Top 10 Most Popular Yoruba Foods (2022)

Yoruba is one of Nigeria’s most populous tribes. These people have a sophisticated culture, which includes food. Most Yoruba cuisines are usually a mixture of many colorful food parts, which is always a pleasing sight to behold. That’s how the Yorubas prefer to eat, a combination of soups stews, assorted meat plus eba, or pounded yam.

The Yorubas have a wide range of traditional foods, and it is one of the three main tribes well known for its unique culture, dressing, and foods.

1. Amala and Ewedu (Yam Flour and Jute Leaves )

Yoruba traditional meals are prepared with cassava flour or yam. The yam flour should be blended into a smooth texture. Because of the dry yam bits, Amala has a dark brown color. It goes well with a variety of soups, such as Ewedu or Gbegiri.

Amala is traditionally made using dried yam (amala isu), which gives it a distinctive flavor.

Ewedu soup is a Yoruba soup prepared with jute leaves, a tropical and subtropical leafy vegetable. It is indigenous to the Yoruba people of western Nigeria, although it is widely distributed throughout West Africa, East Africa, and North Africa.

Jute leaves are mashed and boiled with ground African crayfish, bouillon powder, salt, and locust beans, typically with a short broomstick called ijabe. When cooked, the leaves take on a slimy texture similar to okra.
Ewedu soup is often served with amala, but it can also be served with fufu, eba, or pounded yam, among other Nigerian swallow foods.

It’s usually made with cassava (amala lafun) or plantain (amala ogede), although it can also be made with cassava (amala lafun) or plantain (amala ogede).

Ewedu soup can be eaten alone with amala, but it’s also typical to see it paired alongside other Yoruba stews such as buka stew and/or gbegiri soup.

2. Moin Moin (Baked Beans)

When Yoruba eat Jollof rice and fried plantains, they frequently serve Moin Moin as a side dish. It’s also served with salad and soft drinks during parties and special events. One of the most popular Nigerian side dishes is Moin Moin.
This wonderful cuisine staple originates from Nigeria’s west coast. It’s a thick, creamy paste made of black-eyed beans, onion, and ground red peppers. It can be in a pyramid or cylindrical shape, depending on the cook’s preference.

Each additional element in Moin Moin is considered a “soul” or “life” in Yoruba custom. It’ll be named “Moin Moin with three souls” if three more components are added.

“Moin-Moin elemi meje,” or “Moin Moin with 7 Souls,” is a popular version that includes minced pork, hard-boiled egg, lobster, Titus fish, butter, green peppers, and carrots.

3. Ofada Rice (Natural Rice)

Ofada rice is a type of small grain rice grown in the Nigerian town of Ofada in the state of Ogun, hence the name.

When cooked, they are also known to increase in size. It is occasionally fermented, which imparts an aromatic character to the product.

Ofada stew is a tasty soup served with ofada rice, long-grained rice, and other indigenous foods in the southern portion of Nigeria. Ata dindin is another name for Ofada stew.
Unripe habanero peppers (Ata Rodo), unripe tatashe peppers or green bell peppers, locust bean seasoning (Iru)/ Ogiri, red palm oil, onions, crayfish, and other ingredients are used to make ofada stew. Beef, Shaki (cow tripe), Dry fish, and Stockfish are among the meats and fish available.
To make ofada stew, prepare the components indicated above, then boil the oil for a few minutes before adding your already blended pepper and diced onion to a frying pan. Stir for 5-10 minutes, then season to taste with salt and other spices. You have a choice of meat and egg.

Many Nigerians looked down on ofada rice until recently because of its unrefined nature and dark stripes. The color is brown. Stripes are due to their unpolished character, which is the result of their having grown without the use of pesticides.

4. Iyan (Pounded Yam)

If we are talking about the most popular foods in Yoruba land without mentioning pounded yam then the list is not complete.

Pounded Yam is one of the best food in Yoruba land, a popular Christmas dinner meal in Nigeria, and on different occasions in Nigeria.

Pounded yam is another fantastic Nigerian dish to try. It is a Yoruba tradition that extends back hundreds of years.
Iyan is a group of yam chunks pounded or mashed with a mortar and pestle, blender, or mixer, similar to mashed potatoes.

The method results in a smooth, sticky dough, which differs slightly from mashed potatoes.
It goes well with a variety of excellent stews and soups, such as egusi soup (melon seed soup) or efo riro (leafy vegetable stew). On the same platter or on a separate plate, serve the soup.

At weddings, parties, and other events, pounded yam is typically eaten with the hand or fork.

It’s a hearty meal that’s best served for lunch or breakfast, Iyan is a popular Nigerian dish that is enjoyed by people all over the country.

5. Akara (Beans Cake)

It’s basically raw beans mixed and deep-fried, and it’s a tribe staple. It’s similar to bean cakes. Akara is high in protein and can be eaten for breakfast or as a snack. The aroma of the cakes is enticing. It’s worth a shot with Agege bread.

6. Eba (Cassava Meal)

The cassava root, popularly known as “Garri,” is popular among Nigerians. EBà, a favorite Yoruba comfort dish, is made with dried grated cassava flour.

Other West African sub-regions produce it as well. EBà is created by soaking dry grated cassava flour in hot water and forming a huge ball out of it. Depending on how it’s prepared, it can be white or yellow. The dish will take on a yellow color if palm oil is used to dry the shredded cassava.

EBà is eaten with one’s fingers. They take a little amount and roll it into a ball before dipping it in soup or stew.

7. Ikokore (Water Yam Porridge)

Ifokore, or Ikokore, is a Nigerian Yam Pottage dish made with Water Yam (Isu Ewura) instead of Puna/White Yam. It’s a pottage recipe from the Ijebu tribe of Nigeria’s Ogun state. I have yet to meet an Ijebu resident who does not enjoy Ikokore;

To get the most out of Ikokore, be sure to include as many proteins as possible. Shaki, Ponmo, Chicken, Goat flesh, Gizzard, Smoked Turkey, Smoked Fish, Eja Shawa, Panla, Eja Kika.

The authentic Ikokore recipe calls for only Scotch Bonnet (Ata Rodo) and, in some cases, dry ground pepper (Ata gungun).

Ikokore is best served cold, either alone or with Cold Pap or Cold Eba.

8. Efo Riro (Vegetable Soup)

Efo Riro is a Nigerian dish that is famous in the country’s southeast. Fresh or dried water leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, or water convolvulus can be used to make Efo Riro.

Efo Riro is a popular Christmas dinner meal in Nigeria since it can be made with either meat or fish.

Efo Riro translates to “stirred leafy vegetable” and is paired with cassava-based staples such as Amala (Garri) and Eba (Garri flour).

Efo Riro can be served with rice, boiled yam, or fried plantain, in addition to staple dishes.

Tatashi, spinach, and local condiments are used to make Efo Riro. There’s also a smoked fish or meat stock mix. You can get a variety of health benefits from the soup. Because Efo Riro is high in vitamins, you should absolutely try it.

9. Asun (Peppered Goat Meat)

Asun is possibly the most important dish in Yoruba cuisine. It’s classified as finger food. The recipe is straightforward and readily available: fried goat meat with a generous amount of pepper. It has a wonderful scent. Its flavor would be outstanding for individuals who enjoy beef dishes.

10. Ewa Agoyin (Mashed Beans)

Ewa Agoyin is made in a variety of ways, similar to other Nigerian dishes. For added flavor, some cooks, use meat as a protein source, while others add more veggies or spices.

Ewa Agoyin is a Yoruba dish made of beans and pepper sauce (pepper, onion, tomato, crayfish, and spices). It’s delicious!

Ewa Agoyin is a dish that may be eaten at any time of day and can be found in almost every street market and roadside eatery.

Cook the beans until they become a mushy paste, then mash them. The dish’s highlight is a sauce made with palm oil, ground crayfish, and dried pepper.

If you’re seeking genuine Yoruba comfort cuisine, look no further than Ewa Agoyin.

Summary: Most Popular Yoruba Foods

1. Amala and Gbegiri (Yam Flour and Peeled Cooked Beans)
2. Moin Moin (Baked Beans)
3. Ofada Rice (Natural Rice)
4. Iyan (Pounded Yam)
5. Akara (Beans Cake)
6. Eba (Cassava Flour)
7. Ikokore (Water Yam Porridge)
8. Efo Riro (Vegitable Soup)
9. Asun (Pepper Goat Meat)
10. Ewa Agoyin (Mashed Beans)