Hi friend! It’s been a hot minute. I have been pulled in every possible direction these last couple of weeks. But guess who is committed to showing up and out no matter what? Yours truly! It’s Thanksgiving o’clock, time to reel out my top 10 African thanksgiving dishes!
Now, don’t get it twisted. I don’t look forward to the marathon cooking and baking that happens before having people over, but I find fulfillment in seeing everyone gather and actually enjoy the food. It gets me all the time.
I will be switching things up this Thanksgiving by making it African-themed. My top 10 African thanksgiving dishes include an assorted mix of dishes from different parts of Africa. These Thanksgiving dishes are outside of the standard roast turkey. I mean, is it even Thanksgiving if there is no turkey?…lol.
1. Nigerian Jollof Rice
Is it even a feast without this evergreen Thanksgiving dish? Asides the aesthetic appeal a large pan of rice on your feasting table gives, it pairs excellently well with roasted turkey. Jollof rice is a staple in many parts of Africa and a really aromatic dish too.
Even if you choose to skip the cooking process, treat your guests by ordering a pan of jollof rice from a Nigerian food vendor near you.
2. Thieboudienne (Senegalese Jollof)
Pronounced as che-boo-jen, this Senegalese national dish is a real banger. It is unique in its flavour and will awaken the taste buds of your guests.
Several things make the Senegalese jollof rice stand out. Assorted vegetables being cooked in the rich pepper sauce is one. Another is the stuffing of the fish with blended herbs and spices before frying.
It is such a filling dish. From the rice to the to sweet potatoes and cassava, you can rest assured everyone is going home fed up!
3. Fried Rice (Nigerian Style)
Everyone knows that you cannot really go wrong with fried rice. There are different types of fried rice depending on where you come from and the type of rice that is being used.
In Nigeria, fried rice is best made with long-grain parboiled rice, it is cooked in a rich broth whilst the veggies are seasoned and sauteed separately. The rice, veggies, and any protein used for garnishing are then combined to make this absolutely beautiful pot of goodness!
You can take it to a whole other level by making hibachi-style fried rice which is simply having all your grilled items in rows on the fried rice such as turkey, chicken, fish, etc.
Some non-African recipes to add to your thanksgiving spread:
4. Ghanaian Light Soup
Considering the many things that go into this rich pot of soup, I call it the senior to pepper soup. If you are thinking of a dish that can kick off the appetite of your guests, this is one to add to the list.
You can have the Ghanaian light soup as a starter or pair it with a swallow for a main meal option. Although it is traditionally made with beef, tripe, or hard chicken, you can introduce any other preferred protein.
It may be best to stick with meats that can withstand a substantial amount of cooking time.
5. Peppered Cow Skin
Whilst you plan to have main dishes, it is also essential that you make room for bites or small chops as they are famously called.
Cow skin cooked and then fried in the richness of a pepper sauce is a dish you should add to the list.
The takeaway for you here is the peppered part, which means you can switch out cow skin for turkey bites, shrimp, chicken breast cuts, etc. Garnish with some sliced onion, spring onions, sweet bell peppers, etc.
6. Ghanaian Bofrot/Puff-Puff
Still, in the same vein of making room for small chops on your Thanksgiving table, you will need some fried dough balls in there.
That is essentially what puff-puff is, or what the Ghanaians call wet bofrot. These easy delicious balls are soft, mildly sweet, and irresistible, let me warn you, when they start with it, it is hard to stop eating them!
7. Somalia Suugo Suqaar
Suugo Suqaar is a delicious pasta dish from Somalia. It is a dish that has Italian roots, boiled pasta served with a ground beef tomato sauce seasoned with the star ingredient called xawaash. Xawaash is the most popular spice blend used by the Somalis and can be purchased at your closes Somali store.
It is delicious and will pair well with your roasted turkey too.
8. Ethiopian Doro Wat
Ethiopian Doro Wat is a savoury and spicy fried onion stew made with chicken and stewed eggs, popularly eaten with injera flatbread.
Some of the ingredients such as the berbere spice are unique to Ethiopians, hence, you may find them only in an Ethiopian store near you. Otherwise, you can check out the post for the list of spices that make up berbere.
9. Tilapia Fish Pepper Soup
If you plan on hosting people who have no issues with seafood or fish, then go ahead and make a large pot of tilapia fish pepper soup.
Pepper soup is a Nigerian light soup enriched with peppers, herbs, and spices that can be made using different types of protein; chicken, beef, goat meat, fish, etc.
Serve a hot bowl of this fish pepper with sweet ball bread or pretzel buns.
10. Egusi (Melon Soup) & Fufu:
As a Nigerian living in Canada, if I visit a fellow Nigerian and they have options of swallow and rice, I would gladly go for swallow with any soup on the menu.
This is because it is not something many people make when hosting people, I will certainly add this any day to my Thanksgiving feast.
Depending on what part of the world you live in, you might or might not have heard of Fufu. It is a starchy-pounded meal made with ground corn. However, the highlight here is the soup it can be paired with.
Egusi soup is a Nigerian soup that pairs well, it is a savory and nutritious soup, check out the full recipe here.
Now which of these dishes will you be adding to your Thanksgiving feast?
