Rwandan cuisine differs from otherEast African cuisine by it's greater plant-based ingredients and sauces, despite considerable overlap in ingredients.Staple foods are largely produced fromsubsistence agriculture, although with notable regional variation.^[1]

It's important to note that dietary patterns differ betweenurban andrural residents. Urban populations tend to consume higher amounts ofprocessed foods,soft-drinks,sweets,meat,eggs,milk,coffee ortea, anddeep fried foods. While rural populations rely more heavily on traditional staple foods.^[2]

Historically, dietary habits inRwanda varied by ethnic group: theHutus primarilyfarmed and some hunting, consuming mostly plant-based foods with occasional meat; theTwa focused on hunting and wild foods, supplemented by plants; and theTutsis, aspastoralists, consumed relatively large amounts ofmilk anddairy products compared with other groups.^[1]

Rwanda's cuisine has also been influenced by other regions. Many crops, like potatoes (mainly grown inGitarama andButare) and maize (used to makeugali), came from South America through colonial introductions.^[3] Indian foods, such aschapati andsamosas, arrived via trade along theSwahili Coast and are now widely eaten.^[4] Neighbouring countries likeTanzania influenced Rwandan cuisine, introducing foods likeMandazi.^[5]

Rwandan staples includerice,bananas,plantains,sweet potatoes,ugali,beans, andcassava. Most people in rural areas rely on farming, and many farmers don’t sell their crops because it may be hard to reach markets.^[6][7] Meat such asbeef,goat,chicken andtilapia is also commonly eaten.^[1]

Rwandan people typically eat simple foods in the morning. Common choices include roasted sweet potatoes, cassava or plantains, as well asporridge made from maize,sorghum or cassava.Tea orcoffee, often sweetened and sometimes with milk, is usually served alongside. In urban areas, breads like Mandazi or Chapati are also commonly eaten.^[8]

In Rwanda, lunch is generally the main meal of the day. Meals typically include a staple food such as rice, beans, potatoes, cassava, or plantains, with vegetables or occasionally meat, fish, or eggs, depending on availability or region.

Dishes common at lunch include:

• Isombe —cassava leaves cooked with ground peanuts and vegetables^[3]
• Ugali—a firm dough made from maize or cassava flour eaten with beans, vegetables and meat^[9]
• Matoke—boiled or steamed green plantains, sometimes mashed^[10]
• Brochettes—grilled meat on a skewer, usually goat or beef
• Tilapia—whole fried orgrilled freshwater fish
• Pilau—spiced rice, sometimes cooked with meat
• Ibihaza—pumpkin cooked with beans^[11]

Rwandans also eat smaller foods as snacks, especially in the evening or when socialising.

Examples include:

• Sambaza—tiny fried lake fish, usually eaten as whole

• Akabenz—fried pork pieces, often served with chili or onions
• Chapati—flatbread cooked on a pan
• Samosa—fried pastry with meat or vegetables
• Mandazi—slightly sweet fried dough snack

Drinks in Rwanda range from milk-based drinks to alcoholic beverages.^[12]

Non-alcoholic drinks include:

• Ikivuguto—thick fermented milk consumed in many households
• Igikoma—thin porridge made from sorghum or maize^[13]
• Tea or coffee—often sweetened
• Fruit juice—locally made from fruits like passionfruit, pineapple, mango
• Soda—fanta is the most popular brand

Alcoholic drinks include:

• Primus, Mützig and Amstel — popular commercial beers^[9]
• Urwagwa — banana beer made from fermented banana juice^[14]
• Ikigage—beer from dry sorghum
• Ubuki— beer from fermented honey^[15]

• Ugandan cuisine

• Adekunle, Julius (2007).Culture and Customs of Rwanda.Greenwood Publishing Group.ISBN 978-0-313-33177-0.
• Auzias, Dominique (2007).Rwanda (in French). Petit Futé.ISBN 978-2-7469-2037-8.
• King, David C. (2007).Rwanda.Marshall Cavendish.ISBN 978-0-7614-2333-1.
• Twagilimana, Aimable (1997).Hutu and Tutsi. The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 19.ISBN 0-8239-1999-4.

• Rwandan cuisine
• East African cuisine

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