Cabo Verdean Xerém

Name: Cabo Verdean Xerém
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cabo Verde
Ingredients: 2 cups coarse cornmeal (xerém); 300g linguica sausage or salted fish, sliced; 1 onion, chopped; 2 tomatoes, chopped; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 3 cups water; Salt to taste

4 servings10 min prep40 min cookEasy Cabo Verde

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Cabo Verdean Xerém

Story updated September 17, 2026

Xerém, a cornmeal porridge similar to Brazilian and Angolan corn dishes, reflects Cabo Verde's Creole heritage as a crossroads between Portugal, West Africa, and Brazil during the transatlantic slave trade and colonial period, when corn became a staple crop on the archipelago's arid islands.

Ingredients

Scale:· 4 servings

2 cups coarse cornmeal (xerém)
300g linguica sausage or salted fish, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups water
Salt to taste

Instructions

1Heat olive oil in a pot and brown the linguica sausage or salted fish, then set aside.
2In the same pot, sauté the onion and garlic until soft.
3Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they form a light sauce.
4Pour in the water and bring to a simmer.
5Gradually whisk in the coarse cornmeal, stirring continuously to prevent lumps.
6Return the sausage or fish to the pot and cook on low heat, stirring often, for 20-25 minutes until thick and creamy, similar to polenta.
7Season with salt and serve hot in bowls.

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