recipe
Vinagrete: Brazilian Tomato and Onion Relish
Finely diced tomato, onion and green bell pepper in a sharp vinegar dressing. An easy Brazilian barbecue side that also brightens a plate of rice and beans.
AI editorial review: 2026-10-22
Researched recipe; not cooked or tested by Culinara.
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Ingredients and method
About 6 side servings (estimated)
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe but firm tomatoes (about 400 g total)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion (about 75 g)
- 1/2 green bell pepper, seeds and white ribs removed (about 75 g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar (45 ml)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, then adjust to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
- Rinse the tomatoes, pepper and optional parsley under running water and dry them. Cut the tomatoes into roughly 1/4-inch dice. Remove very watery seed pockets if needed, keeping the firm flesh and skin.
- Finely dice the onion and green pepper to about the same size as the tomato. For a milder raw-onion bite, rinse the diced onion briefly under cold water and drain thoroughly; do not leave extra water in the bowl.
- Whisk the vinegar, olive oil, salt and a little black pepper in a medium nonreactive bowl. Fold in the tomatoes, onion, pepper and optional parsley.
- Cover and refrigerate for about 20–30 minutes, if time permits. Stir again and taste before serving; tomatoes release juice and change the strength of the dressing. Adjust with a little salt or vinegar rather than adding water automatically.
- Spoon beside rice and beans or a separately cooked grilled main. Keep the serving bowl cool, and return leftovers to the refrigerator promptly.
AI-generated illustration: Serving interpretation of Brazilian vinegar relish without leafy herbs. Vegetable cuts and dressing quantity may vary. The optional parsley is omitted in this serving illustration.
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Image details
Original text-to-image output resized proportionally to 960×640 and JPEG-compressed; no crop or added ingredients.
A chopped relish for the table
Brazilian vinagrete is a spoonable mixture of chopped vegetables and a vinegar dressing. It accompanies barbecue and bean dishes. Bell pepper is common in some versions and absent from others; this version uses a modest amount for crunch.
The small, even dice matters more than a blender: each spoonful should contain tomato, onion and pepper. Optional parsley gives a mild herbal finish. This is a vinegar-led recipe; it does not require lime juice, hot peppers or sweetener.
Control the liquid without making it dry
Ripe tomatoes supply their own juice. Scoop out only the very watery centers if the tomatoes are especially juicy, then dress them and let the mixture rest briefly. Some liquid in the bowl is desirable because it seasons the food you spoon the relish over.
The consulted versions range from an oil-rich dressing to a much sharper vinegar-only mixture. This adaptation uses less oil and a moderate measured quantity of vinegar for a bright side. Allow about 15 minutes to chop, plus the optional refrigerated rest.
Make ahead and allergens
The listed ingredients contain no milk, egg or nuts; check the vinegar and other labels for individual allergies. For the best crunch, make the relish the day you serve it. It becomes softer and juicier during storage.
Keep covered at 40°F or below. Limit time out of refrigeration to two hours, or one hour above 90°F. Vinegar added to taste does not make this a shelf-stable preserve. For quality, use leftover relish within two days; this is a conservative editorial recommendation, not a measured shelf-life test.
Sources: [3]
Research sources
- Olivia Mesquita — Brazilian Vinaigrette Salsa, Olivia’s Cuisine (checked 2026-10-22)
- Marcelo Melo / Receiteria — Vinagrete simples (checked 2026-10-22)
- U.S. FDA — Safe Food Handling (checked 2026-10-22)