Are you planning on taking your taste buds to a whole new level with Nigerian cuisine? Say no more. We have got you covered. From owambe every Saturday to celebration parties on every street, Nigeria has a whole list of tasty foods that you must try.
But another question is, can your taste buds handle the heat and spice? I mean, we all know the almighty Jollof rice, right?
That being said, we are taking you on a ride across the different parts of Nigeria to find out the tastiest food. So get ready to have your mind blown.
Nigerian Foods: An Overview
Before we get into the listing, one thing you need to know is that starchy foods are very popular in the Nigerian diet. Foods like rice, yam, cassava, plantain, and beans make up the food timetable for a typical middle to low-class Nigerian household.
It might not sound healthy, but that’s because there is more to these Nigerian foods. For the most part, these meals are paired with either a hearty soup or stew made with vegetables, balancing the equation.
Also, when it comes to meat, Nigerians are not huge fans of the varieties of meat. They mostly consume beef, goat, chicken, lamb, and turkey.
Imagine, a bowl of yam or a plate of rice paired with vegetable stew well-spiced and seasoned with different ingredients. Sure, you can’t, because it is unimaginable except you have tried it before.
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Anyways, now back to the list.
What is the most delicious food in Nigeria?
Nothing can beat the almighty Nigerian party jollof rice, with emphasis on “party”. I mean rice is the signature food in every Nigerian home, even though it is like 40,000 naira for a bag of rice. Where una dey see this money?
Rice can be prepared in many ways as coconut rice, fried rice, rice & stew, and with different ingredients. But you see Party jollof rice? Extraordinary. It is the most famous dish in Nigeria. With a smoky taste and just the right amount of heat, nothing can stand Nigerian jollof rice.
This dish is the main course in every Nigerian gathering, celebration, and party. It is even the cause of a social war between other African countries, you should understand why this is leading the conversation.
Moving on…
Local Nigerian dishes: Swallow combo
Are you surprised that Nigeria has a never-ending list of local foods? For a country with over 300 ethnic groups, really, what were you expecting?
Although we don’t have the time to mention all the local Nigerian dishes, here are some of the most popular ones.
Fufu and Egusi
You can never go wrong with this dish combo. If you are still wondering how it tastes, you need to stop wasting your time and give it a try. What could possibly go wrong?
The dish gained massive recognition last year thanks to the social app, TikTok as thousands of creators jumped on the trend. It is one of the local dishes that you must find in a Nigerian gathering, be it a wedding, burial, name ceremony, etc.
Amala and Ewedu/Gbegiri
If you missed out or you don’t seem to like fufu and egusi food, you might want to try out this dish. The swallow, which is a lot softer glides more easily than fufu maybe because it uses draw soup, the most popular being ewedu and gbegiri (I have no idea what their English names are, so don’t ask).
No owanbe party is complete without amala. There must be an Iya somebody serving it at the back of the building, and they are usually very rude. Especially the serving girls. If they are nice to you, run! Because that’s probably not amala.
Other swallows on the list include Garri, pounded yam, etc.
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Starch and Banga soup
This is another swallow dish you need to try out, typical to the Middle Belt region. And just for clarification, I am talking about Banga soup, not Banga stew, which is an entirely different dish altogether.
If you have a friend from Delta or Edo, pay them a visit this weekend because you are most likely to have the opportunity to taste this amazing dish.
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Tuwo Shinkafa and miyan kuku/kardashi
One thing about the North is that when it comes to local dishes, they must deliver. Tuwo Shinkafa is a Nigerian dish that is mostly associated with the northern region.
Made with ground rice, this particular dish, accompanied by soups like miyan kuka and miyan kardashi, gives your taste buds a rollercoaster of delicious sensations.
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Foods that act as a side dish
One thing about Nigerians is that if they want to take out their time to eat like a king, they do it effortlessly. Despite these dishes giving what it is supposed to be giving, there are some other foods that act as side dishes or toppings.
- Moi-Moi (with rice)
- Dodo (with rice, beans, egg, pap, etc.)
- Asun (rice, soft drinks, etc.)
- Suya
- Akara (pap, bread, etc.)
- Chin-chin
- Puff-puff
- Pepper soup
How many have you tried on this list? Let us know in the comment section.
