What Do West African People Eat?

Explore West African Cuisine: Hearty Stews, Grilled Meats, and Unique Flavors 

• West Africans enjoy hearty dishes like Jollof rice, pepper soup, and egusi soup, made with a variety of meats, fish, and vegetables. 

• West African cuisine includes fermented foods like ogiri (fermented locust beans) and garri (fermented cassava), adding depth and umami to dishes. 

• West Africans love grilling meat, especially suya (spicy grilled beef) and kebabs, often served with fresh vegetables and spicy dips. 

Explore our delicious recipes and bring bold flavors to your kitchen.

Have you ever been curious about what West Africans eat on a day-to-day basis? The simple answer is that they eat a lot of soups, stews, and rice dishes. They also enjoy proteins such as seafood, chicken, beef, pork, and goat. Here is a guide to some popular West African dishes. It includes everything from jollof rice to fried plantains. 

Jollof rice 

Jollof rice is a classic rice dish that originated in Senegal. Jollof rice combines long-grain rice, tomatoes, bell peppers, and a mix of spices. For our coconut jollof rice, Yaji Spice uses Ataré and Mama Put blends to add the perfect touch to a tasty dish. Jollof rice is often paired with a protein or fried plantains, a salad, or steamed vegetables. Each of these options truly complements the jollof rice. 

Efo riro 

Efo riro is a mouthwatering Nigerian stew made with spinach, smoked fish and crayfish, peppers, vegetables, other meat, and multiple spices. Efo riro loosely translated from Yoruba means “stirred spinach.” The stew is flavored by iru, or fermented locust beans, a savory spice we sell at our online spices store. Iru adds a taste that’s similar to umami, making this West African stew delicious. Efo riro is traditionally eaten with rice or fufu, but it’s also possible to eat with plain cauliflower rice. 

Nigerian Pepper Soup 

Nigerian pepper soup is a delicious, peppery soup that will warm you on a crisp Fall night. It’s made with meat and a mix of spices like our upcoming pepper soup blend. There is a wide variety of meat that can be used, including chicken, goat, tilapia, catfish, croaker, snapper, cow’s foot, tripe, intestines, liver, or kidney. Yaji Spice offers a pepper soup blend that’s coming soon, so keep an eye out for that. 

Peanut Soup 

Also known as groundnut stew, peanut soup is a traditional West African soup. It is often flavored with peanut butter, tomatoes, chilies, and starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes or yams. It can also include okra, eggplant, corn, chicken, or beans. Peanut soup is often served over millet or rice. It can be served hot or cold. 

Akara 

Akara is a popular West African finger food made from black-eyed peas. The fried bean cakes have a crunchy exterior and soft interior and taste spicy from the habanero peppers in the batter. Akara is best served warm. It pairs well with corn pudding, bread, and custard. It also tastes delicious on its own.  

Fried, baked, or boiled plantains 

Plantains are a popular side dish in West African culture. Whether you fry, bake, or boil them, they taste mouthwateringly delicious. Fried plantains can be sweet with a crispy, caramelized exterior, especially if you use ripe plantains. Baked plantains are sweet and sticky with a soft inside and toasty exterior. Boiled plantains also taste slightly sweet. Plantains pair well with rice dishes like jollof rice, soups, and stews. 

Grilled Meat 

Grilling is a popular way of prepping meat and fish for lunch or dinner. The grilled meats are often marinated in a blend of spices and herbs, giving them a bold flavor that zings with spiciness. Grilled meat includes seafood, chicken, beef, pork, or goat, but we especially recommend our grilled Suya lamb chops. These lamb chops are marinated with our signature Suya spices blend, infusing them with a vibrant, aromatic, and mouthwatering flavor. Our grilled Suya lamb chops are seasoned with either our traditional Suya spices blend or our upcoming Nut-Free Suya spices blend—a perfect option for those with nut allergies or dietary preferences. 

While this guide is not exhaustive, it showcases some of the soups, stews, and rice dishes that are a staple to the culture. Whether you’re looking for new recipes to try or are just curious about the West African culture, Yaji Spice is your go-to guide. Check out our recipes page for traditional recipes that have a Yaji Spice spin. And, as always, consider our online spices store, where you can get premium-quality spices delivered straight to your front door.