Cachupa
Also known as: Catchupa, Cachupa rica, Cachupa refogada
Cachupa is Cape Verde's national dish, a slow-simmered stew of hominy corn and beans with cassava, sweet potato and either fish or pork. Leftovers are refried the next morning with an egg on top as cachupa refogada. A plate costs $3 to $6.
| Dish type | Main course |
|---|---|
| Country | Cape Verde |
| Key ingredients | Dried hominy corn (milho), Beans, Cassava, Sweet potato, Green banana, Cabbage +3 more |
| Vegetarian | No |
| Spicy | No |
| Typical price | $3 to 6 a plate |
| Also known as | Catchupa, Cachupa rica, Cachupa refogada |
| Served with | Fried egg, Fried linguica sausage, Grogue or Strela beer, Strong coffee (breakfast version) |
Cachupa is the dish Cape Verdeans talk about when they talk about home. At its heart it is a pot of dried hominy corn and beans soaked overnight and simmered for hours with cassava, sweet potato, green banana and cabbage until the corn turns tender and the broth thickens. What goes in beyond that depends on the island, the household and the budget. Cachupa rica, the rich version, carries pork, chorizo or linguica sausage and sometimes chicken. Cachupa pobre, the poor version, leans on fish or on nothing but the vegetables and the smoky depth of the corn itself. Both are seasoned simply with onion, garlic, bay leaf and a little paprika, and both taste better on the second day.
That second day is where cachupa becomes something closer to a national ritual. Leftover stew is drained and fried in a hot pan with onions until the corn catches and crisps at the edges, then served as cachupa refogada or cachupa guisada, usually with a fried egg on top and a slice of fried linguica alongside. This is the standard Cape Verdean breakfast, sold from cafes in Praia and Mindelo from early morning and eaten with strong coffee. The flavour is earthy and savoury, the corn chewy and slightly sweet against the salty sausage and the soft yolk. A plate costs between 300 and 600 escudos, roughly $3 to 6, and it will hold you until the afternoon. Order it at least once as a full evening stew and once fried for breakfast, because they are almost different dishes.
How It's Eaten
As an evening stew it comes in a deep bowl with the broth, corn, beans and meat or fish together, eaten with a spoon. As breakfast it is fried dry with onions and topped with a fried egg, eaten with a fork and a cup of coffee. Many cafes only serve the fried version in the morning, so arrive early.
Cultural Context
Cachupa grew out of the colonial-era diet of dried corn and beans, foods that kept through the long dry seasons on islands where rain is never guaranteed. It is cooked for family gatherings, festivals and Independence Day, and emigrant communities in Lisbon, Boston and Rotterdam cook it as a link to the islands. Every island claims its own version: Santiago cooks tend to use more meat, Fogo and Brava favour fish, and Sao Vicente is known for a particularly good fried breakfast plate.
Variations
Cachupa rica
The full version with pork, chorizo or linguica and sometimes chicken, cooked for celebrations and Sunday lunch.
Cachupa pobre
The everyday version with fish, or with vegetables alone, lighter and closer to the dish's origins.
Cachupa refogada
Yesterday's cachupa fried with onions until crisp and served with a fried egg and linguica, the standard breakfast.
Where to Try Cachupa
praia
Cafes on the Plateau serving cachupa refogada from breakfast, Quintal da Musica for an evening bowl with live morna
mindelo
Cafes around Praca Nova and the fish market for the fried breakfast version, Family restaurants in the old town for cachupa rica
santa maria
Local restaurants a few streets back from the beach, where the daily cachupa is often the cheapest thing on the menu
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cachupa?
Cachupa is the national dish of Cape Verde, a slow-cooked stew of hominy corn and beans with cassava, sweet potato and green banana, plus fish or meat depending on the version. Leftovers are fried with onions and topped with an egg for breakfast, which is known as cachupa refogada.
What does cachupa taste like?
Earthy, savoury and mildly smoky, with chewy sweet corn and soft beans in a thick broth. The rich version with pork and sausage is heavier and saltier, the fish version lighter. The fried breakfast version is crisp at the edges and richer from the egg yolk.
Is cachupa vegetarian?
Not usually. Most cachupa contains fish, pork or sausage. Some households and restaurants make a vegetable-only cachupa pobre, so ask for cachupa sem carne e sem peixe, but do not assume it will be available.
What is the difference between cachupa rica and cachupa pobre?
Cachupa rica includes several meats, typically pork, chorizo or linguica and sometimes chicken, and is cooked for celebrations. Cachupa pobre uses fish or just vegetables and is the everyday version. Both share the same base of corn, beans and root vegetables.
How much does cachupa cost in Cape Verde?
A plate of cachupa costs roughly 300 to 600 Cape Verdean escudos, about $3 to 6, in a local cafe or restaurant. Tourist restaurants in Santa Maria on Sal charge more. The fried breakfast version with egg and sausage is usually at the lower end.