African Cuisine: 15 Best Dishes to Taste 

Africa consists of an extraordinary variety of cuisines, each dish and recipe rich in flavor and steeped in centuries-old traditions. The dishes reflect the different cultures and lifestyles of the different countries in Africa—East Africa, North, South and West Africa.

The African cuisines showcase a variety of dishes with nutritional richness, from the Nigerian Jollof Rice, Fufu and Egusi Soup, Couscous, Injera with Shiro Wat, and the hearty Ful Medames, among others. 

Nigerian Jollof Rice  

Nigerian Jollof rice is a popular West African cuisine native to Nigeria. It is often served at parties and other events. In several restaurants, eateries, and shopping malls in Nigeria, Jollof rice is a top dish on the menu. 

If you are planning on visiting the country, Nigerian Jollof rice is one of the best foods you should not miss. 

Recipe: 

• A base of rice 
• Tomatoes (fresh & paste)
• Onions spices (like thyme, bay leaf, curry powder), 
• Meat or fish (chicken, beef, seafood)

Variations include adding vegetables (peppers, peas) and palm oil.

Best Served With:

• Fried plantains
• Coleslaw
• Salad
• Vegetable sauce 

Nutritional Benefits of Jollof Rice:

• Jollof rice is rich in carbohydrates which provides the body with energy and fiber. 
• It also provides protein for bodybuilding. 
• The vegetables, and meat/fish contained in the dish provide vitamins (A, C), minerals (iron) respectively. 
• The tomatoes used in preparation of the Jollof are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that helps reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Fufu and Egusi Soup 

Fufu is an African dish eaten across several countries in West Africa including Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, among others. Fufu is made from boiled and pounded starchy tubers (yams, cassava) and plantains.

Egusi soup is a rich and flavorful stew made with melon seeds, vegetables (spinach, tomatoes, fluted pumpkin), spices, and most times meat/fish. 

Fufu is used to scoop up the egusi, often with additional sides like fried meat or fish.

Nutritional Benefits of Fufu and Egusi Soup: 

• Fufu provides carbohydrates (energy), while egusi soup offers protein (melon seeds), vitamins (A, C) from vegetables, and healthy fats (melon seeds).
• Fufu is a good source of fiber which can aid digestion 
• It has other heart-health benefits, such as lowers cholesterol levels, reduces blood pressure and inflammation.
• It’s helpful in managing diabetes.

Couscous  

Couscous is a traditional cuisine from Northern Africa. It consists of small processed grain balls of durum wheat or semolina flour. 

The nutritional benefits couscous offers is in the form of selenium and plant-based protein. However, couscous is not suitable for everyone because the grains contain gluten. 

Couscous are of 3 types: 

• Moroccan
• Israeli and, 
• Lebanese. 

The only difference between Moroccan couscous, Israeli couscous and Lebanese is the sizes. Moroccan is the tiniest and has the shortest cooking time unlike Lebanese couscous that has the largest grains and longest cooking time.

Recipe:

• Fluffy couscous is steamed and served with a colorful medley of seven vegetables (carrots, zucchini, turnips, etc.) 
• Cooked in a flavorful broth with spices (cumin, turmeric). 
• Can include meat/fish.

Served With: 

• As a main course
• Sometimes with yogurt or a side salad.

Nutritional Benefits of Couscous Cuisine

Couscous provides carbohydrates (energy), vegetables offer vitamins (A, C, K), and spices add antioxidants. Lean meat/fish adds protein. The other health benefits are:

• It lowers cancer risk
• Increase heart health
• Prevent bacteria and viral infections
• Controls fluid levels
• Heals wounds and builds muscles
• Boosts immune system
• Enhance the body’s systems metabolism 
• Improve digestion 

Injera with Shiro Wat 

Injera with Shiro Wat is an African cuisine native to the Ethiopian. Injera is a soft, spongy flatbread that is paired with a spicy, flavorful chickpea stew, Shiro Wat. 

Recipe:

• Injera is made from teff flour, water, and a sourdough starter, fermented to achieve its spongy texture and tangy flavor. 
• Shiro Wat is prepared with chickpea flour, Berbere spice blend, garlic, onions, tomato paste, and sometimes clarified butter.

Best Served:

Injera is used to scoop up the shiro wat, often with additional sides like vegetables or lentils.

Nutritional Benefits of Injera with Shiro Wat African Cuisine:

• Injera provides carbohydrates (energy) and protein (teff flour), while shiro wat offers protein (chickpeas), vitamins (A, C) from vegetables, and healthy fats (clarified butter, optional).
• Injera is rich in dietary fiber, protein, and minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium, promoting digestion and bone health.
• Shiro Wat is packed with plant-based protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals, supporting immune function and heart health.

Spicy and Nutritious Ful Medames

Ful Medames is a traditional Middle East and North Africa dish. It is primarily native Egyptian cuisine now considered a national popular breakfast dish especially in the region of Sudan. 

The dish is primarily made from fava beans, which are known for their high protein and fiber content. 

Recipe:

Fava beans, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, and other spices like coriander and chili peppers.

Preparation: 

Fava beans are soaked overnight and then cooked until tender. They are then mashed and mixed with chopped vegetables (tomatoes, onions, garlic), lemon juice, olive oil, and spices (cumin, paprika), to create a thick, flavorful paste. Can include boiled eggs or bread.

Best Served With: 

• Typically for breakfast, with sides like tahini sauce, chopped vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions), and pita bread.
• It can also be garnished with hard-boiled eggs, tahini, or a sprinkle of fresh herbs for added flavo

Nutritional Benefits of Ful Medames:

• Ful Medames are delicious and incredibly beneficial for health.
• Rich in protein and fiber (fava beans)
• Rich in vitamins (A, C) from vegetables
• Has healthy fats from tahini sauce
• The antioxidants present in fava beans help combat free radicals
• Its high fiber content promotes digestive health and can aid in heart health by lowering cholesterol levels and improving blood pressure

Poulet à la Moambé   

Poulet à la Moambé is a Central African classic dish particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo.

It's a savory stew that combines the richness of palm butter with the tenderness of chicken, creating a meal that's both hearty and flavorfu

Recipe: 

• Chicken
• Palm butter (or palm oil)
• Tomatoes, garlic
• Chili powder or peppers
• Lemon

Optional vegetables like squash or pumpkin.

Preparation:

• Chicken is marinated in a flavorful mixture of peanut butter, ginger, garlic, and spices. 
• Then fried and simmered in a tomato-based sauce with vegetables (peppers, onions).

Best Served:

As a main course, often with traditional sides like rice, fufu, or fried plantains.

Nutritional Benefits of Poulet à la Moambé African Cuisine:

Rich in protein (chicken, peanut butter), vitamins (A, C) from vegetables, and healthy fats (peanut butter).

Nshima with Kapenta and Vegetables  

Nshima with Kapenta and Vegetables is a nourishing dish from Zambia. It is an African dish that combines staple maize porridge with a protein-rich fish and a variety of vegetables.

Nshima is a type of maize porridge, thick and dough-like, made from finely ground white maize flour known locally as mealie meal.

Kapenta serves as a common protein accompaniment to Nshima. It is a small, dried, and salted fish.

Recipe:

• Nshima - finely ground maize flour, 
• Kapenta - dried fish. 
• Vegetables - tomatoes, greens

Preparation:

• Nshima - Boil water and gradually mix in the mealie meal until it thickens. Stir vigorously to achieve a smooth, doughy texture.
• Kapenta - Fry the dried fish with onions and tomatoes, adding spices to taste.

Best Served:

Nshima is used to scoop up the kapenta and vegetables, sometimes with additional sides like fried chicken or relish.

Nutritional Benefits:

• Nshima provides carbohydrates and fiber, essential for energy and digestive health.
• Kapenta offers protein and healthy fats, and other micronutrients like zinc, iron, and iodine, as well as DHA, crucial for brain growth and functioning, immunity and recovery, particularly from infectious diseases
• Vegetables add vitamins (A, C) and minerals.

Matoke with Groundnut Stew 

Matoke with groundnut stew is the most enjoyed dish in East African cuisine, particularly in Uganda. 

This dish is a hearty and flavorful combination of starchy bananas known as Matoke and a rich, creamy groundnut stew.

Recipe: 

• Green bananas are peeled, wrapped in banana leaves, and steamed until tender
• Groundut stew is made with peanut butter, vegetables (tomatoes, onions), spices (curry powder), and sometimes meat/fish. 

Best Served:

Matoke is mashed or sliced and served with the groundnut stew, sometimes with additional sides like greens or fried bananas.

Nutritional Benefits:

• Matoke provides a good source of carbohydrates and some dietary fiber essential for energy and digestive health.
• Groundnut stew provides protein (peanut butter, meat/fish optional), vitamins (A, C) from vegetables, and healthy fats (peanut butter) which contributes to heart health and immune function.
• It can also be enjoyed with a squeeze of lemon juice to add a tangy flavor
• Enhances loss of weight 

Sangah   

Sangah is a traditional dish from Cameroon, known for its simplicity and heartiness. It's a staple food that reflects the rich agricultural practices and culinary traditions of the region.

It is a rich stew made with meat (beef, chicken, goat) or fish, vegetables (tomatoes, plantains, spinach), and spices (palm oil, crayfish). 

Recipe: 

Cassava leaves, palm oil, maize (corn), and sometimes black-eyed peas or other beans.

Preparation: 

Cassava leaves are pounded and mashed, then cooked with maize and palm oil to create a dish with a consistency similar to a stew or porridge.

Best Served With:

Sangah is commonly served with rice or boiled plantains or yams.

Nutritional Benefits:

• Plant based protein (beans, meat/fish),
• High in dietary fiber, which promotes digestive health, 
• Rich in essential nutrients like folate, potassium, iron, vitamins (A, C) from vegetables, and healthy fats (palm oil).

Miso Soup with Tofu and Wakame

Miso Soup with Tofu and Wakame is a traditional Japanese soup that embodies the essence of Japanese cuisine. 

It is a light and flavorful soup made with a miso paste base, diced tofu, seaweed (wakame), and optional vegetables (spring onions, mushrooms).

Ingredients:

• Miso Paste
• Silken Tofu
• Green Onions
• Wakame Seaweed
• Sesame Seeds
• Dashi

Preparation: 

• Start by rehydrating wakame in water. 
• Heat the dashi over medium heat, then dissolve the miso paste into it without boiling. 
• Add tofu and the rehydrated wakame, heat to a simmer, and serve garnished with scallions.

Best Served: 

As a starter or light meal, sometimes with sides like sushi or dumplings. 

Nutritional Benefits: 

Miso paste offers probiotics (gut health), protein (tofu), vitamins and minerals (seaweed), and vegetables add vitamins and fiber.

Milk Tart  

Mektert is a quintessentially South African cuisine that's most cherished for its creamy texture and delicate flavor.

It originated from the Dutch settlers in the Cape and has evolved into a unique South African classic.

Mektert is a flaky pastry crust filled with a sweet custard made with milk, eggs, sugar, and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg).

Recipe: 

• Typically includes a sweet pastry crust filled with a creamy custard made from milk, sugar, eggs, and flour. 
• Cinnamon is often sprinkled on top for added flavor.

Preparation: 

Some recipes call for baking the custard in the crust, while others set the custard in the crust without baking.

Best Served With:

• As a dessert, often dusted with icing sugar or cinnamon.
• Nutritional Benefits: Source of carbohydrates (pastry crust), protein (eggs), and some vitamins and minerals from spices.

Attieke 

Attieke is a staple of Ivorian cuisine. It is a traditional dish from the Ivory Coast, often referred to as the "Ivorian couscous" due to its granular texture.

Attieke is made from fermented cassava that has been grated or granulated, and it resembles couscous in texture, serving as a starchy component of a meal.

Recipe:

The dish is simple, requiring only cassava and oil. The cassava is fermented, dried, and then processed into a fine, grainy product.

Best Served With:

• Attieke is commonly served with grilled fish or chicken. 
• It can also be accompanied by various sauces and vegetables

Nutritional Benefits: 

Source of carbohydrates (energy) and some fiber (cassava).

Kelewele  

Kelewele is Ghana's popular street snack food. This dish perfectly encapsulates the vibrant flavors of West African cuisine.

Kelewele dish is made from ripe plantains that are cut into bite-sized pieces, seasoned with an aromatic blend of spices, and deep-fried until golden and crispy.

Recipe:

Ripe plantains, cayenne pepper, fresh ginger, salt, and vegetable oil for frying

Preparation:

• Ripe plantains are peeled, cubed, boiled and tossed in a mixture of grated ginger, cayenne pepper, and salt.  
• They are then deep-fried and seasoned with the spicy pepper mix (often including ginger, garlic, chili peppers).

Best Served: 

As a snack on their own, or with peanuts or a spicy dipping sauce. It can also be served alongside rice and bean stew, or as a side dish to grilled meats and stews.

Nutritional Benefits: 

• Rich in potassium, vitamins A and C, and dietary fiber, Kelewele offers several health benefits. Potassium supports cardiovascular health.
• The spices, particularly ginger, provide digestive benefits and anti-inflammatory properties. However, due to the frying process, it's best enjoyed in moderation.

Masa

Masa, also known as Waina or Sinasir, is a traditional Northern Nigerian delicacy, particularly popular among the Hausa ethnic group. 

It's a rice-based dish that is often enjoyed as a snack or a breakfast meal, and it's renowned for its unique taste and texture.

Recipe:

• The main ingredient is rice, typically a short-grain variety like Tuwo rice. 
• Other ingredients include water, cooked rice, finely chopped onions, active dry yeast, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

Preparation: 

• The rice is soaked for several hours or overnight, then blended with water, cooked rice, and onions to form a thick paste. 
• This mixture is combined with yeast and sugar to ferment, usually left overnight. 
• Seasoned with salt and baking powder, the batter is then cooked in a special Masa pan or a non-stick frying pan until golden brown.

Best Served With:

• Masa is traditionally served fresh and warm, accompanied by spicy dipping sauces, soups, or stews. 
• Popular pairings include Suya pepper sauce, a spicy peanut-based sauce, or a rich and flavorful tomato-based sauce.

Nutritional and Health Benefits:

• Masa provides a good source of energy from carbohydrates. 
• The fermentation process adds a slightly tangy flavor and makes the rice easier to digest. 
• It's also a source of B vitamins (including thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin), iron, manganese, and magnesium. 
• It is rich in selenium which plays a critical role in metabolism and thyroid function and helps prevent the body from damage caused by oxidative stress.

Rechta

Rechta is a traditional Algerian dish that is particularly popular in the cities of Algiers and Constantine. 

It consists of thin, flat noodles served with sauce made with chicken pieces, onions, garlic, oil, chickpeas, ras el hanout, cinnamon, turnips, potatoes, and zucchini.

Recipe:

• Noodles: Made from a dough of flour, salt, and water, rolled out into long, flat strips.
• Sauce (Marga): Typically includes chicken pieces, onions, garlic, chickpeas, and a blend of spices, cooked together to create a rich, aromatic sauce.

Preparation:

• Prepare the noodle dough and roll it out thinly. Cut into strips and steam until cooked.
• Cook the chicken with spices, onions, and garlic. Add vegetables and chickpeas, simmer until everything is tender and the flavors meld.

Best Served With:

Rechta is often accompanied by additional sides like couscous, and it may be garnished with harissa for those who enjoy a spicy kick.

Nutritional Benefits:

• This dish is high in protein from the chicken and chickpeas, and it provides a good source of carbohydrates from the noodles. 
• The vegetables add fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it a balanced and nutritious meal.

Conclusion

The varieties of dishes presented here is a sample of the culinary diversity that Africa provides. Each recipe, steeped in tradition, offers a burst of flavor and nourishing experience for the body and soul.