Escondidinho is a baked Brazilian dish built on a simple idea: a savory filling is "hidden" (escondido, in Portuguese) under a layer of mash, then baked until golden. That's where the name comes from. It's comfort food, served from a baking dish, and it shows up at Sunday family lunches and in weekday meal prep alike.
Where escondidinho comes from
The dish is closely tied to the cooking of Northeastern Brazil. The most traditional version uses shredded carne-seca (dried salted beef) topped with cassava mash. Cassava has different names around Brazil: aipim, macaxeira or mandioca. Over time, escondidinho spread across the country and picked up many variations.
Common variations
- Fillings: carne-seca, ground beef, shredded chicken, shrimp, vegetables.
- Toppings: cassava, potato or sweet potato mash.
- Finish: melted cheese on top, or just the mash browned in the oven.
Favorita's escondidinho
Escondidinho has been on our Fit Menu in a version made with shredded chicken and sweet potato mash: lighter, with the same home-cooked feel. Like all our meals, it's made to order and delivered frozen across New York.
When you're ready to eat, just heat it following the instructions on the label. The menu changes every month, so check what's available now.