15 Traditional Tanzanian Food To Try

traditional food in tanzania
Vini
Vini 
Updated
| 5 min read

Tanzanian cuisine reflects both the country’s history and geography. Ingredients such as curry reflect its role as a crossroads of trade, as Indian traders introduced it to the region. Tanzania also has their own version of a kebab. Important ingredients include plantains, coconut, rice, and cornmeal. Many of the local dishes are also found in its fellow Swahili-speaking East African neighbors. Plantains are also plentiful in Tanzania and this is reflected in how many dishes contain it. Some of the most important foods to Tanzania are ugali, maandazi, vitumbua, Wali-wa-Nazi, Supu ya Ndizi, Ndizi Kaanga, Mchuzi wa Samaki, Mishkaki, pilau, chapatti, Wali na Harage, mchemsho, and chipsi mayai. To learn more about Tanzania through your stomach, book one of the top safari lodges and visit Tanzania. Keep reading to learn more about traditional Tanzanian food.

1. Ugali

Cassava flour and water are heated and mixed together to create a food called 'ugali'
Source: Photo by Flickr user Roots, Tubers and... used under CC BY 2.0

While not exclusive to Tanzania, ugali is ubiquitous throughout the country. It is starchy food made out of cornmeal, similar to polenta. It accompanies many Tanzanian meals, especially ones involving meat or vegetable stews. It can also be served with greens or sourced milk. Tanzanians usually eat with their hands, but ugali functions as a sort of utensil. Tanzanians use three fingers to scoop out some of the ugali and create a sort of mini bowl that is used to scoop the rest of the food on the plate. It is commonly served with meals in rural Tanzania.

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2. Maandazi

Andazi
Source: Photo by user Orrling used under CC BY-SA 3.0

One of the must-try food in Tanzania, Mandazi is a fried bread that is prominent in the cuisine of Swahili-speaking people. It can be eaten as a side dish or as a snack. Mandazi can also be used as a dipping bread. They are also commonly served with tea. Mandazi has a similar triangular shape as samosas, but can also be oval or circular shaped. They tend to have a fluffy texture as well. Common ingredients include water, sugar, flour, yeast, and milk. It is available everywhere in Tanzania including on the street or hotels. They are similar to a donut, but not as sweet and are never covered in frosting.

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3. Vitumbua

Another traditional Tanzania food, Vitumbua is a deep-fried dish commonly served during breakfast, especially with tea. They are sort of an East African breakfast pancake. However, it has a heavier texture than a typical western pancake. It also has a coconut taste to them. Vitumbua is made from rice flour, coconut, and yeast. It is also commonly found in street food. It is sweet tasting and melts in your mouth. Vitumbua is especially common in Ramadan because of how filling it is.

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4. Wali-wa-nazi (rice in coconut milk)

Do you want to know more about Tanzania’s food culture? If so, you should try the popular Swahili dish, wali-wa-nazi is meant to accompany a meal containing either red meat, chicken, fish, or curry. It can also be eaten as a meal by itself. Wali-wa-nazi consists of rice boiled with coconut milk, that is then garnished with vegetable leaves. Even after the inclusion of other ingredients, it maintains a distinct coconut flavor. It is primarily eaten by Tanzanians who live on the coast of the Indian Ocean. This contrasts with Tanzanians who live inland who eat beans, cornmeal, millet, and sorghum. Wali-wa-nazi can also be found in other East African countries such as Kenya.

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5. Supu ya ndizi

A popular Tanzanian cuisine, Supu ya ndizi is a plantain soup that is made by crushing up plantains into a paste, then cooked with chicken stock. The plantains used are usually unripened green. It is seasoned with salt and pepper. Supu ya ndizi is usually served for breakfast with chapatti on the side. It is a commonly found soup, as plantains are ubiquitous in Tanzania.

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6. Ndizi Kaanga (fried bananas)

Raw and fried plantain on dark background with green leaf
Source: Photo by Flickr user Marco Verch Profe... used under CC BY 2.0

A popular Tanzanian snack, Ndizi Kaanga are fried plantains that are usually unsweetened. This dish can be seasoned with sugar to give it a sweet taste. Ndizi Kaanga can be served as either a side dish or a snack. They are sometimes grilled, then seasoned with salt.

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7. Mchuzi wa samaki (curried fish in coconut milk)

Mchuzi wa Samaki is a fish curry dish that also includes coconut milk, which gives it a creamy texture. This dish originated from the island of Zanzibar. The curry found in this ingredient displays Zanzibar’s legacy as an important stopover for traders.

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8. Mishkaki (beef or chicken kebabs)

Mishkaki is a kind of East African kebab. Beef and chicken are common meats, but fish and mutton are sometimes used as well. The meat is marinated, skewered, and grilled until it is tender. They are very popular during the evening hours and are available as local street food, so make sure to grab a bite during one of your tours in Tanzania.

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9. Pilau (or Pilaf)

Spicy Chicken Pilau
Source: Photo by Flickr user Alpha used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Tanzanian pilau, also known as pilaf, is a rice dish that originated from India. It is different from its Indian counterpart by using more spices. Spices used in this dish are cinnamon, cloves, cumin, cardamom, and black peppercorn. It is commonly served at weddings, for visitors, or holiday celebrations.

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10. Chapatti (flatbread)

చపాతీలు (2)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user JVRKPRASAD used under CC BY-SA 4.0

Chapatti is a flatbread that has origins in the Indian subcontinent. It is unleavened and pan fried. Chapati is served with stews, vegetables, and meats. It is commonly served during tea break. They can be eaten either as a snack or a side dish. Chapatti can be found all over East Africa. White or all-purpose flour is used to make chapatti. The dough is rolled out, rolled back together, and fried. Tanzanians eat it at any time of the day, and it is one of the most commonly consumed foods in the country.

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11. Wali na maharage (rice and beans)

Wali na Maharage translates to “rice and beans,” which are the two main ingredients of this dish. The rice is flavored with cinnamon, clove, anise, and bay leaves. The beans are dried and included with local ingredients that create a sweet and spicy bean stew.

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12. Mchemsho

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Served in the northern part of the country, mchemsho translates to trouper. It is not a commonly served dish. This is due to the fact that many ingredients are used to prepare it, making it more expensive than other local dishes. Ingredients include carrots, potatoes, eggplant, cabbage, green beans, bananas, onions, and tomatoes.

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13. Chipsi mayai (chips and eggs)

Chipsi mayai (zege)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user iamkevoo used under CC BY-SA 4.0

Meaning “chips and eggs,” it is a commonly served fast food in Tanzania. French fries and eggs are its main ingredients. Locals serve it with ketchup and fresh veggies on the side.

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14. Zanzibar pizza

If you think you have tasted almost all variations of pizza, and if you think you’re an expert in eating that particular dish, wait until you sample Zanzibar pizza. It is very different from your ordinary pizza and more like a pancake or a dumpling with different kinds of filling inside, including chicken, all sorts of vegetables, eggs, mayonnaise, seafood, cheese, and others. It is also not baked but fried in a pan. You can also have it like a dessert, with its sweet version that is similar to a crepe with fruits, chocolate, and peanut butter as fillings.

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15. Mshikaki (meat skewer)

Forodhani Gardens - Stone Town - Zanzibar - Unguja island - Tanzania, Africa
Source: Photo by Flickr user David Berkowitz used under CC BY 2.0

One of the most popular street food in Tanzania that lures many tourists just by its aroma, Mshikaki, is a marinated meat, often mutton, beef, and goat, and then slowly roasted in an open-coal griller. A lot of people often line up for this dish so make sure you order more so you wouldn’t have to line up again just to taste this mouth-watering Tanzanian food. You will often found Mshikaki on the street and in open-air nightspots.

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Tanzanian cuisine is a reflection of the country's geography and history

Tanzanian food is unique for its history and geography. The Indian influences in the cuisine, most notably curry, reflects its role as a crossroads of trade. The country also has a plentiful amount of plantains, coconuts, rice, and cornmeal. These staple ingredients to Tanzanian cuisine. While you’re busy exploring the best attractions and safari tours in Tanzania, you should make time to try each of these delicious dishes.

As a tip, try to use public transportation in Tanzania so you could save money and spend more on delicious eats.

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