The World Cup is about to begin in Brazil. If you want a light, Brazilian-inspired appetizer for your match-day spread, these Carnival Black Bean and Shrimp Puff Pastry Cups are an ideal choice. Flaky puff pastry shells are filled with a vibrant mix of black beans and roasted sweet potatoes simmered with garlic and fresh orange juice, then topped with a tangy, slightly spicy Greek yogurt sauce and a shrimp for a bright, bite-sized treat.
I’m not a soccer fanatic, but I love Brazilian food. With the World Cup approaching, it’s fun to see Brazilian cuisine featured more widely. The cuisine is fresh, colorful, and full of flavor, often leaning toward wholesome ingredients.
Brazilian cuisine reflects many cultural influences: Portuguese colonists, European immigrants from Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland, and Switzerland, Japanese settlers, and the culinary traditions of African slaves all contributed. The result is a flavorful cuisine that celebrates local produce and bold combinations.
Root vegetables, fruits, beans, and fresh herbs are staples in Brazilian dishes. The Carnival Black Bean and Shrimp Puff Pastry Cups bring many of those elements together in a single appetizer, showcasing bright flavors and contrasting textures inspired by Brazilian cooking.
These cups were created during a time-limited, Iron Chef–style challenge held at Pepperidge Farm headquarters. My teammates and I aimed to craft a savory appetizer with Brazilian touches in under thirty minutes. Our goal was to keep the dish simple to prepare, colorful, healthy, and packed with flavor. The judges loved it—one even exclaimed, “It’s like a party in my mouth.” The combination of roasted sweet potato, seasoned black beans, zesty citrus, and a lightly spiced yogurt sauce made the cups an instant hit.
Cook’s Notes:
- If you can find Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Cups, they’re a convenient shortcut. Otherwise, cut puff pastry sheets into rounds and brush with egg yolk. Stack two or three layers, score (do not cut) a circle in the top layer leaving at least a 1/2-inch border, and remove the scored center after baking to create a shell.
- I prefer to cook raw shrimp for the freshest flavor, but you can use thawed, fully cooked jumbo shrimp to save time; toss them with a little fresh lime juice before assembling.
- Zest the orange before juicing it—this small step saves time and keeps things tidy.
Carnival Black Bean and Shrimp Puff Pastry Cups
Ingredients
- 1 package Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Cups, prepared according to package instructions
- 1/2 of a large sweet potato
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 can or 2 cups fully cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed or finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons plus 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, divided
- The juice and zest of one large navel orange
- Juice of one lime, divided
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 6 fully cooked jumbo shrimp tossed with fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a small roasting pan with foil and set aside.
- Cut the 1/2 sweet potato into 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick slices, stack and cut into matchsticks, then cut across to create small cubes. Toss on the foil-lined pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper. Roast 8–15 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized. Let cool.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, cooking until fragrant. Stir in the black beans, 2 teaspoons chili powder, orange juice, and all but 1 teaspoon of the lime juice. Increase heat to medium-high until the mixture simmers. Add the roasted sweet potato cubes and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in all but 1 tablespoon cilantro and all but 1/2 teaspoon orange zest.
- In a small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt with the reserved 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and the reserved lime juice until smooth.
- Fill each puff pastry cup with the black bean mixture, add a dollop of the yogurt sauce, top with a shrimp, and garnish with the reserved cilantro and orange zest. Serve immediately.
Note: Nutrition information is an estimate. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use if needed.
Disclosure: This post is not sponsored by Pepperidge Farm. As a contest winner, I visited Pepperidge Farm headquarters, but this is not an advertisement and I was not compensated. All recipes and opinions are my own.