Printed September 3, 2026
Brazilian Farofa (Toasted Cassava Flour Mix) with Infinite Variations
This crunchy Brazilian condiment uses tapioca flour and becomes a flavor-carrier for bacon, vegetables, or whatever you want to mix in—no recipe required after you learn the basic technique.
Ingredients
- 2 cups tapioca flour (also called cassava flour or manioc flour)
- 4 tablespoons butter or oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Optional mix-ins: cooked bacon, diced vegetables, raisins, nuts, olives, hard-boiled eggs, herbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Walk into any Brazilian home and you'll likely find farofa on the table—a toasted cassava flour mixture that adds crunch and flavor to everything it touches. The genius of farofa is that once you understand the basic technique of toasting the flour, you can customize it endlessly based on what you have available.
This is cooking as improvisation. Bacon and onions are classic, but vegetables, dried fruit, or nuts all work beautifully. The technique is foolproof: toast, stir, season. That's it.
Preparation
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- If using bacon or other meat mix-ins, add them now and cook until crispy.
- Add any vegetables you're using and cook until tender.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the tapioca flour gradually, stirring constantly.
- Continue stirring and toasting the flour mixture for 5-7 minutes until it's golden and fragrant. It should look like coarse breadcrumbs.
- If using delicate mix-ins like herbs or hard-boiled eggs, fold them in at the end.
- Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve as a side dish or sprinkle over rice, beans, or stews.
Note: Tapioca flour is available in most supermarkets in the gluten-free section or international aisle. It's naturally gluten-free and inexpensive.
