Mouthwatering African dishes you must try

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!

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.

Bazin (Libya)

Bazin is an unleavened bread made from barley flour, water, and salt.  It's typically served with meat and vegetable stews.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Bunny Chow (South Africa)

An Indian-inspired dish from Durban, Bunny Chow consists of hollowed-out bread filled with curry, typically lamb or chicken.

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.

Braai (South Africa)

A braai is typical South African barbecue that features a variety of grilled meats, often cooked over charcoal or aromatic wood.

Suya (Nigeria)

A traditional Nigerian street food, Suya is grilled skewered beef, ram, or chicken marinated in a spicy peanut sauce.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fufu (West Africa)

Fufu is a side dish made from boiled and pounded yam, cassava, or plantain, often paired with soups and stews.

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.