Looking to know more about Rwandan dishes?
Then let’s go on a Rwanda food tour with this list of 9 Rwandan dishes that would leave you craving for more if you ever try them out.
But before we do that, here’s a little background about the country Rwanda. Rwanda is a landlocked country located in East Africa and it’s considered to be one of the best tourist destinations in Africa.
Booming with a rich and diverse culture, Rwanda is also home to the tallest people in the world, the Tutsi (also known as the Watussi).
You might also want to visit this tribe when in Rwanda.
With this little background, let’s go right into the 9 Rwandan dishes to try out whenever you visit this beautiful country.
- Agatogo
- Isombe
- Brochettes
- Ugali
- Igisafuria
- Matoke
- Ikinyiga
- Kachumbari
- Mizuzu
1. Agatogo
The first meal on this Rwandan dishes list is Agatogo.
Agatogo is a plantain-based stew with chunks of beef or goat meat (although optional if vegetarian).
This recipe is exceptionally satisfying thanks to the plantains, which are starchy and yummy. Additionally, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a lot of leafy greens are all present when preparing this sumptuous Rwanda delicacy.
2. Isombe
Isombe is quite popular and can be called the most consumed among all Rwandan dishes.
This meal is made from cassava tuber leaves. These cassava leaves are cooked, blended into a paste, and mixed with other vegetables to make Isombe.
Typically, spinach, green bell peppers, sliced eggplant, and chopped onions are included as vegetables.
If you want to achieve a thicker mixture, then consider adding palm oil and peanut butter.
However, there are different variations in preparing Isombe, plus this dish is considered the finest and most suitable dish for vegans who want to have a taste of Rwandan dishes.
Although Isombe is usually consumed with Ugali, it can also be served with a side of rice or porridge.
Related article: 10 Popular Tanzanian Dishes To Try Out On Your Next Visit
3. Brochettes
Brochette is the French word for skewers. In Rwanda, brochettes are typically cow, pig, chicken or goat meat.
It is prepared over an open grill until it turns a bit black.
Most pubs provide a platter of brochettes topped with onion rings and quartered, fried mizuzu, which have been marinated with Rwandan spices and cooked to perfection.
The sweetness of the mizuzu (fried plantain) honey-glazing balances the spices on the sizzling hot meat. The included sliced onions can be eaten as a side dish or as a topping.
4. Ugali
Maize and either water or milk are combined to make ugali, a white, porridge-like dish. This meal is so good that it is widely consumed in most East African countries.
It is typically enjoyed with a vegetable and/or meat stew and is also known as Nsima. In Kenya, Ugali is consumed with nyama choma (grilled meat).
Ugali is one of the simplest meals to make and it is a great source of carbs, minerals, and vitamin B in addition to being high in fiber. Additionally, it is vegan-friendly and gluten-free.
5. Igisafuliya
Igisafuliya, which translates to “pot” in the native language of Rwanda, alludes to the fact that this dish components are cooked together in a single pot.
It gets its name from the fact that, like South African potjiekos and Moroccan tagines, it is made in a single pot and cooked over an extended period of time to allow the contents to simmer in their own juices with the least amount of water.
Onions, tomatoes, and celery chunks that have been marinating in the broth are used to prepare this delicacy.
Bananas can also be added to the mixture for a slightly sweeter flavor or hot peppers for an extra kick.
Igisafuliya is a dish that has a wide range of cooking variations throughout Rwanda, and this diversity is reflected in the recipe.
Although chopped meat (chicken, goat, or cow) and vegetables (potatoes, plantains, peppers, onions, tomatoes, beans, or even bananas) normally take center stage, the specific components can vary depending on your preference.
6. Matoke
Matoke is a staple food in Rwanda made from green bananas. It is cooked and mashed when soft enough.
Again, this meal can be served with any protein of your choice. It’s a great source of potassium, which helps control blood pressure, and it’s loaded with antioxidants.
Matoke is a meal to opt for if you are in need of different healthy Rwandan dishes recipes.
7. Ikinyiga
Sometimes referred to as a paste, sometimes as a soup, and other times even as a sauce, Ikinyiga is made by first softening peanuts in boiling water and then grinding them until their own oil turns the mash into a smooth paste.
Ingredients like eggplant, okra, and bay leaves are also added to this meal. Ikinyiga is commonly served alongside matoke or ugali, with the latter offering the ideal dense consistency for soaking up its flavorful richness.
8. Kachumbari
Although the word “kachumbari” is Swahili, the meal actually has Indian origins.
Researchers claim it was probably carried to the shores of Kenya and Tanzania by ancient traders before gradually making its way inland to Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi.
In essence, kachumbari is a raw onion and tomato salad that is normally flavored with chili peppers and/or cucumber. This meal goes so well with stews, ugali, or rice, as well as barbecued meats.
9. Mizuzu
Mizuzu is a very straightforward, inexpensive sweet dessert prepared from ripe plantain slices that have been deep-fried.
So basically, it is fried plantain but with its own unique twist.
After deep frying, mizuzu is topped with sugar or honey to make it sweeter.
