22 Best Cameroonian Dishes/Foods

Cameroonian cuisine blends diverse ethnic influences into rich, flavorful dishes featuring meats, vegetables, and unique spices.

Lastest Updated April 19, 2024
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Basic Information

Cameroonian Food Dishes: Basic Overview

Common Ingredients

Cassava, plantains, fish, corn, peanuts, vegetables, beef, pork, chicken

Common Cooking Methods

Boiling, fermenting, mashing, simmering, steaming, grilling

Courses

Main course, soup, dessert, appetizer

Meals

Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Key Taste

Savory, sweet, complex

Eating Etiquette

Many dishes are traditionally eaten with the fingers, particularly fufu and other dough-like foods. Meals are often communal.

Meal Presentation

Dishes are commonly served in communal bowls or on shared platters, focusing on the communal aspect of eating.||Individual portions are not the norm for traditional meals.

Culinary Festivals

Christmas, New Year

Influence and Fusion

French, Portuguese, and West African cuisines
Origin and Region

Cameroonian Food Dishes: Origin and Region

Cuisine

Cameroon

Cuisine’s Geographical Territory

Central and West Africa
Cameroon Map
Ingredients and Preparation

Popular Types of Cameroonian Dishes

  • Stews

    In Cameroon, stews are a cornerstone of culinary tradition, often rich with a blend of meats, vegetables, and spices that simmer together to create deeply flavorful sauces.

    These hearty dishes are served as central components of meals.

  • Steamed Dishes

    Steamed dishes in Cameroon utilize the gentle cooking method of steam to preserve the nutrients and flavors of ingredients, ranging from vegetables to meats and fish.

  • Snacks

    Snacks in Cameroon are abundant at every household and street corner, featuring ingredients from local markets.

Cameroonian dishes are one of Africa’s most diverse, thanks to Cameroon’s unique position at the crossroads of the continent and its rich mix of cultures, including Bantus, Semi-bantus, and Shuwa Arabs.

Influences from specialties of German, French fare, and English culinary treasures also impact this cuisine.

The fertile land supports a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, both domestic and imported, contributing to the cuisine’s diversity.

The cuisine also features curries, soups, fish dishes, meats on skewers, and even insects in forested regions, showcasing the country’s culinary adaptability and richness.

Want to know more about Cameroonian food? Now is your chance to find out the history and some drink pairings to have with the specialties of Cameroon.

Traditional Cameroonian food reveals a cuisine that is as diverse as the country’s cultural landscape. Here are some key aspects:

  • Diverse Influences: Cameroonian cuisine benefits from the country’s location at the crossroads of Africa, along with German, French, and English colonial impacts.
  • Rich Agricultural Base: The fertile soil supports a wide array of vegetables and fruits, contributing to the cuisine’s variety.
  • Variety of Proteins: The cuisine includes curries, soups, fish dishes, meats on skewers, and even insects in some forested regions, showcasing the adaptability and richness of Cameroonian culinary traditions.

Make sure to follow that up by exploring the popularity of Cameroonian food around the world, giving you a more profound look at these dishes.

Cameroonian cuisine, with its rich flavors and diverse dishes, has made a significant impact globally, particularly in countries with historical or cultural ties to Cameroon.

In the United States, long-standing cultural and political connections have facilitated the introduction of Cameroonian dishes. Spain, reflecting its colonial history with Cameroon, has embraced Cameroonian cuisine, integrating dishes such as ndolé and poulet dg.

Mexico’s proximity and shared taste for tropical flavors have led to the adoption and adaptation of Cameroonian dishes, creating unique variations that blend local ingredients with Cameroonian recipes.

To understand more about Cameroonian food, I suggest peeking into the health aspect for a better view.

Cameroonian cuisine is celebrated for its diversity and nutritional value, drawing from a rich agricultural heritage. Here are the key aspects that you should know:

  • Lean Proteins: Cameroonian dishes often incorporate lean proteins from sources like fish, chicken, and legumes, providing essential amino acids while keeping fat content lower.
  • Whole Grains and Tubers: Staples like fufu, made from cassava, plantains, or cocoyams, offer complex carbohydrates and fiber, which are beneficial for digestion and long-lasting energy.
  • Spices and Herbs: The liberal use of spices and herbs not only enhances flavor without the need for excess salt but also provides various antioxidants and health benefits.
  • Diverse Ingredients: The use of a wide range of fresh, locally sourced ingredients, including leafy greens, tubers, and fruits, ensures a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Well, what are you waiting for? Explore the specialties of Cameroon, which offer an exciting range of flavors and textures.

22 Most Popular Cameroonian Dishes with Filters

Jump into 22 dishes in Cameroon with the help coming from the filter system, allowing you to enjoy these specialties in alphabetical order, tastes, key ingredients, dish types, cooking techniques, and global popularity.

Next, find out some categories of dishes available in Cameroon, with options like the most popular, national, traditional, street food, and fusion:

  • Recognized and frequently consumed dishes across Cameroon.
  • Enjoyed by a broad spectrum of the population, regardless of the region.
  • Often accessible in various eateries, from upscale restaurants to local food stalls.
  • Officially or unofficially represent Cameroon at a national level.
  • Symbolize the country’s culinary heritage and are celebrated during national festivities and holidays.
  • They are part of Cameroon’s identity and are recognized internationally as emblematic of Cameroonian cuisine.
  • Often taught from one generation to the next and preserved as part of the nation’s cultural heritage.
  • Passed down through generations, often retaining their original recipe or adapted slightly over time.
  • Made using local ingredients and traditional cooking methods unique to the country or specific ethnic groups within Cameroon.
  • Served during communal gatherings, ceremonies, and traditional festivities, symbolizing unity and cultural pride.
  • Vendors sell quick and accessible meals in public places like markets, streets, and near public transport hubs.
  • Shows off the everyday diet of the local populace, offering a taste of Cameroon’s culinary variety at an affordable price.
  • Includes a wide range of dishes, from snacks and beverages to full meals.
  • A blend of culinary traditions from different cultures, reflecting Cameroon’s history of trade, colonization, and migration.
  • Incorporates ingredients, cooking techniques, or recipes from other cuisines while maintaining elements of traditional Cameroonian dishes.
  • Symbolizes Cameroon’s culinary scene’s modern, evolving nature, embracing globalization while celebrating local flavors.
  • Often seen in contemporary restaurants and among younger chefs keen on experimenting with new culinary concepts.
Doughy Staple Food

Fufu

  • National
  • Traditional

Fufu is a staple starchy dish, essential to breakfasts across Cameroon, Africa, and the Caribbean. This dough-like food, traditionally eaten with the fingers, is crafted from boiled cassava, green plantain, or cocoyam.

Sometimes mixed with cornmeal or semolina, it’s pounded and then mixed with water until it achieves a soft, spongy texture.

Fermented Cassava Dish

Bobolo

  • Traditional

Bobolo, or cassava stick, is a Cameroonian dish of fermented cassava starch, traditionally encased in banana leaves and shaped into long sticks. Known for its extended shelf life, bobolo is edible for weeks at room temperature.

Nowadays, it’s relatively easy to lay hands on bobolo. Once thawed in hot water and unwrapped from its packaging, this tangy cassava dish can be savored on its own or as a complement to Cameroonian meals.

Cameroon Casavana Leaf Dish

Kpwem

  • Traditional

Kpwem is a distinctive Cameroonian specialty with a savory and grassy flavor. Crafted from tender cassava leaves, the dish is a great source of protein coming from the cooked leaves.

By mashing the leaves and combining them with peanut butter, locals create a stew-like concoction that pairs excellently with rice, cooked plantains, or cassava.

Eru Soup

Eru

  • Traditional

Eru soup is a culinary creation in Cameroon created using a vegetable of a similar moniker.

Originating from the Manyu region, home to the Bayangi people, this nutritious soup is crafted from eru, a mineral-rich wild vegetable known as Okok in Cameroon and Koko elsewhere in Africa. To turn these greens into a soup, they are chopped and cooked with spinach, herbs, and sometimes meat.

The result is a smooth, starchy soup that perfectly complements dishes like fufu and roasted cassava.

Achu Soup

Achu

  • Traditional

Achu, or yellow soup, is a distinctive dish from the Ngemba people of northwestern Cameroon, notable for its sneeze-like name. With a vibrant golden hue, and rich aroma, achu is best to have with fish and meat dishes.

To materialize achu, it calls for ingredients including cocoyam (taro), spices, and, uniquely, limestone. The soup’s striking yellow color is achieved through the generous use of palm oil, which is rich in color-enhancing carotenoids.

Jollof Rice

Jollof Rice

  • National
  • Traditional

Jollof rice is a mixed rice dish in Cameroonian cuisine, tracing its origins back to the 14th century. Today, the rice delicacy stands as a beloved traditional meal in many West African countries.

The Cameroonian version, arguably among the finest, blends rice, vegetables (such as onions, garlic, and red peppers), meat, and spices, all simmered together.

Alternatively, coastal variations often incorporate seafood, with the dish’s signature color coming from pureed tomatoes or curry powder.

Cassava Leaf Dish With Corn

Sangah

  • Traditional

Sangah is a culinary creation from Cameroon that’s like a combination of a stew and porridge. It is crafted from corn, pounded cassava leaves, and palm oil.

Usually, sangah comes with corn and has a less fatty composition. It pairs excellently with rice or cooked plantains.

Ekwang

Ekwang

  • Traditional

Ekwang is a sophisticated dish from the Bafaw people of Southwest Cameroon, showcasing the versatile use of cocoyam.

The process involves grating cocoyams into a paste and wrapping this mixture in large leaves, traditionally cocoyam leaves, though spinach or collard greens can serve as substitutes outside Cameroon.

Coming in at finger-sized, cylindrical ekwang requires time and patience, often cooked in fish stock with crayfish and spices. Commonly, ekwang is best enjoyed hot.

Banane Malaxé

Banane Malaxé

  • Traditional

Banane malaxé, translating to “topsy banana,” is a beloved traditional stew in Cameroon. Virtually every Cameroonian enjoys this dish at some point in their lives though it has a French influence.

Comprising unripe plantains, peanuts, crayfish, and broth (or bouillon cubes), the ingredients are fried in palm oil and then simmered in water until tender.

While delicious on its own, adding fried chicken can elevate banane malaxé.

Mbongo Tchobi

Mbongo Tchobi

  • Traditional

Mbongo tchobi is a Cameroonian stew that has a dark, blackish appearance. The stew is made with common ingredients like onions, tomatoes, meat, and aromatic spices.

However, it’s the ash from the hiomi stick of the indigenous mbongo tree that gives the stew its distinctive ebony hue. Essential to its unique flavor profile are njansa, a local nutty spice, and mbongo spice, also known as alligator pepper, which adds an intensely spicy aroma.

Beans And Sweetcorn Stew

Cornchaff

  • Traditional

Cornchaff is a hearty, one-pot dish beloved in parts of Cameroon. Contrary to what its name might suggest, cornchaff is not related to corn’s chaff but is a savory blend of beans, corn, onions, and robust spices.

For those seeking a richer taste, additions like crayfish, meat, and chicken broth can enhance the dish. Enjoyed not only in Cameroon but also in Nigeria, Ghana, and Congo, Cornchaff stands out as a comfort food.

Nut And Bitter Leaf Stew

Ndolé

  • National
  • Traditional

Ndolé is a national dish of Cameroon, essential to the culinary landscape, and a staple at major celebrations like National Day, Christmas, and New Year.

Named after its key ingredient, ndoleh (West African bitter leaves), this savory dish also features melon seeds, and either meat or fish, all simmered together to blend their flavors perfectly.

Commonly served with fufu, bobolo, or boiled plantains, ndolé offers a refreshingly tangy counterpoint to the richer, meat-heavy dishes.

Plantain And Meat Stew

Kondre

  • Traditional

Kondre is a traditional Cameroonian stew that highlights the country’s reliance on plantains. This simple yet flavorful recipe involves simmering tomato puree, spices, and meat, followed by the addition of chunky green plantains.

Originating from the northern tribes, kondre has become a popular dish across the country, frequently prepared for various special occasions, including weddings and funerals.

Cameroonian Chicken Dish

Poulet DG

  • Traditional

Poulet DG is a Cameroon dish named after the French term for high-ranking officials, “Directeur Général.” It combines fried plantains, grilled chicken, and vegetables in a savory tomato sauce.

Once exclusive to the elite, it’s now a cherished meal across all social classes, celebrated for its rich flavors and simple preparation.

Skewered Meat

Soya

  • Street Food

Soya is Cameroon’s street food of skewered meat. Predominantly made from beef or goat meat, the flavor of soya lies in marinating tender meat cuts with peppery spices, and then grilling them over charcoal for a smoky flavor.

The Hausen people, renowned for their soya preparation skills, possess the secret to crafting this juicy, spicy delicacy. Ideally, soya is accompanied by raw onions and grilled plantains.

Roast Fish

Poisson Braisé

  • Street Food
  • Traditional

Poisson braisé is a standout dish among the Duala (or Sawa) people of Cameroon’s coastal Littoral Province. known for its umami-rich flavor, this dish centers on grilling gutted fish over charcoal.

The essence of poisson braisé lies in its seasoning with distinctive African spices such as pèbè (false nutmeg), country onion (a rainforest spice), or white pepper, which elevate the fish’s flavor.

Typically served with bobolo, fufu, or cooked plantains, this grilled fish dish is a celebration of rich flavors.

Kwacoco

Kwacoco

  • Traditional

Kwacoco is a traditional Cameroonian dish crafted from pureed cocoyam, a root crop originating from Central and South America. It’s then wrapped and steamed in banana leaves, becoming a cherished item among various ethnic groups in Cameroon, including the Kwe people.

The pairing of kwacoco with banga forms an essential part of the diet in rural Cameroonian communities, providing vital fats and carbohydrates.

Koki

Koki

  • Traditional

Koki is a traditional Cameroonian cake, often prepared for newlyweds. The sweet treat resembles a moist, pudding-like cake and is commonly found at food stalls and especially at wedding parties.

To make koki, peeled peas are pureed with spinach and herbs using a food processor, then the mixture is wrapped in plantain leaves and steamed.

Available in various sizes, often as small as a golf ball, this rich, earthy steamed cake is typically enjoyed with boiled plantains.

Deep Fried Dough

Puff-Puff

  • Street Food

Puff-puff is a popular Cameroonian street snack offering a crispy, golden exterior and a soft, spice-rich interior. This deep-fried delicacy mainly consists of yeast-raised flour dough mixed with water, sugar, and salt.

Commonly paired with corn porridge, puff-puff also find its perfect match in a sautéed mixture of beans and tomatoes.

Accra Banana

Accra Banana

  • Street Food

Accra banana is a must-try Cameroonian snack found in every corner of the country, offering a crispy texture and rich flavor. This divine dessert is crafted from a creamy batter of mashed bananas, cornmeal, baking soda, and flour.

Once the dough rises, it’s deep-fried until golden brown, ready for serving anyone.

Egusi Pudding

Egusi Pudding

  • Traditional

Egusi pudding is a particularly celebrated dish in Cameroon for its use of protein-rich seeds from melon and pumpkin. This renowned dish involves blending ground egusi seeds with water, spices, and shredded meat.

Once the mixture is smooth, it’s then wrapped and steamed in banana leaves until it becomes soft and fragrant. Traditionally served with fufu, bobolo, and boiled plantains, egusi pudding is a prized delicacy for special occasions.

Interestingly, some believe the quality of egusi pudding, from its taste to the neatness of its wrapping, can predict the success of a marriage.

Chin Chin

Chin Chin

  • Fusion
  • Street Food

Chin chin is a Cameroonian snack, blending wheat flour, milk, eggs, and black-eyed peas into a crunchy delight. Unique to Cameroonian versions is the addition of ground nutmeg, infusing a slightly spicy and aromatic taste.

Available in various sizes and shapes, from chips to donut-like forms, chin chin offers a plethora of choices to satisfy any craving.

What Is the History of Cameroonian Food?

The history of Cameroonian food is deeply intertwined with the country’s diverse cultural heritage and geographical position. This rich history is marked by:

  • Colonial Influence: German, French, and English colonization introduced new cooking techniques and ingredients, further diversifying the cuisine.
  • Agricultural Richness: Cameroon’s fertile land supports an extensive variety of vegetables and fruits, enriching the diet with both domestic and imported species.
  • Adaptability and Innovation: Traditional methods of food preparation have evolved to incorporate a wide range of available ingredients, resulting in a cuisine that is both varied and adaptable.
  • Community and Celebration: Food plays a central role in community gatherings and celebrations, reflecting the social importance of cuisine in Cameroonian culture.

In case you want to taste more flavors from Cameroon, enjoying them with some fine refreshments is the way to go, taking your experience to another notch.

What Cameroonian Dishes to Pair with Beverages?

To pair these dishes with other refreshments in Cameroon, you should consider the following options:

  • Ndolé: Pairs well with light-bodied beers or palm wine to complement its rich flavors.
  • Achu Soup: Best enjoyed with robust red wines that can stand up to its hearty taste.
  • Koki: Complements ginger beer or sweetened hibiscus tea, balancing its dense texture.
  • Eru: Goes nicely with dry white wines, enhancing its leafy, savory notes.
  • Puff-Puff: Perfect with sweet tea or fruit juices, accentuating its sugary taste.

Share these dishes with your friends and loved ones to popularize the merits of delectable Cameroonian dishes. Don’t forget the comment section is open to anyone with great ideas to tell.

Jamie Scott

Jamie Scott

Editor in Chief, Senior Content Writer

Expertise

Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Recipe Development, Baking and Pastry, Food Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Western Food Evaluation Expert

Education

Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts

  • Program: Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Gained foundational knowledge in French and European culinary techniques. Participated in workshops and hands-on training sessions under the guidance of seasoned chefs.

Local Community College, New York, NY

  • Program: Associate’s Degree in Nutrition
  • Focus: Acquired basic understanding of nutrition principles, dietary needs, and the importance of balanced diets in daily life.

Jamie Scott is a skilled culinary expert and content creator specializing in Western cuisine. With over 15 years in the culinary field and formal training from Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, Jamie deeply understands how to blend nutrition with delicious flavors. His passion for cooking matches his commitment to making healthy eating accessible and enjoyable.

On Fifteen.net, Jamie brings a fresh perspective to classic dishes and beverages, offering readers insightful recipes, cooking tips, and a fresh view on meal planning that emphasizes taste, health, and simplicity.

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