garlic and the chopped cilantro and cook for several minutes more, stirring. 

  3. Add the black-eyed peas and the water to the saucepan. Cover and simmer until black-eyed peas are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.  

  4. Once the beans are tender, stir in the rice and 1 cup of vegetable or chicken stock. Cover and simmer over low heat until rice is cooked. Check periodically and add more stock if needed.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  5. Cut the mozzarella cheese into 1-inch cubes. Stir into the dish just before serving, so cheese has time to melt slightly.