Vegetable side dishes in a Ghanaian restaurant including dicedpineapple with sliced garlic andtaro leaf salad.Location ofGhana
Ghanaian cuisine refers to the typicalmeals of theGhanaian people. The maindishes of Ghanaian cuisine are centered around starchystaple foods, accompanied by either asauce orsoup and a source ofprotein. The primary ingredients for the vast majority of soups and stews are tomatoes, hot peppers, onions, and some local species. As a result of these main ingredients, most Ghanaian jollof rice, soups, and stews appear red or orange.
Ghanaian foods heavily rely on traditionalfood crops grown in Ghana, combined with crops introduced through colonial and globalized crops, gardens and cuisine.[1]
The typicalstaple foods in the southern part ofGhana includecassava andplantain. In the north, the main staple foods includemillet andsorghum.Yam,maize, andbeans are eaten across Ghana, andsweet potatoes andcocoyam are important vegetables in Ghanaian cuisine. With the advent ofglobalization, cereals such as rice and wheat have been increasingly incorporated into Ghanaian cuisine, notably in the form of bread.[2] The foods below represent Ghanaian dishes made from these staple foods.
Abolo is a steamed corn dough and sugar mixture. It is eaten with various soups and sauces by theEwe.
Akple, a traditional meal of the Ewe, is made with corn flour. It can be eaten with pepper sauces, stews, or any soup, but it is typically served with okra soup (fetridetsi) or herring stew (abɔbitadi).
Ba mi ku orbanku areballs of slightly fermented corn and cassava flour mix that are boiled in hot water. It is a traditional meal of the GaDangme (or Ga) tribe of the Greater Accra Region, and can be eaten with pepper sauces, stews, or any soup. Banku requires the use of a special preformulated watery material called "slightly fermented corn-cassava dough mix", which is cooked to a soft solid consistency called "corn-cassava dough AFLATA".[3] Sometimes onlycorn flour is used, but in many areas, cassava dough is cooked together with fermented corn dough in different ratios.Banku cooked with cassava and corn dough is calledagbelimorkple by the Ewe people;banku made with corn dough but without cassava dough is known askutornu-kple (cotonou banku) to the Ewe people[4] ormmore to theAkan people.
Kenkey orkomi is fermented corn dough wrapped in corn, originating from theGa people of the Ga-Adangbe. A variation on the dish originating from theFanti people is calledFante dokono orFanti kenkey, and is wrapped withplantain leaves that give it a different texture, flavor, and colour compared to the Gakenkey. Both are boiled for long periods until they form solid balls.[5]
Fonfom is a maize dish popular in south-westernGhana.[5]
Nkyekyeraa is a Ghanaian dish made up of dry corn and groundnuts, which is mostly found in theBono,Bono East andAhafo regions. It is usually wrapped in corn leaves and boiled until it becomes soft enough to be chewed easily.[6]
Tuozaafi is a millet, sorghum, or maize dish originating from Northern Ghana.[5] The grain is boiled until it becomes firm.
Yoroyoro is widely eaten acrossDagbon and many parts ofNorthern Ghana. It is made by boiling maize until it is softened. The food is eaten with pepper and onions.
Angwa moo, or oiled rice, is made by frying onions in oil, then adding water and rice. It may be cooked with other vegetables or minced meat. It is typically served withearthenware-ground pepper, and eithertinned sardines or fried eggs.
Jollof rice is a rice cooked in a stew made of stock, tomatoes, spices, and meat. This dish originated from theJolof traders fromSenegal who settled in theZongo settlements before the colonial period. Adapted to local Ghanaian tastes, it is typically eaten with goat, lamb, chicken, or beef that has been stewed, roasted, or grilled.
Attiéké orakyeke is a culinary specialty of the lagoon people (Ebrié, Adjoukrou, Alladian, Abidji, Avikam, Ahizi, Attie) of southern Ivory Coast. It is popular among theAhanta,Nzema and Akan-speaking people ofIvory Coast.
Garri, cassava flour, can be eaten dry with beans, or mixed with tomatoes and spices and then kneaded. Garri is often served withred red, a fish and black-eyed pea stew, orshito and fish.
Fufu is a dish made from pounded cassava and plantains,yam and plantain, orcocoyam/taro. It is a side dish that is always accompanied by one of the many Ghanaian soups.
Kokonte, orabete, is made from dried peeled cassava powder and is usually served with groundnut soup that includes some meat, such astripe or lamb.
Plakali is similar to banku but is made from cassava only. It is popular among theAhanta,Nzema and Akan-speaking people of Ivory Coast.
Yakayake is an Ewe dish made from steamed grated cassava. It is eaten with various stews or soups.
A deviation from the starch and stew combination are bean-based foods such asred red andtubaani.
Red red is a popular Ghanaian bean and fish stew served with fried ripe plantains and often accompanied withgarri, fish, and pulses. It earns its name from thepalm oil that tints the bean stew and the bright orange color of the fried, ripe plantains. In some cases boiled egg is added and also avocado when in season.
Locally madeampesie (plantain and garden eggs stew)
Ampesie, boiled yam, is a dish that can also be made with plantains, cocoyams, potatoes, or cassava. It is a side dish traditionally eaten with a fish stew containing tomatoes, oil, and spices.
Fried yam can be served with a variety of stews and pepper sauces. The yam chips are deep-fried so that the outside is crispy and the inside is soft.[8]
Mpoto mpoto (yam casserole or porridge) are slices of yam cooked in a lot of water with pepper, onions, tomatoes, salt, and seasoning.
Roasted tam is a popular street snack made from white yam with brown bark.[8]
Yam fufu isfufu made with yam instead of cassava, plantains, or cocoyam. It is also traditionally eaten with Ghanaian soups. It is popular in Northern and southeastern Ghana.
Yam balls are similar toScotch eggs, with fillings likemeat pie, spring rolls, samosa, or shawarma.
In Ghanian cuisine, soups and stews are served as a main course rather than a starter, and accompanied by side dishes. Ghanaian stews and soups are quite sophisticated, with a liberal and delicate use of exotic ingredients and a wide variety of flavours, spices, and textures.
Vegetables such as palm nuts, peanuts,cocoyam leaves,ayoyo,spinach, wildmushroom,okra, garden eggs (eggplant), tomatoes, and various types of pulses are the main ingredients in Ghanaian soups and stews.Pulses may serve as the main protein ingredient in vegetarian dishes.
Beef, pork, goat, lamb, chicken, smoked turkey,tripe, driedsnails, and fried fish are common sources of protein in Ghanaian soups and stews. It is common to find seafood in Ghanaian soups and stews, including crabs,shrimp,periwinkles, octopus, snails, grubs,duck,offal,pig's trotters, andoysters. Sometimes different types of meat and occasionally fish are mixed into one soup.
Some common Ghanaian soups includegroundnut soup,[9]light (tomato) soup,[9]kontomire (taro leaves) soup,palm nut soup,[10]ayoyo soup andokra soup. Ghanaian tomato stew orgravy is a stew that is often served with rice orwaakye. Other vegetable stews are made withkontomire, garden eggs,egusi (pumpkin seeds),spinach, and okra. Among the Ewes, some soups are prepared with gboma (Solanum macrocarpa), yevugboma (European gboma), water leaf orademe (jute mallow). These are commonly eaten with akple, abolo (steamed corn dough), and yakayake (steamed cassava dough).
Palm oil, coconut oil,shea butter,palm kernel oil, andpeanut oil are important oils used for cooking or frying. Certain Ghanian dishes require specific oils, which may not be substituted for (for example, palm oil is necessary inokro stew,eto, orfante fante,[11]red red orGabeans,egusi stew, ormpihu/mpotompoto).[12] Coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and shea butter have declined in popularity for cooking in Ghana, due to negativeadvertisements and the introduction of refined oils; they are now mostly used in a fewtraditional homes, for soap making, and by commercial (street food) food vendors as a cheaper substitute to refined cooking oils.
A bowl of tombrown with sausages, croissant pancakes, potatoes and an egg.Making of koko (local porridge)
Typical breakfast foods in Ghanian cuisine include tea or chocolate drinks; fruit; bread; porridge; and foods likekoose/akara ormaasa (beans, ripe plantain and maize meal fritters).[13]
Bread is an important feature in Ghanaian breakfasts. Ghanaian bread is baked withwheat flour, and cassava flour may be added for an improved texture. There are four major types of bread in Ghana: tea bread (similar to thebaguette), sugar bread (a sweet bread), brown (whole wheat) bread, and butter bread. Rye bread, oat bread and malt bread are also quite common.[14]
Porridges are another common breakfast item and can be made from a variety of grains, including rice porridge, milletporridge, cereal (locally called rice water),kooko (fermented maize porridge) ortombrown (roasted maize porridge). A popular porridge in Northern Ghana is calledHausa koko (northern porridge). It is a sweet dish, often eaten withkoose or bread with groundnuts.
Etor is a popular dish in south Ghana, prepared with plantain or with yam boiled and mashed, and mixed with palm oil. Groundnuts (peanuts) and eggs are used to garnish the dish.
There are many sweet local foods that have been marginalized due to their low demand and long preparation process. Ghanaian sweet foods (or confectionery) may be fried,barbecued,boiled,roasted,baked orsteamed.[citation needed] There is a popular belief in Ghana that overconsuming sugar can make men impotent, and any consumption will impact their libido.[15]
Fried sweet foods include:kelewele (cubed and spiced ripe plantains, sometimes served with peanuts);koose (made from peeled beans) and its close twinacarajé orakara (made from unpeeled beans);maasa,[16][17]pinkaaso,[18] andbofrot orPuff-puff[19] (made fromwheat flour);waakye,[20]dzowey, andnkate cake (made from peanuts);[21]kaklo andtatale[22] (ripe plantainfritters);kube cake andkube toffee (made from coconut);bankye krakro,gari biscuit,[23][24] andkrakye ayuosu (made from cassava); condensed milk;toffee; plantain chips orfried plantain;[25] andwagashi(friedfarmer's cheese).[26]
Steamed fresh maize,yakeyake,kafa,akyeke,tubani,moimoi (bean cake),emo dokonu (rice cake), andesikyire dokonu (sweetenedkenkey) are all examples of steamed and boiled foods, while sweet bread (plantain cake), meat pie similar toJamaican patties, andempanadas are baked savoury foods.Aprapransa,eto (mashed yam), andatadwe milk (tiger nut juice) are other savory foods.Gari soakings are a modern favorite. It is a blend ofgari (dried, roasted cassava), sugar, groundnut (peanut) and milk.
Ghanaian beverages at a convenience store in Ghana
In southern Ghana, Ghanaian drinks such asasaana (made from fermented maize) are common. AlongLake Volta and in southern Ghana,palm wine extracted from thepalm tree can be found, but it ferments quickly, and then it is used to distillakpeteshie (a local gin).Akpeteshie can be distilled from molasses too. In northern Ghana, common non-alcoholic beverages includeice kenkey (made fromrefrigeratedkenkey), bisaap/sorrel,toose, andlamujee (a spicy sweetened drink);pitoo (a local beer made of fermented millet) is an alcoholic beverage popular in northern Ghana.
Street food is very popular in both rural and urban areas of Ghana. Many Ghanaian families patronize street food vendors, from whom all kinds of foods can be bought, including staple foods such askenkey,red red andwaakye. Other savoury foods, such as meat kebabs, boiled corn cob,boflot/bofrot (puff-puff), and roasted plantain are sold mainly by street food vendors.
Ice kenkey is a popular chilled dessert sold by street vendors in open-air markets.[31]
Kosua ne meko (eggs with pepper) is a street food sold mostly by street vendors.[32]
^Atter, Amy; Ofori, Hayford; Anyebuno, George Anabila; Amoo-Gyasi, Michael; Amoa-Awua, Wisdom Kofi (2015). "Safety of a street vended traditional maize beverage, ice-kenkey, in Ghana".Food Control.55:200–205.doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.02.043.
Adjonyoh, Zoe (2021). Zoe's Ghana kitchen. New York: Voracious.ISBN978-0-316-33503-4
Adjepong, Eric (2025).Ghana to the world: Recipes and stories that look forward while honoring the past. Korsha Wilson. New York: Clarkson Potter.ISBN978-0-593-23477-8
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