Regional Paraíba food: the dishes that define the state's cuisine

Paraíba's cuisine combines coastal and backlands traditions in dishes such as cuscuz, carne de sol and rubacão.

Paraíba's cuisine is usually divided into two strands: the coastal one, marked by fresh fish and Portuguese-influenced seasonings, and the backlands (sertanejo) one, based on livestock meats and long-lasting grains such as corn, beans and rice. This duality explains why, in João Pessoa, it is common to find a grilled fish next to carne de sol on the same menu.

Among the dishes most associated with the state is corn cuscuz, served with manteiga de garrafa (clarified butter) and accompaniments such as eggs, coalho cheese, shredded carne de sol and fried banana. Tapioca, of indigenous origin and made from cassava starch, is a daily presence on the table, traditionally filled with butter and coalho cheese. Rubacão, a kind of creamy baião de dois made with butter beans and rice, is regarded as one of the most characteristic dishes of Paraíba cuisine.

In the state's interior, dishes such as stitched buchada de bode (stuffed goat tripe) and galinha à cabidela (chicken in blood sauce) remain strong, although they appear less often in the capital's restaurants. In April 2025, the Mesa ao Vivo Paraíba event, held in João Pessoa and Bananeiras, brought exactly this repertoire to the center of national debate: under the theme "Paraíba Cuisine: Creative, Armorial and Affectionate," inspired by Ariano Suassuna's Armorial Movement, chefs such as Alex Atala discussed the appreciation of ingredients like carne de sol, creole corn cuscuz and rapadura.

The event also brought together names from the local culinary scene, a sign that Paraíba's regional gastronomy is also gaining ground outside the state.