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Tucked between Nigeria and Togo on Africa’s western coast, the small nation of Benin has a cuisine that punches far above its weight. Drawing from various ethnic groups and cultures, Benin food offers tourists a diverse culinary experience. From street food specialities to elaborate stews, Benin’s most popular dishes give visitors a delicious taste of this vibrant country. Here are 10 iconic and common Benin food every tourist should try.
What Are the Top 10 Benin Food?
Fufu
Akassa
Aloko
Dried and Smoked Fish
Jollof Rice
Kuli-Kuli
Gbédjédjén
Azinzan or Kuli Kuli Sauce
Ablo
Fufu
The popular West African staple, fufu, is a doughy ball of boiled and pounded cassava and plantain. To eat it, pinch off a small piece, make an indentation with your thumb, and use it to scoop up richly flavored sauces and stews. The texture takes some time, but it’s absolutely worth it. For a quintessential Benin meal, try it with egusi soup made with chili, vegetables, and ground melon seeds.
Akassa
This beloved cornmeal pudding, also called ogi is a Benin food similar to polenta. To make it, boil and then ferment cornmeal into a smooth, stretchy dough served warm. Akassa is naturally bland, so locals eat it with spicy okra or leafy green soups and stews. Try akassa with gbédjédjén, a spicy stew with minced beef, parsley, and scotch bonnet peppers. The contrast between the cooling pudding and fiery stew is exquisite.
Aloko
A popular street food, these twice-fried plantain slices are Benin’s answer to french fries. Vendors keep them warm in glass cabinets to maintain their crispy texture. Grab a bag and enjoy their sweetness as a snack or side dish. Try them with pimentade, a punchy homemade ketchup made with tomatoes and red chilies for added flavor.
Dried and Smoked Fish
Thanks to Benin’s coastline, seafood features prominently in local cooking. Visit any market, and you’ll see rows of fish preserved by drying, smoking, or salting to add intense umami flavor to stews and sauces. Tasty options include gban (catfish), titus (mackerel) and adjuevan (barracuda). Try them in egusi soup or as part of Ghanaian-inspired red, a dish of black-eyed peas stewed with fried fish in a palm oil sauce.
Egusi Soup
Arguably Benin’s most famous dish, this thick, hearty soup is made by stewing ground egusi seeds (a type of melon) with leafy greens, vegetables, and your choice of meat. Unripe green papaya adds a unique tartness, while dry fish or prawns contribute a savory depth. Scoop it up with fufu or enjoy it with a fragrant jollof rice mound.
Jollof Rice
Like fufu, this iconic one-pot rice dish has countless variations across West Africa. Benin’s take features local magi cubes (seasoning cubes), tomatoes, onions, and hot peppers slowly simmered to a rich mahogany sauce coating long-grain rice. Topped with grilled fish or chicken, it’s the country’s unofficial national dish for good reason. Don’t leave without trying several renditions of this Benin food.
Kuli-Kuli
A popular Benin snack, these golden brown peanut fritters pack protein and flavor. Vendors shape nut paste mixed with spices into patties or medallions and deep fry them in peanut oil until crisp. Enjoy their nutty crunch straight up or crumbled into sauces and stews. The mini cakes keep well, making kuli-kuli an ideal energizing snack for long bus rides through the country.
Gbédjédjén
This spicy minced beef stew is a specialty of Benin’s Yoruba-speaking regions. Cooks start by slow-cooking the meat along with aromatics like onion, garlic, and fresh ginger until tender. Next, come the chilies and scotch bonnets responsible for its signature heat. Ladle gbédjédjén over a mound of pounded yam or soak it with fresh baguettes. A cooling palm wine is the perfect match for this mouthwatering Benin food.
Azinzan or Kuli Kuli Sauce
A rich, earthy peanut sauce usually made with beef or fish, azinzan sometimes goes by the name of its main ingredient, kuli kuli. Toasted groundnut paste simmers with tomatoes, onions, and fiery peppers. The subtle sweetness pairs well with starchy fufu, rice, or root vegetables like yam and cassava. Don’t miss this nationally beloved sauce in Benin’s southern regions.
Ablo
This tasty, quick snack is Benin’s version of puff puff – the fluffy fried dough balls popular across Africa. Street vendors form bean paste and flour into little balls, then deep fry them until golden and crisp. Try ablo on the go dipped in powdered sugar or sweet chili sauce. They’re perfect for a sweet and satisfying treat when you’ve got a long day of sightseeing ahead.
What Do People Eat for Breakfast in Benin?
A Taste of Benin’s Morning Traditions;
Like many places in Africa, breakfast in Benin is often hearty and savory. For locals starting their day, these filling first meals provide sustenance and comfort before a long work day. Though dining habits vary between the country’s regions, a few beloved breakfast staples shine through.
In the south, corn and cassava porridges are morning favorites. Akassa, made from fermented cornmeal, is cooked into a thick, stretchy porridge, occasionally paired with sugar or fried beans for flavor. Southern parts of the country also enjoy cassava-based tapioca, known as gari. This side dish features granules of cassava soaked in water and sweetened with sugar.
Further north, millet takes the place of cassava as the grain of choice for morning porridges. Millet flour is boiled into a thin gruel with a texture compared to wheat cream. Another northern speciality is kwai. Corn couscous steamed into fluffy granules. Kwai porridge often comes with evaporated milk, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
No matter the region, fried dough balls are a universal Benin breakfast food. Both ablo and puff-puffs feature sweet fried dough that makes a perfect quick snack. They can be served dusted in sugar or dipped in spiced honey. Heartier options include:
- Red red.
- A stew of black-eyed peas.
- Dried fish served with a side of fried plantains known as aloco.
Wherever you are in Benin, breakfast offers a chance to start the day with classic local comfort foods. These morning meals showcase Benin’s savory culinary culture, from creamy cereal grains to indulgent fried dough. So, for travelers eager to sample authentic cooking, a Beninese breakfast promises a delicious introduction to regional food traditions.
Benin food offers a mouthwatering adventure for curious, food-loving tourists, from fiery stews and savory soups to sweet and spicy street food. Exploring the country through its dishes offers a chance to discover new ingredients, textures, and tastes while enjoying the vibrant culture. So, Benin promises a fulfilling culinary journey for those eager to see more of Africa’s unique food traditions and hospitality.
