Africa has quite an impressive array of cuisines made with natural local ingredients that have gained international popularity. If you are fond of African delicacies and are looking for a list of tasty African foods you can try, you are on the right page.
African foods are made of healthy and yummy vegetables, meats, and fiery spices; meals are mostly prepared using roasting, boiling, steaming, baking, and frying cooking methods.
When it comes to the African food culture, food is not the only item being offered. While sampling your favorite African dishes, the texture, flavors, and ingredients help you understand the African story and make the experience more exciting.
Let’s get into the top 10 African foods!
1. Jollof Rice | West Africa
Jollof Rice is one of the quintessential African foods loved around the world. There are also a lot of controversies surrounding this meal; for instance, every other day on Twitter, people debate which country makes the best jollof rice, as there are a number of West African Countries with at least one variation of Jollof Rice.
These countries are Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cameroon. Despite the debates, Jollof Rice is a meal that unites many Africans and increases awareness about West African food.
This West African treasure is delicately seasoned and topped with various kinds of meats, eggs, or salads. While it is common to use groundnut oil in its preparation, palm oil is sometimes used, especially by Nigerians and Liberians.
Just the thought of jollof rice drives me hunger-insane. That’s why it’s one of African best foods of all time.
Read: Things You Need to Know About Africa
2. Piri Piri Chicken | Mozambique
Mozambique cuisines center around fresh seafood, steak, and fragrant spices, and Piri Piri Chicken is at the top of its food culture. The chicken is marinated and cooked in lemon juice, pepper, garlic, and Piri sauce. This spicy dish can be served with creamy coleslaw, fried rice, baked potatoes, and corn on the cob.
3. Koki | Cameron
The main ingredients of Koki (Bean Cake) are black-eyed beans, palm oil, white pepper, water, limestone, and numerous optional ingredients such as Maggi, salt, onion, crayfish, and habanero pepper.
Traditional Koki is made by steaming koki paste for one hour or more under medium heat.
4.Nyama Na Irio | Kenya
Nyama Na Irio is a traditional Kenyan dish that is made up of mashed potatoes that are often served with spiced roasted meat. It is popular throughout Kenya and also across Eastern Africa.
Mashed potatoes are mixed together with corn, peas, butter, salt, and pepper. This meal is a favorite comfort food and is simple to make.
Read: 14 Pros and Cons of Living In Africa
5. Koshari | Egypt
Koshari is a staple in Egyptian cuisine. It was created in the mid-19th century and adapted from Khichdi, Indian rice, and lentil dishes, and it has since become one of Egypt’s most popular dishes.
While exploring the ancient land of Pharaoh, you can try out this delicacy. It consists of Egyptian fried rice, pasta, and lentils coated with tomato sauce and garnished with crispy fried onions and chickpeas. Best believe that it tastes as yummy as it sounds.
6. Alloco | Ivory Coast
For people who are obsessed with fried plantains and haven’t tried out Ivory Coast’s Allocco, the question is, why?? Alloco is the home of Fried plantain, a plantain lover’s dream.
Nobody makes plantains like the Ivorians. This delicacy is usually served with chili pepper, onions, tomato sauce, and eggs.
To arouse your appetites, head over to the Ivorian seaside and grab a portion of this dish. Ivory coast has some soothing beaches, and there is no better place to sample this meal.
Read: The Best Tourist Destinations In Africa
7. Shisa Nyama | South Africa
Shisa Nyama is arguably one of South Africa’s best meals. As a country with an abundance of meat, it comes as no surprise that meat forms an integral part of the people’s meals, and Shisa Nyama literally means burnt meat.
Shisa Nyama is often served with pap but can also be enjoyed with a salad or sweet corn and finished off with local beer. According to the locals, the secret to juicy braai chicken, which is the key ingredient of this delicacy, is to first marinate it in spices, oil, and garlic. After this, the outside of the chicken should be grilled, then placed in an oven to finish cooking.
8.Chicken Muamba | Angola
Chicken Muamba is one of the most mouth-watering and satisfying African foods you can eat. It is Angola’s national dish and is made from chicken, garlic, okra, tomatoes, and palm oil. It also doubles as a comfort food best enjoyed on weekends with family and friends.
This stew has Portuguese origins; they often serve it with rice and funge. The chicken is first steeped in garlic, paprika, salt, and palm oil. The other ingredients are then added until the chicken is completely cooked.
9.Couscous Royale, Tunisia
When in Tunisia, Couscous Royale is a must-try dish. The recipe has gained popularity across the Northern African landscape but is originally from Tunisia and is a national symbol. The main ingredient of this meal is semolina which makes it very nutritious as it is low in fat, a good source of fiber, and provides proteins.
Couscous Royale is royal because it contains three main kinds of meat; lamb, chicken, and merguez sausages. It also contains vegetables like carrots, turnips, celery, and pumpkins. It is best enjoyed on chilly winter nights.
Read: The Ten Best Hidden East Africa Destinations To Travel To
10. Tangia | Morocco
The traditional must-try dish in Morrocco is Tangia. Tangia is a cooking vessel as well as the dish that cooks in it. It is a filling and heartwarming dish that people can enjoy together in informal settings.
Anyone can actually make Tangia, and depending on their preferences, the dish can come out having a sweet, sour, savory, or tangy taste. In the past, they sometimes used camel meat to prepare this delicacy, but now beef, lamb, or chicken are the preferred meat of choice.
Africa’s beauty, creativity, and grandeur know no bounds, and as these African meals go to show, no matter where you are in Africa, there is always a delicacy to try out. If you are visiting Africa or just trying out new recipes, use these prized cuisines to guide your journey.
