Cuisine: Savouring the Popular Tastes of Cape Verde

Cape Verde’s cuisine is as rich and diverse as the history of this Atlantic archipelago. Settled in the 15th century by Portuguese sailors on previously uninhabited islands, Cape Verde has become a melting pot of European and African culinary influences. Over centuries, the inhabitants developed a unique Creole gastronomy blending Portuguese cooking techniques with West African ingredients and the abundant seafood of the surrounding ocean. The result is a hearty, soulful cuisine full of slow-simmered stews, fresh catch from the sea, and tropical accents – food that tells the story of a resilient people and their resourceful creativity.

It’s a cuisine born from scarcity and spice, equal parts survival and celebration, now savoured both at home and by visitors lucky enough to pull up a chair at a Cape Verdean table.

Culinary Heritage of Cape Verdean Cuisine

Cape Verde’s culinary heritage reflects its unusual history and geography. The islands had no indigenous population before the Portuguese era. Colonists brought European staples, including wheat, livestock, and wine. At the same time, enslaved Africans and traders introduced crops such as corn (maize), cassava, sweet potatoes, bananas, and mangos from Africa and the Americas.

Corn and beans quickly became dietary cornerstones on the islands, adapted into a myriad of dishes. Because rainfall is scarce and farming is challenging, Cape Verdeans learned to maximise every resource. In times of hardship, whole villages would share a single standard pot of food, each family contributing whatever little produce they had so that everyone could eat. This spirit of community and resourcefulness – born of centuries of droughts and lean times – lies at the heart of Cape Verdean cooking.

Five centuries of Portuguese colonial rule have also left a lasting impression on the cuisine. Many seasonings and methods reveal Iberian roots: cooks use bay leaves, garlic, and olive oil liberally, and cured pork sausage (linguiça) or salted cod may flavour a stew in the traditional Portuguese style. Even today, one can find Portuguese olives and Alentejo wines on local tables.

At the same time, African influence is ever-present in the reliance on corn, beans, and root crops, as well as in the rich traditions of stewing. The marriage of these cultures created a distinctly Cape Verdean flavour profile – earthy, nourishing, and spiced just enough to be lively but not incendiary.

Every meal, from humble corn porridge to celebratory meat feasts, carries a sense of history: a blend of Old World and New World ingredients adapted to an isolated island environment. Cape Verde may be small and often arid, but its culinary heritage is profoundly fertile, having given rise to a food culture that is both inventive and deeply comforting.

National Dish: Cachupa

Cachupa is a slow-simmered stew made from hominy corn, beans, and vegetables, and often includes meat or fish.

If there is one dish that captures the soul of Cape Verdean cuisine, it is cachupa. For Cape Verdeans, cachupa is more than just daily sustenance – it’s tradition, pride, and home in a bowl. This slow-cooked stew of hominy (coarsely ground dried corn) and beans is usually bulked up with whichever vegetables or proteins are available, earning it a reputation as a nourishing “hodge-podge” of ingredients. A pot of cachupa might include pumpkin, squash, sweet potato, cassava, or plantains alongside the corn and beans, simmering for hours until all the flavours meld.

Check out our article about cachupa with easy-to-follow cooking recipes >>

In lean time, the stew remains meatless and straightforward. Still, on fortunate days, it becomes cachupa rica (“rich cachupa”) – overflowing with added fish or chunks of pork, beef, and perhaps Cape Verde’s beloved linguiça sausage or bacon. In fact, it’s often said that you can measure a family’s economic well-being by what they put in their cachupa. A poorer household’s pot might be mostly beans and corn, while a wealthier or celebratory batch contains a bit of everything.

Cooking Cachupa

Cooking cachupa is typically an all-day affair. Traditionally, it simmers over a wood fire or charcoal, tended lovingly from morning until the hearty stew is ready for dinner. The result is comfort in its purest form – smoky, hearty, and intensely flavorful.

Nothing goes to waste: leftover cachupa is famously saved for the next day’s breakfast, when it is refried into cachupa frita until crisp and golden and then topped with a fried egg to make cachupa guisado (a powerhouse morning meal locals proudly dub the “breakfast of champions”). This practice of reusing cachupa illustrates how central the dish is to Cape Verdean life – it can feed a family for days.

Cultural Meaning

Beyond its taste, cachupa carries strong cultural meaning. It’s the dish served at weddings, communal festivals, and family gatherings, where it often bubbles in a cauldron large enough to feed the neighbourhood. Among Cape Verdean immigrant communities abroad, a shared meal of cachupa serves as a nostalgic social occasion, used to remember and celebrate their homeland. From the smallest island village to the expat kitchens of Boston or Lisbon, cachupa represents the warmth and resilience of Cape Verde, uniting everyone around a standard pot.

Cape Verdean Cuisine: Homestyle Dishes

Daily home cooking in Cape Verde goes far beyond the famous cachupa, offering an array of simple, hearty dishes that make the most of local staples.

Jagacida

Corn, beans, and rice form the backbone of many traditional meals. One popular humble recipe is jagacida – nicknamed “jag” – a satisfying one-pot dish of beans and rice. Jagacida is heavily seasoned with onions, paprika, and bay leaves, giving the rice and kidney beans a beautiful red-gold hue and an incredible aroma as it simmers. Often enlivened with a bit of sausage or meat, jagacida can stand alone as a modest supper or act as a starchy side dish to accompany fish.

Xerém

Another corn-based staple is xerém, a rustic porridge made from coarsely ground cornmeal. Resembling a grainy polenta, xerém is usually simmered with savoury additions – bits of salted pork or fish, garlic, and onions – to enrich its texture and flavour. It’s the kind of stick-to-your-ribs peasant food born of necessity, served warm and filling in big clay bowls.

Cape Verdean Feijoada

Cape Verdean cooks have their own version of Portuguese feijoada as well: a thick bean stew layered with vegetables and typically accompanied by a portion of meat or sausage, reflecting the Brazilian/Portuguese influences in the islands’ comfort food repertoire.

Cuscuz de Milho

Carbs are a comfort in Cape Verde, and even the “bread” often comes in unique forms. One beloved example is cuscuz de milho, a Cape Verdean corn couscous (unrelated to the North African couscous grain) that resembles a steamed cornmeal cake. Prepared by moistening corn flour (sometimes mixed with a bit of sugar or mashed sweet potato) and steaming it in a special clay pot called a binde, Cape Verdean cuscus emerges as a dense, lightly sweet bread. It’s commonly enjoyed at breakfast – sliced and served with a pat of butter or drizzled with honey or milk. Locals might dip pieces of warm cuscuz into their coffee or tea, or eat it alongside tropical jam, making it a wonderfully cosy morning treat.

Corn & Rice Puddings

Sweetness infuses many homey creations: even corn pudding or rice puddings are typical, often scented with cinnamon and lemon zest in the Portuguese style.

Overall, Cape Verdean homestyle cooking is unpretentious, born from a resourceful use of staples. Meals are often cooked in one pot and seasoned simply with bay leaf, onion, and perhaps a pinch of malagueta pepper for warmth. What emerges are dishes that are greater than the sum of their parts – whether it’s a humble plate of beans and rice or a fragrant corn pudding, the food of Cape Verdean homes is warm, filling, and built to nourish body and soul.

Seafood Specialties of Cape Verdean Cuisine

Living on islands surrounded by the Atlantic, Cape Verdeans have a deep affinity for seafood. Fish and shellfish of all kinds are a prominent feature in the local diet. In fact, fresh tuna is the most widely consumed protein in Cape Verde – tuna steaks can be grilled simply with garlic and olive oil or flaked into a tomato-rich stew with rice.

Along the coasts, fishermen haul in a rich bounty: wahoo, grouper, mahi-mahi (locally called dorado), and even flying fish, not to mention squid, octopus, lobsters, and various clams and mussels. This abundance means even everyday meals often include seafood.

Caldo de Peixe

A classic fishermen’s dish is caldo de peixe, a hearty fish stew. Typically made with whatever the catch of the day is (mackerel and grouper are common), caldo de peixe slow-cooks chunks of fish with potatoes, carrots, cassava, and pumpkin in a lightly spiced broth, and is served with rice or a dollop of cornmeal mush for a complete, warming meal. From island to island, the recipes vary – on one island you might find a tomato-based fish soup, on another a simple boiled fish with vegetables – but the essence is always comfort from the sea.

Lobsters: Lagosta grelhada & Lagosta suada

Cape Verde is also famous for its lobster. Spiny lobsters thrive in the archipelago’s waters, and locals prepare them with respect for the ingredient’s quality. One popular method is lagosta grelhada, where fresh lobster is grilled over charcoal and finished with a squeeze of lemon and garlic butter – a dish that truly lets the sweet, tender lobster meat shine.

Another indulgent preparation is lagosta suada, literally “sweated lobster,” in which the lobster is simmered in a rich sauce of tomatoes, wine, herbs, and often a touch of chilli, creating a succulent stew. These lobster dishes are island luxury on a plate, usually enjoyed during holidays or by visitors in seaside restaurants.

Moreia & Bafas

Yet seafood in Cape Verde isn’t just for the elite – it’s woven into everyday snacks and meals. At local bars, you might encounter moreia (moray eel) that has been marinated in lime and garlic, then deep-fried until crispy and golden. These fried moray eel pieces are served as bafas – a term in Cape Verde for quick bites of fried seafood or meat, typically enjoyed with a cold drink in a festive atmosphere.

Búzio cabra

Another delicacy born of Cape Verde’s waters is búzio cabra, a stew made from the tender meat of a large sea snail (conch). The conch is simmered for hours with spices and beans until it becomes tender, yielding a flavorful dish that is both earthy and briny.

Percebes

And for the truly adventurous, the islands even offer percebes – gooseneck barnacles foraged from wave-crashed rocks. In places like São Vicente, these barnacles are steamed in a pot with salt water and eaten by cracking off the shell and pulling out the chewy, ocean-flavoured meat inside. Although unusual, Cape Verdeans prize them as a special treat, much like how others enjoy oysters.

In short, seafood is the pride of Cape Verdean cuisine, ranging from simple grilled fish enjoyed by fishermen on the beach to rare molluscs savoured at celebrations. It connects Cape Verdeans to their environment – every bite carrying the taste of the sea that surrounds and sustains the islands.

Cape Verdean Street Food

Cape Verdean cuisine is just as enticing on the street as it is at home. In cities like Praia and Mindelo, and even in small towns, you’ll find vendors and tendas (snack stands) serving up quick bites packed with local flavour.

Pastel

The undisputed king of Cape Verdean street food is the pastel, a crispy fried pastry that locals also call pastel com diabo dentro – literally “pastel with the devil inside” – due to its spicy filling. These half-moon pastries, reminiscent of Latin American empanadas, are traditionally stuffed with a mixture of flaked tuna (often canned tuna in olive oil, which Cape Verdeans prefer for its taste), onions, garlic, and malagueta chilli pepper. The tuna filling is well-seasoned but simple, allowing the heat of the chilli – the “devil” – to shine through.

Each pastel is folded into dough, sealed and deep-fried until golden brown and blistered. Biting into one, you get the crunch of the pastry followed by a warm, savoury-spicy interior that practically melts on the tongue. Truly addictive.

Cape Verdeans prepare pastéis in large batches for parties and festivals, and they’re a favourite accompaniment to an evening Strela beer or a morning cup of coffee alike. It’s not uncommon to see schoolchildren spending a few escudos on a hot pastel as an after-school snack, or busy workers grabbing a couple wrapped in paper for a quick lunch on the go.

Chamuça

Another popular savoury snack is the chamuça, Cape Verde’s take on the samosa. A legacy of South Asian (particularly Goan and Indian) influence via the Portuguese trade routes, chamuças are small triangular pastries filled with spiced ground meat or fish, peas, and carrots, then fried to a crunch. They have the same golden pastry and satisfying crunch as pastéis, but a different spice profile – often including curry powder or cumin – that hints at their subcontinental origins.

You might find chamuças sold alongside pastéis at street stalls, adding a unique multicultural twist to the local street food scene.

Other fast-food types

Beyond pastries, street vendors in Cape Verde also offer simple, hearty bites, such as grilled corn on the cob, roasted over open coals and sprinkled with salt – the smoky scent drawing passersby. In local markets or during festivals, one might find pincho (kebab) stands grilling skewers of marinated chicken or pork, a practice likely borrowed from Portuguese espetada and adapted with local spices.

For those with a sweet tooth, vendors sometimes sell fried banana dough balls (also known as filhós or bolinhos de banana), which are essentially Cape Verdean banana fritters dusted with sugar – a delightful treat to nibble on while strolling.

But it is the pastel com diabo dentro that has become almost emblematic of Cape Verdean street fare: humble, a little rough around the edges, yet bursting with flavour. It’s a street food that encapsulates the Cape Verdean knack for taking influence from abroad (the idea of a stuffed pastry) and giving it a bold, local personality (the addition of tuna and chilli). If you visit the islands, tasting a fresh-made pastel by the roadside – devil and all – is essential to understanding the everyday food culture of Cabo Verde.

The Sweets of Cape Verdean Cuisine

Cape Verdean cuisine isn’t complete without its array of sweets and its famed beverages, which range from strong grog to soothing teas. Desserts in Cape Verde are often based on tropical fruits and the handful of sweet ingredients historically available on the islands.

Doce de Coco and Coconut Pudding

A common thread is the use of local coconut, which grows in abundance. One beloved treat is doce de coco – a chewy candy made by simmering shredded coconut with sugar (and sometimes a hint of vanilla or citrus zest) until it caramelises into golden brown nuggets. Coconut is also the star of coconut pudding and a creamy coconut liqueur, perfect for holidays.

Doce de Papaya

Cape Verdeans also generously incorporate papaya, mango, and guava into their sweets. Doce de papaya, for example, is a slow-cooked papaya jam often served with a slice of local goat cheese – a pairing of sweet and salty that commonly ends a meal. Tropical fruit jams (such as citrus, guava, and passionfruit) can be spread on biscuits or served with cuscuz corn bread as a dessert or breakfast.

Milk and Cheese Puddings

The influence of Portuguese dessert traditions is evident in pudim de leite (a rich caramel flan or milk pudding) and in the very notion of enjoying cheese with sweet preserves (the way one might in Portugal). One distinctly Cape Verdean dessert is the cheese pudding found on the islands – likely a tart or flan incorporating local goat cheese to create a sweet-salty custard, reflecting the resourcefulness of using what’s on hand.

Bolinhos de Mandioca com Mel

Many sweets double as special-occasion or holiday treats. Bolinhos de mandioca com mel are little honeyed cakes or fritters made from manioc (cassava) flour and molasses, fried until crispy and coated in syrup – a favourite during Carnival times.

Filhós

Filhós (also called fidjós) are Cape Verde’s version of doughnuts or beignets: deep-fried balls of dough made with mashed bananas or sweet potatoes mixed in, yielding a dense, moist interior, often served around Christmas or on feast days. With a dusting of sugar and cinnamon, filhós taste like bite-sized banana breads meet doughnut hole – highly addictive.

Cuscuz

And then there is cuscuz in its sweet form; while often eaten at breakfast, its gentle sweetness (especially when drizzled with cane syrup) also qualifies it as a dessert. Overall, Cape Verdean desserts are unpretentious and homey in nature. They tend to be fruit-forward, not overly sweet, and frequently have a rich, caramelised depth thanks to raw sugar or molasses. They are the kind of treats that feel like a grandmother’s love – uncomplicated yet deeply satisfying, often enjoyed slowly with a cup of coffee or tea as the evening cools.

Most Popular Cape Verdean Drinks

Grogue

On the drinks side, Cape Verde’s most famous libation is grogue – the islands’ own sugarcane firewater. Grogue (pronounced “grog”) is a rustic rum distilled from local sugarcane juice, and it holds a near-mythical status in Cape Verdean culture. Introduced during the colonial era (the Portuguese began distilling spirits here in the 16th century), grogue was produced informally and even illicitly for a long time.

Today it’s made legally but still in an artisanal manner: harvested sugarcane is crushed, fermented, and distilled in small batches, often in copper kettles or makeshift stills in the countryside. In fact, on Santo Antão Island – known for its best grogue – farmers still use old wooden trapiche presses and may distil the liquor over wood fires or even in retrofitted oil drums. The result is a clear, strong spirit often 40% or higher in alcohol, with a funky, grassy aroma reminiscent of cachaça or agricole rum.

Drinking grogue straight is not for the faint of heart. It has a hot, raw punch that islanders claim “puts hair on your chest.” It’s common courtesy to offer visitors a shot of grogue (in a manecon – a shot glass or tiny cup), and refusing it can be seen as impolite.

Pontche

To temper the intensity of grogue, Cape Verdeans often blend it into a delightful traditional cocktail called pontche (punch). A classic punch mixes rum with honey or sugar, a squeeze of lime, and often a pinch of cinnamon or grated nutmeg.

Variations include adding fruit juices or herbs – one popular version is ponche de mel (honey punch), which features honey, lime, and a cinnamon stick swirling in the glass.

The result is a smoother, sweet, but still potent drink that goes down much easier than straight grogue. In the evenings, it’s not uncommon to see older gentlemen nursing a small glass of pontche as they chat, the drink mellowing the edges of the grogue and releasing a spicy fragrance.

Beer

Besides grogue, Cape Verde has a growing beer culture. The local lager, Strela (meaning “star”), has since its introduction in 2006 become the beer of choice across the islands. Brewed in Santiago, Strela is a light, crisp beer that pairs perfectly with the tropical climate – think of a golden pilsner style, easy to drink cold. It quickly surpassed Portuguese imports, such as Super Bock, and is now a point of pride, even being exported to communities abroad where Cape Verdeans reside.

Nothing complements a plate of fresh-caught grilled fish or a platter of pastéis better than a chilled Strela by the beach.

Wine

Wine is less common, but local production exists, particularly on the volcanic island of Fogo, which produces a few red and white wines from grapes grown in its lava soils. You might be surprised to find a drinkable Fogo wine on some restaurant menus, a testament to Cape Verdeans’ ingenuity in even the most basic aspects of viniculture.

Coffee and Tea

For non-alcoholic options, tea and coffee reign supreme. Cape Verdeans are avid tea drinkers – chá (tea) made from herbs like lemongrass, mint, or dried lemon verbena is often served in the late afternoon, typically accompanied by a bite of bread or cake. Coffee, though grown in small quantities on Fogo and Santo Antão, is largely imported. Yet, Cape Verdeans do enjoy a strong espresso-style coffee in the mornings or after meals (another Portuguese influence).

A popular local twist is café caryol – coffee sweetened with condensed milk.

Calcium

And of course, one must mention calcium: the juice of young green coconuts, which is sold by street vendors who will machete open a coconut for you to drink fresh. This lightly sweet, revitalising coconut water is nature’s energy drink and is especially popular in the hot months.

Whether it’s raising a shot of grogue among friends, sipping a hot chai de ervas (herbal tea) with family, or enjoying a sundowner caipirinha made with local rum, Cape Verdeans take equal pleasure in their drinks as in their food. The beverages of Cabo Verde carry the same blend of influences – a little bit of Africa, a little bit of Europe, a splash of the New World – and always that island touch of conviviality known locally as morabeza, the spirit of Cape Verdean hospitality.

Cape Verdean Cuisine: Conclusions

Despite its relative obscurity on the world culinary stage, Cape Verdean cuisine is a treasure trove of comfort and history, kept alive through generations. It’s often said that Cape Verde may have few resources, but it is rich in morabeza – a word in Creole that encapsulates the islands’ gentle hospitality and warmth.

The same could be said of its food. From the communal cachupa pot that has sustained entire villages, to the luxurious lobster enjoyed on special occasions, every dish carries the story of a people who learned to make the most of what land and sea provided. There is a certain poetry in how Cape Verde’s cooks, past and present, have blended the old and the new: using wisdom from Portuguese grandmothers, African ancestors, and local fishermen to create something uniquely their own.

Today, as more travellers discover the archipelago’s delights, they are welcomed not just with postcard beaches but with the aroma of corn stew, the sizzle of fresh fish on the grill, and the clink of tiny grogue glasses in a toast. To experience Cape Verdean cuisine is to taste the islands’ soul – modest and unassuming at first glance, but revealed to be complex, nourishing, and filled with subtle spices upon closer acquaintance. It is the kind of food that turns strangers into friends around a table.

In Cape Verde, life may move slowly to the rhythm of the tides, but it is complete – full of flavour, full of culture, and complete with heart. And as the locals say when they invite you to share a meal, bon appétit – may you enjoy it, and leave their table warmed by both the food and the fellowship that comes with it.

Bibliography

• Jagacida (Cape Verdean Beans & Rice) on Oldways – Cultural Food Traditions;
• The Foods of Cape Verde – Cachupa and the Green Cape by John on Island Profiles (2016);
• About Cape Verdean Food by Sasha Martin, on Global Table Adventure (2010);
• Cape Verdean cuisine on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia;
• Cape Verde Food & Drink on My Guide Cape Verde;