Solomon Islands Recipes
4 recipesThe Solomon Islands are a scatter of almost a thousand islands with dozens of languages, and meals follow the garden and the sea. Sweet potato, cassava, taro and yam are the base of most meals, joined by bananas, pumpkin and leafy greens such as slippery cabbage. Fish is the main protein, especially tuna and reef fish, caught daily and grilled, boiled or cooked in coconut milk. Coconut is used everywhere, grated, pressed for cream or drunk fresh. The best-known festive food is pudding, grated root crops mixed with coconut cream and ngali nuts, wrapped in leaves and baked with hot stones. Cooking is simple and slow, using earth ovens, open fires and, in villages, bamboo steaming. Rice, canned tuna and noodles are common in the capital and in homes without gardens. Meals are plain in flavor, with salt, chili and lime added by each person at the table.
Staple ingredients
- sweet potato
- cassava
- taro
- coconut milk and cream
- tuna and reef fish
- slippery cabbage and leafy greens
- ngali nuts
- bananas and pumpkin
Main Dishes
Side Dishes
Solomon Pudding (Cassava and Sweet Potato Baked in Coconut Cream)SB2 h 10 minMedium
Coconut Pumpkin (Solomon Islands Pumpkin Simmered in Coconut Milk)SB45 minEasy
Ha'apoe (Solomon Islands Taro Balls in Browned Coconut Cream)SB1 hMedium
Common questions
What is Solomon Islands food known for?
Root-crop puddings baked in leaves, fish cooked with coconut milk and plain boiled or roasted starches with greens. Meals depend on what the garden and reef provide.
What is the national dish of the Solomon Islands?
There is no official one. Pudding made from grated cassava, taro or sweet potato with coconut cream is the dish most often served at celebrations.
Is Solomon Islands food spicy?
Mostly no. Traditional cooking is mild and coconut-rich, and chili is added at the table. Canned tuna is often eaten with fresh chili, onion and rice.