Preparing tasty foods, dishes, and snacks for that special event? Be it a dinner date, family/friends hangout, Christian, New year, Islamic celebration, or you simply want to make something sumptuous for you and you alone, guess what?
You too can be a Chef!👩🏼🍳… in the moment lol
Seriously though, you can do it! 💪🏼
Nigeria has over 250 ethnic groups speaking different languages and having different customs, cultures, and traditions. The diversity makes the country an exciting place to visit and live in. Being able to enjoy tasty Nigerian food and snacks and understand the cultural differences of each tribe and learn about their dress and way of life generally is an exciting adventure.
In this post, I am sharing with you, 40 tasty foods, dishes, and snacks, enjoyed by the different ethnic groups and all of Nigeria, creating a picture for you to look forward to if you are new to the culture. Moreover, as a Nigerian, this will help you learn about the different kinds of food consumed by various tribes, nationally and internationally.
Looking to prepare a particular food type and don’t have time to look through all? Feel free to jump right in, using the below:
1. EGUSI SOUP
Egusi soup is a traditional dish enjoyed by most tribes and ethnic groups in Nigeria. Egusi soup originates from the “Yoruba” ethnic group. The Yorubas dominate the Western parts of the country and have been adopted as a meal by other ethnic groups, although with varied preparation processes.
Learning to prepare Egusi soup is easy, and the ingredients needed are relatively easy to find when you live in the country.
2. NKWOBI
Nkwobi, which means “Spicy cow foot,” is a local delicacy and spicy dish that originated from the “Igbo people” from the eastern parts of Nigeria. It is cow foot (sometimes cow tail) cooked with palm oil or red oil. You can have Nkwobi as a side dish, as a meal, for late lunch or dinner, and usually paired with Yam and sometimes rice.
Nkwobi is a delicious meal and one of the easiest dishes to prepare. The right way is relatively easy.
3. OGBONO SOUP
This soup is a “concoction soup” because it is not complicated to prepare. You can add the ingredients randomly, following no particular order. It originates from southeastern Nigeria but is widely eaten and enjoyed across the country.
However, no matter how this post makes it easy to prepare, it would still seem rocket science for someone trying to prepare ogbono soup for the first time, so it is best to follow trusted instructions.
4. BANGA SOUP
This is a delight of the Niger Delta people who occupy the south-south part of Nigeria. You can make Banga soup from palm nuts from palm trees known to dominate those parts of the country. The preparation takes a lot of time, but the result is worth it. Many people eat the soup with “starch,” a traditional side dish, bright yellow and, as its name implies, starchy. For the non-native people, the amount of work that goes into preparing Banga soup renders the preparation of the soup an occasional one, as opposed to the south-south people who eat this soup frequently.
5. BITTERLEAF SOUP
The Bitterleaf soup, also referred to as “ofe onugbu” by the Igbo people in Nigeria, which gives a sense of where the soup originated from, is rich and nutritious. The name of the soup is the kind of leaf used to prepare the soup, a green bitter leafy shrub known as Vernonia amygdalina.
The leaf is known to contain a lot of nutrients, like Vitamin E, A, C, etc. That is why I recommend this soup, and everyone must try to learn how to prepare Bitterleaf soup.
6. EDIKANG IKONG SOUP
This soup is very popular all over Nigeria, although only some people outside the region where it originates do not know how to prepare Edikang Ikong. People from Cross River and Akwa Ibom, South Eastern states in Nigeria, mostly eat this soup. You can use pumpkin and water leaf in making the soup, making the soup highly nutritious coupled with other ingredients that make it delicious.
7. NSALA SOUP
This means white soup, also called “Ofe Nsala,” by the Igbo people in Nigeria. The soup is referred to as white soup because of its off-whitish color and because its preparation does not involve using palm oil. Preparing Nsala Soup is relatively straightforward and can be easily achieved if you cook it out for the first time.
8. AFANG SOUP
This soup is popular in southern Nigeria. You can make it with Afang leaves/Okazi, a type of wild spinach. It has a slightly bitter taste. However, it is a delicious soup, with ingredients such as periwinkle, crayfish, meat, and stockfish that add to its rich Flavour. The preparation of Afang soup is also relatively easy if you follow a step-by-step process.
9. EFO RIRO
Efo riro is a side dish that originated and is enjoyed by the people of the southwestern parts of Nigeria. You can make the soup with green leaves, Celosia argentea (ṣọkọ̀ yòkòtò), Amaranthus hybridus (ẹ̀fọ́ tẹ̀tẹ̀) as well as other ingredients like beef, fish, etc.
Eforiro is relatively easy to prepare. You can have it for lunch or dinner with semo, fufu, or eba.
10. POUNDED YAM
Pounded yam is a traditional side dish you can use to eat most native soups. It is a white starchy solid dish made from yam and pretty easy to prepare.
11. SEMO
Semo is a short form for semovita or semolina, which is raw, industrially processed wheat. Semovita’s texture is very soft after you prepare it, and it is easy to prepare, making it many household favorites in Nigeria.
Semo is used as a side dish to eat the majority of native soups.
12. AMALA
Amala is a local/traditional Yoruba side dish known for its characteristics of Dark Brown color and eaten mostly with Ewedu and Gbegiri. You can make it out of yam/cassava flour, which is gotten when the Cassava or Yam peel is dried and ground. After this process, the rest of the preparation of Amala is quite simple.
13. PLANTAIN PORRIDGE
Plantain porridge is a meal that is native to the Niger Delta people, in specific the people of Bayelsa. You should prepare this meal with unripe plantain; however, for persons with a sweet taste, you can prepare it with ripe plantain. You can add pumpkin leaves to it to enjoy it better. Plantain porridge is easy to prepare and a good home dinner option.
14. MOIMOI
There are a lot of delicacies that can be gotten from Raw Beans, and moimoi is one of them. You can have this special tasty Nigerian food as your breakfast, lunch, or Dinner, and it pairs well with Corn pudding (pap), Custard, Drinking Garri, Bread, Rice etc. It is simple to learn how to prepare moimoi; however, it requires a thorough and step-by-step process, resulting in a delicious and rich meal most Nigerians enjoy.
15. PEPPERED SNAIL
People all over the world enjoy this meal. In Nigeria, it is a finger food and part of an ingredient added as a source of protein when preparing stew or soup. Peppered snail is a common dish usually served at parties and events. It is quite easy to make. The only downside is that snail shrink in size when cooked, so fully enjoy it. There have to be a lot of snails in the soup.
16. FISH STEW
Fish stew is a meal prepared using a combination of tomato, pepper, and fish, usually mackerel or herring. You can prepare the fish stew with fresh frozen fish or roasted frozen fish, and it is an alternative option for those trying to stay clear of beef.
17. YAM AND CATFISH PEPPER SOUP
Local fast-food restaurants across the country commonly sell this dish. Yam and catfish pepper soup is commonly eaten alone, without any side dish, and sometimes people eat the soup without the yam but be fully satisfied. Yam is sometimes included. It’s called pepper soup because it contains a significant amount of pepper and is most times recommended when one is ill.
18. AKARA
This is also known as local bean cake and is a common snack. You can sometimes eat it as a full meal, with bread, Corn pudding, and pap or “ogi” in Yoruba. You can easily prepare Akara at home. However, it is popular street food and at strategic hours sold at major junctions and known street corners in different parts of the country.
19. COCONUT RICE
This intercontinental dish eaten worldwide has since been adopted by Nigerians. The food, as its name implies, is cooked Rice made using coconut and other ingredients like shrimp, crayfish, etc. If you’d like to know how to make coconut rice, that’s great because it’s not hard and can be done in a matter of hours.
20. YAMARITA (Egg-Coated Fried Yam)
This is a dish native to the Hausa people, mainly from the Northern parts of Nigeria. Yamarita is a spicy dish made using yam and eggs and does not require much time or effort.
21. JOLLOF RICE
Rice is one of the common food crops, and carbohydrates are eaten in Nigeria, not because it is cheap but because it is the easiest to prepare. Jollof rice is sold in almost all fast food joints and restaurants, and although there are different techniques in preparation, the primary ingredient is tomato paste. Most times, unless stated otherwise, when hosting an event, Jollof rice is one of the meals that is expected to be served in that event, which makes it necessary to know how to make jollof rice
22. FRIED RICE
Like jollof rice, fried rice is commonly eaten in Nigeria. It has a shiny, light green appearance and is made using vegetables like sweet corn, green beans, carrots, etc. It is also easy to prepare and is served and eaten at events and festive periods.
23. PEPPERED CHICKEN
Peppered chicken is another special delivery that is prepared and served during special events. It combines chicken, most times the winged parts, and tomato or pepper stew. If you are hosting a party or event, this dish should not be skipped, peppered chicken can be made in the comfort of your home and does require any complicated process.
24. PEPPERED PUFF PUFF
This is one of the oldest finger foods and is loved Nationwide, and in the spectrum of small chops, it carries great importance. It is a brown-like fried pastry snack called “puff puff because of its round and fluffy shape. Puff puff is very easy to make and does not require any prior expertise in baking.
25. GIZDODO
Gizdodo is the name of a traditional Nigerian dish made of plantains (dodo) and chicken gizzards. Pieces of boiled gizzard are deep-fried and combined with fried plantains to make it. A sauce made of tomatoes, green and red bell peppers, and onions is poured over the mixture. Gizdodo is a tasty Nigerian food.
26. ZOBO DRINK
Zobo is a local beverage drink made locally in Nigeria using a dark purple dry leaf known as hibiscus leaves. It contains vitamins C, calcium, Ash, iron, etc. The Zobo drink is best served chilled and is easy to prepare.
27. BUNS
Buns are a snack shaped like puff puff but contain ingredients slightly different ingredients as puff-puff, and while puff has a dark brown shade, Buns have a very light brown shade. It is also a starter for parties; you can easily make them home.
28. PEPPER SAUCE
Nigerians and pepper have a strong relationship; we carry our sauce while traveling because it’s best to be prepared. The pepper sauce is made using habanero pepper and onions, a favorite of the Yorubas.
29. DOUGHNUT
The typical Nigerian doughnut is shaped in a circle, with a hole in the middle, and has varied sizes but with this exact characteristic. It is very easy to prepare.
Want to know how to make doughnuts? and can be made by either frying or baking.
30. ROASTED WHOLE CHICKEN
Roasted whole chicken is not a traditional food but a recipe that lovers and enthusiasts love. It is also another way to kick back on the use of Vegetable oil that comes with frying. The ingredients seem a bit much when preparing roasted chicken, but you can work around it.
31. CHINCHIN
Chin’s chin has always been one of the favorite snacks of Nigerians, with individuals starting a viable business of selling chinchin, in large and small quantities. It is a sweet and delicious snack made with flour, and because it’s hard, like nature, it can be preserved for a long time. Learning how to bake or fry chinchin is easy, and with the right guide, you can very well be on your way to becoming a professional at it.
32. MEAT PIE
Meat pies are a favorite fast food of Nigerians. You can have it for lunch, and it can be satisfying because of the beef filling used in making them. It will be best if you bake Meat pies in an oven. Moreover, they are very easy to prepare and are a good recommendation for hangouts, picnics, and other fun events.
33. ICE CREAM
Children love ice cream, and the sound and taste of it bring back fun childhood memories for adults. You can make it with any flavor, which is best if cold. Icecreams are easy and fun to prepare, and its ingredients are easy to find.
34. CHICKEN PIE
There are different kinds of chicken pies with different shapes and sizes. However, you can make chicken pies with dough shaped like a half-moon in Nigeria. The dough is filled with shredded chicken and other vegetables. When considering snacks to share at functions and events, the chicken pie should be among the top three on your list and delicious.
35. FISH PIE
You can make this snack using flour, fish, and other vegetables. It’s a snack option if you prefer to stay off meat. Nigerian fish pie is tasty and very easy to prepare. Although, ensure to remove bones from the fish while making it.
36. SAUSAGE ROLL
Sausage rolls are tasty snacks and can be grouped into pies, although they are a bit lighter and are filled with sausage meat. The wrapping is also different; you can serve sausage rolls at small functions, but if you like to give your guests a change of taste, you should learn how to make sausage rolls following the right instructions. You can easily make sausage rolls at home.
37. SCOTCH EGGS
Scotch eggs are shaped just like eggrolls and are sausages with shelled, hard-boiled embedded in them. The outer crust is rough and harder, tastes delicious, and you can have it like any other snack, and if you’d like to start a hobby in pastry making, learning how to make eggrolls should be part of your to-do list.
38. PLANTAIN CHIPS
If there is something that Nigerians love, it’s food, and it’s one of the coping mechanisms we’ve adopted in dealing with the issues that abound in the country is eating. That’s also where the enterprising spirit comes from, and plantain chips are one of the merchandized products in Nigeria. It is very easy to make, and the primary ingredient you need is raw plantains.
39. EGG ROLL
A lot of people are very interested in knowing how to make eggrolls. Guess what! It is super easy to make. An egg roll is a snack made of dough with an egg embedded in it. It has an imperfect round shape and can be prepared by either frying or baking.
40. AFRICAN SALAD
African salad is a favorite dish eaten by the Igbo people of Nigeria. You can make from cassava and other local ingredients.
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