What to eat in Tanzania? A common question asked by everyone coming here. Tanzania is home to a variety of Food; from seafood to traditional local African dishes. The cuisine can be divided into two categories: traditional popular cuisine and Swahili cuisine. The former is prepared using fresh meat, vegetables, fruits, and spices while the latter uses imported ingredients such as rice, noodles, and flour.
Traditional African local dishes include ugali (a maize meal cooked with water or milk), nsima/nyama choma (cornmeal porridge with meat), nyekundu (beans cooked with coconut milk), peanut stew known as makua wa nyama choma (roasted peanuts mixed with roasted beef chunks).
In this guide, we will discuss the best 10 traditional Tanzanian food and the top local dishes:
1. Ugali
Ugali is a popular food for Tanzanians, and it’s typically made from cornmeal. It can be eaten with meat and vegetables or enjoyed as a side dish to rice or beans.
Ugali is usually served in small portions alongside other dishes at dinner time; you’ll see it on every table at restaurants throughout Tanzania.
The texture of ugali is similar to mashed potatoes, and it’s usually served with meat or vegetables. You can also try it as a side dish with beans or rice. Ugali is available in many different varieties; some are more starchy than others, so they’ll feel like dough when you’re eating them.
2. Nyama Choma
Nyama Choma is a Tanzanian local dish that is made from roasted meat. It is usually served with rice or ugali (a type of cornmeal). Nyama Choma is eaten throughout Tanzania, but the most popular place to eat it is at an outdoor restaurant called Ndovu Village in Arusha.
The best way to enjoy Nyama Choma is by ordering a plate for yourself and then sharing it with your friends and family members who also ordered their own food. You can also order extra portions if you’re feeling particularly hungry!
Eating this traditional meal will give you lots of energy, which can help keep you going throughout your day. It’s also great because there are many different kinds of meat available. You won’t get bored eating the same thing over and over again!
3. Pilau
Pilau is a local rice dish that’s often served with meat or vegetables. It’s a common dish in Tanzania and can be found at most restaurants, but you may also want to try making it yourself if you’re staying in Dar es Salaam for an extended period of time. Pilau is sometimes called pilaf or pilau (the latter being the spelling used by many Middle Eastern cultures).
In its simplest form, pilau is made by boiling rice with water or broth until tender, then adding salt and spices such as cumin seeds or cardamom pods before serving. You can vary this recipe by adding other ingredients such as nuts or raisins–or even meatballs! The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating your own personal style of traditional Tanzanian cuisine.
If you have time before heading back home from your trip abroad then make sure not miss out on eating some delicious local food while visiting Tanzania!
4. Chapati
Chapati is a flatbread made from flour, water, and salt. It’s a staple of the Tanzanian local diet and can be served with other food such as meat, vegetables, or beans. In fact, chapati is so important that many restaurants have an entire section of their menu dedicated to it!
You can eat chapatis with any sauce you like: peanut butter sauce (called mchicha), tomato sauce (called nyama choma), or even soya sauce if you’re feeling adventurous! If you don’t want your dish to be too spicy then try to make it yourself at home, it’s super easy and tastes great!
5. Mshikaki
Mshikaki is a traditional local Tanzanian dish made from fried fish. It can be served with Ugali, rice, and vegetables or simply with a sauce or curry. The fish is skewered on a stick and deep-fried until crispy before being grilled over a charcoal fire.
Mshikaki is commonly eaten in coastal areas of Tanzania where people have access to fresh seafood such as prawns, calamari, octopus, and red snapper (among others). But if you want to try this delicious food without traveling all the way there then there are plenty of restaurants around Dar es Salaam that serve it too!
6. Samosas
Samosas are deep-fried pastry triangles filled with vegetables and meat, which are popular local street food in Tanzania. They can be eaten at any time of the day, but are most commonly enjoyed as an afternoon snack or late-night treat.
The pastry is made from flour, water, and baking powder and then cut into large triangles or squares before being deep fried until crisp on the outside and soft inside. The filling varies depending on what’s available locally at any given time; it could contain potatoes, onions or peas (mashed), beef mincemeat (ground beef), chicken pieces, or even just plain flour!
While some people prefer their samosas dish spicy hot with chili powder added to their fillings others prefer them milder without any spices added at all so you’ll need to ask your server what type they offer before ordering one if they’re not clearly labeled as either hot or mild.”
7. Kachumbari
Kachumbari is a salad made from tomatoes, onion, pepper and cucumber. It is eaten with chapati, which is a flatbread. This dish is common in Tanzania and can be found at most restaurants around the country.
It’s not difficult to make kachumbari yourself if you want to try it out at home! Just chop up all of your ingredients into small pieces (so they’ll fit on top of your chapati), mix them together with some salt and pepper to taste, then serve alongside some chapati or other bread of choice for dipping purposes.
8. Vitumbua
In Tanzania, you’ll find a variety of dishes made from ugali. Ugali is a type of maize flour that has been cooked into a thick paste and served alongside other foods. It’s kind of like the African version of potatoes or rice, only softer and more flavorful!
You can find vitumbua at any local restaurant in Tanzania; it’s usually served with beef stew or chicken stew (called “mchuzi wa nyama”). If you’re looking for something different from your usual dinner fare at home, try this delicious dish out on your next trip!
9. Mishkaki Ya Mbuzi
Mishkaki Ya Mbuzi is a traditional Tanzanian dish of meat cooked on a grill. The name literally means “the chief’s grilled meat”, which is where it gets its origins from. It can be found in the coastal regions of Tanzania and is often served with rice or ugali (a traditional local food made from cornmeal).
The meat is marinated in spices, herbs, and garlic before being cooked over an open fire. It has a very distinct taste thanks to this mixture of flavorings – making it one of my favorites!
I recommend trying out this dish if you visit Dar es Salaam because there are quite a few restaurants there that serve it up fresh every day!
10. Chips Mayai
Chips Mayai is a popular local street food in Tanzania. It’s made with potatoes, eggs, and flour. The ingredients are mixed together in a bowl before being fried in a pan until they’re crispy. Chips mayai can be eaten for breakfast or as a snack. It’s often served with kachumbari (spicy tomato sauce) on top of it!
If you want to try this delicious dish while traveling through Tanzania, head over to Msumbi Beach Resort in Dar es Salaam where they serve up some of the best chips mayai around!
What to eat in Tanzania? The most famous / popular food
Tanzania is a diverse country that offers a wide range of delicacies. One of the most popular foods in Tanzania is Ugali, which is made from cornmeal or cassava flour and served with stews or soups. Another favorite dish is Nyama Choma (roasted meat), which comes from goat or beef. Other favorites include Pilau (rice dish), Chapati (flatbread), and Mshikaki (spicy grilled chicken).
Samosas are deep-fried pastries stuffed with vegetables or meat filling, while Kachumbari is a salad made up of tomatoes, onions, and green chili peppers dressed with olive oil and lemon juice. Vitumbua consists of boiled eggs with chopped tomatoes mixed together in salt/pepper sauce while Mishkaki Ya Mbuzi translates to “grilled goat”, it’s typically eaten on special occasions such as weddings because it’s considered very expensive!
What does Tanzania eat for breakfast?
The traditional breakfast in Tanzania usually consists of porridge (called Ugali) or chapatti (a type of flatbread). Coffee or tea are also consumed at breakfast time as they’re considered important parts of everyday life here. Another common breakfast dish is uji; this sweet porridge made from millet or sorghum flour can be eaten hot or cold, either way, it tastes amazing.
