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Senegalese Recipes

16 recipes

Senegalese cooking centers on the shared platter: a big dish of rice or millet with fish, meat or a thick sauce, eaten with spoons or the right hand around one table. The Atlantic coast supplies fish for the country's signature dish, thieboudienne, while peanuts grown inland thicken stews such as mafé. Onions, garlic, lemon, mustard and hot chili appear everywhere, often cooked down into a soft sauce. Wolof, Mandinka, Pulaar and Serer kitchens each add their own touches, from okra and palm oil stews in the south to millet porridges in the north. French influence shows in baguettes, fried pastries and sweet breakfasts. Drinks matter as much as dishes, and hibiscus, baobab fruit, ginger and spiced coffee are served at every gathering. Lamb is cooked for Tabaski, porridge and dates open the Ramadan fast, and Christian families make a sweet millet dessert at Easter.

Staple ingredients

Breakfast

Soups

Main Dishes

Breads

Desserts

Snacks

Drinks

Common questions

What is Senegalese food known for?

Thieboudienne (fish and rice), yassa (chicken with onions and lemon) and mafé (peanut stew), plus fried pastries and drinks made from hibiscus and baobab fruit. Meals revolve around rice, fish, onions and chili.

What is the national dish of Senegal?

Thieboudienne, called ceebu jën in Wolof, is widely named the national dish. It is fish stuffed with parsley and garlic, simmered with vegetables and served over rice cooked in the broth.

Is Senegalese food spicy?

Moderately. Chili is usually cooked into the sauce in small amounts, and a bowl of crushed hot pepper often comes on the side so each person can set the heat.