Vegan Fall Feijoada

I know what you all are going to say. But I promise you won't miss the meat in this smoky bean stew with butternut squash that is perfect for fall days ahead.

If a Brazilian childhood were defined by one sound, it would be the hissing of a pressure cooker. And if our food memories had but one smell, it would be the beautiful scent of onions and garlic being sautéed together. We refer to this base as a refogado, and it is the secret sauce to almost anything we eat, including our black beans.

Most Brazilian beans are cooked with meat, either seasoned with bacon or served in the form of feijoada, an abundant bean stew featuring various cuts of meat. This vegan feijoada takes its smoky flavors from tempeh and adds butternut squash to make it a hearty welcome to fall.

Soaking beans for up to 6 hours is crucial to achieving Brazilian-style fall-apart beans. Pressure cooking saves a lot of time, but regardless of cooking method, the final simmer with the squash will thicken your beans to perfection.

This recipe was originally printed in the Fall 2025 issue of Edible East Bay, where I also contributed a feature on A New Era for Brazilian Food in the East Bay.

Servings: 12

What You Need

1 pound black beans (turtle variety preferred)
2 bay leaves
1 guajillo chile
8 ounces smoked tempeh, crumbled
7 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups diced onion (about 2 medium onions)
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound butternut squash, 1⁄2-inch dice (2 cups)
1 tablespoon salt
Cooked rice for serving
Hot sauce for topping (optional)

What to Do

Soak the black beans for up to 6 hours, then drain and rinse well.

Add the soaked beans, bay leaves, chile, tempeh, and water to an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes, then allow a natural release for 20 minutes. Or you could simmer beans on the stovetop for 2 hours. Remove the chile when done.

To make the refogado: Choose a soup pot or Dutch oven large enough to accommodate the cooked beans. Add olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 6 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another 4 minutes.

Add the cooked beans to the refogado. Add the diced squash and the salt. Simmer for 20 minutes, until the squash is cooked and the stew has achieved a thicker consistency.

Serve over white rice with a drizzle of hot sauce for a hearty meal filled with Brazilian soul.

Note: This big batch of black beans will keep for up to 5 days and tastes even better the next day. It also freezes beautifully if you wish to stock up for colder days ahead.

Go ahead and serve with a side of linguica 💛💚