Equatoguinean Recipes
5 recipesEquatorial Guinea combines a mainland region, Río Muni, with islands including Bioko and Annobón, and its cooking reflects Fang, Bubi, Ndowé and Annobonese traditions, with Spanish and West African influences along the coast. Cassava, plantain, cocoyam and yam, boiled, fried or pounded into fufu, form the base of most meals, and rice is also common. Fish and seafood are central near the sea, while chicken, goat and game appear inland. Sauces and soups are thickened with palm nut, peanut, ground melon seeds or modica, the seed of the wild African mango, and African chili brings heat. Leaves such as cassava and cocoyam are cooked into thick stews, and many dishes are wrapped in banana leaves and cooked over embers. Sweet foods are simple: roasted bananas, fried banana balls and sugared peanuts, plus plenty of tropical fruit. Palm wine and sugarcane drinks are made at home, and Spanish colonial heritage shows in dishes like tortilla and fried dough.
Staple ingredients
- cassava
- plantain
- cocoyam and yam
- fish and seafood
- peanuts
- palm nut
- chili peppers
- rice
Soups
Main Dishes
Gallina en Salsa de Cacahuete (Chicken in Peanut Sauce)GQ1 h 30 minEasy
Bambucha (Cassava Leaf and Palm Nut Stew)GQ1 h 25 minMedium
Desserts
Snacks
Common questions
What is Equatorial Guinean food known for?
Spicy fish pepper soup (pepesup), peanut and palm nut sauces, cassava and plantain sides, and dishes steamed in banana leaves. Fish, chili and starchy roots appear in almost every meal.
What is the national dish of Equatorial Guinea?
There is no official one. Pepesup, a spicy fish soup with green plantain, is the dish most often called the country's signature, and it is often eaten on weekend mornings.
Is Equatorial Guinean food spicy?
Often, yes. African chili peppers go into soups and sauces, and pepesup is deliberately hot. Many dishes are easy to adjust, since the chili can be added whole or left out.