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0 / 31 Fotos
Tagine (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria)
- A tagine is a stew named after the clay pot in which it's prepared. The stew typically features meat, vegetables, and sweet and spicy flavors.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
Mealie pap (South Africa)
- Mealie pap is prepared by boiling milled white maize in water or milk. It can be served soft and sweetened for breakfast, or made firmer to accompany savory dishes.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Bazin (Libya)
- Bazin is an unleavened bread made from barley flour, water, and salt. It's typically served with meat and vegetable stews.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
Zigni (Eritrea, Ethiopia)
- Zigni is a stew made from meat, tomatoes, red onions, and berbere spices. It's usually placed on a plate of injera bread and eaten for lunch or dinner.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Banku (Ghana)
- Banku is a Ghanaian dish of fermented corn and cassava dough, formed into a paste and cooked by steaming. It's typically served alongside okoro stew or soups.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Chakalaka (South Africa)
- Chakalaka is a South African vegetable relish made with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and beans. It's usually served with grilled meats or pap.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Akara (West Africa)
- Akara is a popular street food made from a seasoned batter of blended black-eyed peas, which is then deep-fried in dendê. For Nigerians, akara is part of Saturday morning breakfast.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
Nyama Choma (Kenya)
- Nyama Choma is grilled goat meat, which is considered a national delicacy in Kenya. For authentic Nyama Choma, the meat is seasoned and sometimes marinated first in a mixture of onions, garlic, and ground ginger, with some hot pepper and lemon juice.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Haraimi (Libya)
- Haraimi is a Libyan stew consisting of fish steaks in a rich, spicy tomato sauce. Some recipes add potatoes, though this is optional. Serve with a side of bread.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Matoke (East Africa)
- Matoke, or matooke, is cooked and mashed green bananas or plantains. It is often served with meat or vegetable dishes.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Bunny Chow (South Africa)
- An Indian-inspired dish from Durban, Bunny Chow consists of hollowed-out bread filled with curry, typically lamb or chicken.
© Shutterstock
11 / 31 Fotos
Ugali (East Africa)
- Ugali is a staple food made from maize or corn flour, cooked in boiling water or milk until it reaches a dough-like consistency. Serve with meat or vegetable stews.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
Zanzibar pizza (Tanzania)
- Zanzibar pizzas are not pizzas as you know them. Instead, they resemble stuffed pancakes, filled with meat, vegetables, or even chocolate and banana if you'd prefer something sweet.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
Shakshuka (North Africa)
- Believed to have originated in Tunisia, shakshuka is a one-pan meal featuring poached eggs in a spicy tomato sauce, served with toasted pita bread. It's commonly eaten for breakfast.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
Braai (South Africa)
- A braai is typical South African barbecue that features a variety of grilled meats, often cooked over charcoal or aromatic wood.
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Piri piri chicken (Mozambique)
- Piri piri sauce combines African bird's eye chili, paprika, onion, garlic, oil, and vinegar (or lemon juice.) The sauce is perfect as a marinade for grilled chicken or prawns.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Suya (Nigeria)
- A traditional Nigerian street food, Suya is grilled skewered beef, ram, or chicken marinated in a spicy peanut sauce.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Biltong (Southern Africa)
- Biltong is dried, cured meat that originated in Southern African countries. Various types of meat are used, from beef to game meats like ostrich.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
Injera (Ethiopia, Eritrea)
- Injera is a large, spongy flatbread made with a fermented batter of teff flour, water, and yeast. Stews are placed on top of the bread, and the meal is eaten by scooping up the stews with pieces of injera.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
Ndole (Cameroon)
- Ndole is a Cameroonian stew made with ndoleh (bitter leaves indigenous to West and Central Africa), stewed nuts, and fish or beef. Serve with plantains or miondo.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
Mafe (West Africa)
- A hearty and flavorful meal, mafe is a popular West African stew made with a spicy, creamy peanut and tomato sauce. Beef and lamb are commonly used, but chicken and fish are featured in some recipes.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Couscous (North Africa)
- Couscous is a staple dish in North African countries. It's made by steaming granules of semolina until light and fluffy. It's typically served alongside a stew.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Pastilla (Morocco)
- Pastilla, or bastilla, is a savory pie made with warqa dough, similar to filo pastry. The pie is filled with a sweet and savory mixture of pigeon or chicken, almonds, and spices.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Bobotie (South Africa)
- Bobotie is a South African dish made from spiced minced meat, topped with a creamy egg-based layer, and often served with rice or chutney.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Doro Wat (Ethiopia)
- A chicken and egg slow-cooked stew from Ethiopia with a fragrant base of berbere, serve Dora Wat with injera for a hearty dinner.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Egusi soup (Nigeria)
- Egusi soup is a one-pot soup that combines blended melon seed, pepper, leafy vegetables, and meat, creating a nutty, spicy, and tasty dish. The most popular way to serve the soup is to pair it with pounded yam.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Fufu (West Africa)
- Fufu is a side dish made from boiled and pounded yam, cassava, or plantain, often paired with soups and stews.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
Jollof rice (West Africa)
- Jollof rice is a West African staple of rice, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and spices. Recipes may vary though, depending on the country.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Gorraasa (Sudan)
- A soft, doughy flatbread generally made with wheat flour, Gorraasa is eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Tear it into pieces, and use it to scoop up stews.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
Koshari (Egypt)
- Koshari is a simple yet hearty street food dish made with layers of rice, lentils, pasta, spicy tomato sauce, and chickpeas. Top with fried onions and garlic. Sources: (CNN) (African Bites) (Good Food) (Lonely Planet) See also: Must-try street food for travelers
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
Tagine (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria)
- A tagine is a stew named after the clay pot in which it's prepared. The stew typically features meat, vegetables, and sweet and spicy flavors.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
Mealie pap (South Africa)
- Mealie pap is prepared by boiling milled white maize in water or milk. It can be served soft and sweetened for breakfast, or made firmer to accompany savory dishes.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Bazin (Libya)
- Bazin is an unleavened bread made from barley flour, water, and salt. It's typically served with meat and vegetable stews.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
Zigni (Eritrea, Ethiopia)
- Zigni is a stew made from meat, tomatoes, red onions, and berbere spices. It's usually placed on a plate of injera bread and eaten for lunch or dinner.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Banku (Ghana)
- Banku is a Ghanaian dish of fermented corn and cassava dough, formed into a paste and cooked by steaming. It's typically served alongside okoro stew or soups.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Chakalaka (South Africa)
- Chakalaka is a South African vegetable relish made with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and beans. It's usually served with grilled meats or pap.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Akara (West Africa)
- Akara is a popular street food made from a seasoned batter of blended black-eyed peas, which is then deep-fried in dendê. For Nigerians, akara is part of Saturday morning breakfast.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
Nyama Choma (Kenya)
- Nyama Choma is grilled goat meat, which is considered a national delicacy in Kenya. For authentic Nyama Choma, the meat is seasoned and sometimes marinated first in a mixture of onions, garlic, and ground ginger, with some hot pepper and lemon juice.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Haraimi (Libya)
- Haraimi is a Libyan stew consisting of fish steaks in a rich, spicy tomato sauce. Some recipes add potatoes, though this is optional. Serve with a side of bread.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Matoke (East Africa)
- Matoke, or matooke, is cooked and mashed green bananas or plantains. It is often served with meat or vegetable dishes.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Bunny Chow (South Africa)
- An Indian-inspired dish from Durban, Bunny Chow consists of hollowed-out bread filled with curry, typically lamb or chicken.
© Shutterstock
11 / 31 Fotos
Ugali (East Africa)
- Ugali is a staple food made from maize or corn flour, cooked in boiling water or milk until it reaches a dough-like consistency. Serve with meat or vegetable stews.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
Zanzibar pizza (Tanzania)
- Zanzibar pizzas are not pizzas as you know them. Instead, they resemble stuffed pancakes, filled with meat, vegetables, or even chocolate and banana if you'd prefer something sweet.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
Shakshuka (North Africa)
- Believed to have originated in Tunisia, shakshuka is a one-pan meal featuring poached eggs in a spicy tomato sauce, served with toasted pita bread. It's commonly eaten for breakfast.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
Braai (South Africa)
- A braai is typical South African barbecue that features a variety of grilled meats, often cooked over charcoal or aromatic wood.
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Piri piri chicken (Mozambique)
- Piri piri sauce combines African bird's eye chili, paprika, onion, garlic, oil, and vinegar (or lemon juice.) The sauce is perfect as a marinade for grilled chicken or prawns.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Suya (Nigeria)
- A traditional Nigerian street food, Suya is grilled skewered beef, ram, or chicken marinated in a spicy peanut sauce.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Biltong (Southern Africa)
- Biltong is dried, cured meat that originated in Southern African countries. Various types of meat are used, from beef to game meats like ostrich.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
Injera (Ethiopia, Eritrea)
- Injera is a large, spongy flatbread made with a fermented batter of teff flour, water, and yeast. Stews are placed on top of the bread, and the meal is eaten by scooping up the stews with pieces of injera.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
Ndole (Cameroon)
- Ndole is a Cameroonian stew made with ndoleh (bitter leaves indigenous to West and Central Africa), stewed nuts, and fish or beef. Serve with plantains or miondo.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
Mafe (West Africa)
- A hearty and flavorful meal, mafe is a popular West African stew made with a spicy, creamy peanut and tomato sauce. Beef and lamb are commonly used, but chicken and fish are featured in some recipes.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Couscous (North Africa)
- Couscous is a staple dish in North African countries. It's made by steaming granules of semolina until light and fluffy. It's typically served alongside a stew.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Pastilla (Morocco)
- Pastilla, or bastilla, is a savory pie made with warqa dough, similar to filo pastry. The pie is filled with a sweet and savory mixture of pigeon or chicken, almonds, and spices.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Bobotie (South Africa)
- Bobotie is a South African dish made from spiced minced meat, topped with a creamy egg-based layer, and often served with rice or chutney.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Doro Wat (Ethiopia)
- A chicken and egg slow-cooked stew from Ethiopia with a fragrant base of berbere, serve Dora Wat with injera for a hearty dinner.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Egusi soup (Nigeria)
- Egusi soup is a one-pot soup that combines blended melon seed, pepper, leafy vegetables, and meat, creating a nutty, spicy, and tasty dish. The most popular way to serve the soup is to pair it with pounded yam.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Fufu (West Africa)
- Fufu is a side dish made from boiled and pounded yam, cassava, or plantain, often paired with soups and stews.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
Jollof rice (West Africa)
- Jollof rice is a West African staple of rice, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and spices. Recipes may vary though, depending on the country.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Gorraasa (Sudan)
- A soft, doughy flatbread generally made with wheat flour, Gorraasa is eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Tear it into pieces, and use it to scoop up stews.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
Koshari (Egypt)
- Koshari is a simple yet hearty street food dish made with layers of rice, lentils, pasta, spicy tomato sauce, and chickpeas. Top with fried onions and garlic. Sources: (CNN) (African Bites) (Good Food) (Lonely Planet) See also: Must-try street food for travelers
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
Mouthwatering African dishes you must try
Dishes from the African continent you won't be able to resist!
© Getty Images
Spanning approximately 11.7 million square miles (30.3 million square kilometers) across 54 countries and home to roughly 1.5 billion people, Africa is a rich tapestry of history, culture, and ethnicities. For its part, African cuisine is very diverse, with flavors and ingredients varying depending on the region. In West African cooking, you're likely to find lots of spices like ginger, garlic, and chili pepper, whereas East African recipes tend to use ingredients like coconut milk, cinnamon, and cardamom.
Interest piqued? If you're looking for dinner inspiration or are keen to expand your palate, check out this gallery of African foods you must try. Simply click on!
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