Food of Angola

Angolan food draws on Bantu cooking, with cassava, palm oil, beans and seafood, plus Portuguese touches in stews and breads. Funge (cassava or maize porridge) is the daily companion to moambe, calulu and grilled fish. Coastal Luanda adds seafood, and Benguela is known for fresh lobster and shrimp.

Muamba de galinha
National dish

Muamba de galinha

Chicken in palm oil sauce with okra and garlic.

How to make Muamba de galinha

Staples

  • cassava
  • maize
  • beans
  • palm oil
  • fish
  • rice

Signature flavors

  • palm oil
  • garlic
  • piri piri
  • okra
  • dried fish
  • lemon

Main dishes

Muamba de galinha
Muamba de galinha

Chicken in palm oil sauce with okra and garlic.

Key ingredients: chicken, palm oil, okraFull guide →
Calulu

A traditional dish of Angola made with dried fish, okra, palm oil, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: dried fish, okra, palm oil
Funge
Funge

A traditional dish of Angola made with cassava flour, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: cassava flour
Moamba de ginguba

A traditional dish of Angola made with peanuts, chicken, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: peanuts, chicken
Feijao de oleo de palma

A traditional dish of Angola made with beans, palm oil, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: beans, palm oil
Mufete

Grilled fish with beans, plantain and cassava.

Key ingredients: fish, beans, plantain
Cabidela

A traditional dish of Angola made with chicken, rice, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: chicken, rice
Funge de bombo

A traditional dish of Angola made with cassava, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: cassava

Breakfast

Bolo de mandioca

A traditional breakfast dish of Angola made with cassava, sugar, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: cassava, sugar
Pao com ovo

A traditional breakfast dish of Angola made with bread, egg, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: bread, egg

Street food

Pastel

A traditional street snack of Angola made with flour, meat, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: flour, meat
Gafanhotos

A traditional street snack of Angola made with oil, salt, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: oil, salt
Churrasco

A traditional street snack of Angola made with chicken, piri piri, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: chicken, piri piri

Soups

Caldeirada de peixe

A traditional soup of Angola made with fish, potato, tomato, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: fish, potato, tomato

Salads

Salada de tomate e cebola

A traditional salad of Angola made with tomato, onion, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: tomato, onion

Desserts and sweets

Pudim de ovos

A traditional sweet treat of Angola made with egg, sugar, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: egg, sugar
Cocada angolana

A traditional sweet treat of Angola made with coconut, sugar, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: coconut, sugar
Bolo de ginguba

A traditional sweet treat of Angola made with peanuts, sugar, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: peanuts, sugar

Drinks

Sumo de maracuja

A traditional drink of Angola made with passion fruit, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: passion fruit
Kissangua

A traditional drink of Angola made with maize, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: maize
Angolan coffee

A traditional drink of Angola made with coffee, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: coffee

Fruits and produce

Mango
Mango

Mango is a well-loved fruit or crop in Angola, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.

Key ingredients: mangoFull guide →
Papaya
Papaya

Papaya is a well-loved fruit or crop in Angola, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.

Key ingredients: papayaFull guide →
Pineapple
Pineapple

Pineapple is a well-loved fruit or crop in Angola, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.

Key ingredients: pineappleFull guide →
Coconut
Coconut

Coconut is a well-loved fruit or crop in Angola, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.

Key ingredients: coconutFull guide →
Banana
Banana

Banana is a well-loved fruit or crop in Angola, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.

Key ingredients: bananaFull guide →
Guava
Guava

Guava is a well-loved fruit or crop in Angola, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.

Key ingredients: guavaFull guide →

Dish guides from Angola

Banana
BananaFruits
Coconut
CoconutFruits
Guava
GuavaFruits
Mango
MangoFruits
Muamba de galinha
Muamba de galinhaMain dishes
Papaya
PapayaFruits
Pineapple
PineappleFruits
Explore Angola on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.

More cuisines of Middle Africa

About this page

Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.

Photo credits
  • Poulet à la moambe: Brigade Piron, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Moamba traditional dish in Luanda: Rui Gabriel Correia, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Carica papaya - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-029: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • കൈതച്ചക്ക: Suniltg at Malayalam Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Cocos nucifera - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-187: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 14-QWSTION-BANANATEX-STRIPPING-LAUSCHSICHT: BANANATEX, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Guava pink fruit: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)