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A spread of East African dishes

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East African Recipes

57 recipes — each showing allergens, prep time, and servings. Page 2 of 3.

Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.
Pilau — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Pilau

Kenyan spiced rice blooming with cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves, slow-cooked with tender meat until every grain is deeply fragrant and golden.

60 min Serves 3
No listed common allergens
Luwombo — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Luwombo

Ugandan feast dish — chicken, beef, or groundnut stew sealed inside banana leaf parcels and steamed until tender, infusing everything with a gentle, grassy sweetness.

120 min Serves 5
Peanut
Chips Mayai — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Chips Mayai

Tanzania's genius street-food invention — crispy fries folded into a fluffy egg omelet, pan-fried until golden. Crunchy, eggy, and deeply satisfying.

20 min Serves 4 Kid-friendly
Egg
Shiro Wat — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Shiro Wat

Velvety Ethiopian chickpea stew enriched with berbere and niter kibbeh, smooth and warmly spiced — a fasting-day favorite that's deeply comforting and satisfying.

25 min Serves 4
Dairy
Wali wa Nazi — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Wali wa Nazi

Swahili coconut rice slow-cooked in rich coconut milk until each grain is silky and fragrant — the perfect creamy base for Kenyan and Tanzanian coastal curries.

35 min Serves 4
No listed common allergens
Ugali — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Ugali

East Africa's anchor dish — dense, steaming maize porridge with a neutral, comforting bite that soaks up every sauce and stew on the plate.

15 min Serves 4
Wheat
Genfo — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Genfo

Ethiopian stiff porridge made from barley or wheat flour, served with a well of warm spiced butter and berbere in the center — earthy, dense, and deeply nourishing.

30 min Serves 4
Dairy Wheat
Zanzibar Pizza — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Zanzibar Pizza

Zanzibar's legendary street snack — thin dough stuffed with egg, minced meat, and vegetables, then folded and pan-fried until crispy, golden, and irresistible.

20 min Serves 4 Kid-friendly
Egg Dairy Wheat
Gomen — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Gomen

Ethiopian collard greens slow-cooked with niter kibbeh, ginger, and garlic until silky and richly flavored — a fasting staple that tastes anything but austere.

40 min Serves 4
Dairy
Vitumbua — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Vitumbua

Soft, pillowy rice and coconut milk pancakes cooked in a dimpled pan until golden on the outside and tender within — a sweet Swahili coastal breakfast treat.

60 min Serves 4
No listed common allergens
Ndagala — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Ndagala

Tiny Lake Tanganyika sardines fried until crispy and golden, eaten whole — nutty, intensely savory, and rich in flavor. A beloved regional delicacy.

15 min Serves 4
Fish Seafood Wheat
Beyaynetu — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Beyaynetu

Ethiopia's colorful vegetarian feast — a mosaic of lentil, split pea, greens, and chickpea stews arranged on tangy injera, perfect for sharing and exploring.

120 min Serves 4
Dairy
Urojo — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Urojo

Zanzibar's extraordinary mix soup — a tangy mango-curry broth loaded with bhajias, potato, boiled egg, and coconut chutney. Tangy, spicy, and wildly complex.

90 min Serves 4
Egg Wheat
Maharage ya Nazi — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Maharage ya Nazi

Plump red beans simmered low and slow in spiced coconut milk until the sauce is thick, creamy, and warmly fragrant — a coastal East African staple.

60 min Serves 4
No listed common allergens
Biryani — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Biryani

East African layered rice perfumed with saffron, cardamom, and rose water, slow-cooked with tender spiced meat until fragrant steam fills the whole kitchen.

90 min Serves 4
Dairy
Sukuma Wiki — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Sukuma Wiki

Tender braised kale sautéed with onion and tomato, this everyday Kenyan side is simple, nourishing, and perfect alongside a wedge of ugali.

20 min Serves 4
No listed common allergens
Mshikaki — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Mshikaki

Tanzanian marinated meat skewers — rubbed with coconut, lime, and spices, then grilled over charcoal for a sweet-smoky char that's deeply coastal in character.

120 min Serves 4
No listed common allergens
Isombe — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Isombe

Rwandan cassava leaves slowly pounded and simmered with onion, eggplant, and peanuts into a rich, earthy green stew — deeply comforting and full of layered flavor.

90 min Serves 4 Kid-friendly
Peanut
Matoke — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Matoke

East African green bananas simmered in a rich, savory tomato and onion sauce until meltingly soft — a hearty, subtly sweet staple of Ugandan home cooking.

40 min Serves 4
No listed common allergens
Githeri — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Githeri

Hearty Kenyan staple of whole maize and beans boiled together until tender, then sautéed with tomato and onion into a simple, sustaining everyday meal.

120 min Serves 4
No listed common allergens
Kitfo — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Kitfo

Ethiopia's celebrated tartare — finely minced raw beef tossed in mitmita chili and niter kibbeh, intensely spiced, buttery, and rich. Bold, ceremonial, unforgettable.

15 min Serves 3
Dairy
Makande — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Makande

Slow-simmered whole maize and beans enriched with coconut milk until the broth turns thick and subtly sweet — a Swahili coastal stew that's warmly satisfying.

120 min Serves 4
No listed common allergens
Bhajia — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Bhajia

Kenyan-style spiced potato fritters in a crisp gram-flour batter, a beloved street snack served with tangy tamarind or coriander chutney.

30 min Serves 4
Wheat
Mishkaki — East African recipe East African Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients.

Mishkaki

Tender chunks of marinated beef or goat threaded on skewers and grilled over charcoal until smoky and slightly charred — East Africa's favorite street meat.

150 min Serves 4
No listed common allergens

Save East African recipes to your week, and the free Listahan app checks every one against your family's allergens automatically.