ExploFood · Africa
What to eat in Sierra Leone
Five dishes to try in Sierra Leone, the most typical first. Two are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Sierra Leone
Cassava leaves
Pounded cassava leaves cooked in palm oil with fish or meat and chilli.
How to have it: Sierra Leone's signature stew; eaten over rice at cookshops in Freetown.
Groundnut stew
Peanut sauce stew with chicken or fish, tomato and pepper.
How to have it: A Sunday staple at home; served over rice with plenty of pepper.
Jollof rice
Rice cooked in spiced tomato and pepper sauce, often with chicken.
How to have it: Served at parties and in cookshops; ask for fried plantain on the side.
Akara
Fried fritters of black-eyed peas or rice flour and banana.
How to have it: Sold hot by street vendors in the morning, often with pepper sauce.
Ginger beer
Homemade fiery ginger drink, sweet and very spicy.
How to have it: Sold in reused bottles at markets and served at celebrations.
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Questions
What food is Sierra Leone famous for?
Cassava leaves (pounded cassava leaves cooked in palm oil with fish or meat and chilli) comes first on our list, followed by Groundnut stew, Jollof rice, Akara and Ginger beer.
What is the national dish of Sierra Leone?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Sierra Leone is Cassava leaves: pounded cassava leaves cooked in palm oil with fish or meat and chilli. Sierra Leone's signature stew; eaten over rice at cookshops in Freetown.
Which dishes in Sierra Leone are vegetarian?
Two of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Akara and Ginger beer. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Sierra Leone?
Akara (fried fritters of black-eyed peas or rice flour and banana).
What do people drink in Sierra Leone?
Ginger beer: homemade fiery ginger drink, sweet and very spicy.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.