Food of Botswana
Botswana's cuisine is built on sorghum, maize and beef, with seswaa (pounded beef) as the signature celebration dish. Bogobe porridge is the daily staple, and vegetables like morogo greens and beans round out the plate.
Seswaa
Slow-boiled, pulled beef served at celebrations.
Staples
- sorghum
- maize
- beef
- beans
- morogo
Signature flavors
- salt
- onion
- chili
- tomato
Main dishes
Slow-boiled, pulled beef served at celebrations.
Key ingredients: beef, salt
A traditional dish of Botswana made with sorghum, water, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: sorghum, water
A traditional dish of Botswana made with greens, onion, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: greens, onion
A traditional dish of Botswana made with mopane worms, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: mopane wormsA traditional dish of Botswana made with flour, mince, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: flour, minceA traditional dish of Botswana made with beans, samp, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: beans, sampA traditional dish of Botswana made with tripe, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: tripeBreakfast
A traditional breakfast dish of Botswana made with sorghum, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: sorghumA traditional breakfast dish of Botswana made with flour, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: flourStreet food
A traditional street snack of Botswana made with bread, chips, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: bread, chipsA traditional street snack of Botswana made with beef, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: beefDesserts and sweets
A traditional sweet treat of Botswana made with flour, cream, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: flour, creamFull guide →Drinks
A traditional drink of Botswana made with rooibos, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: rooibosA traditional drink of Botswana made with maize, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: maizeFruits and produce
Watermelon is a well-loved fruit or crop in Botswana, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.
Key ingredients: watermelonFull guide →Marula is a well-loved fruit or crop in Botswana, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.
Key ingredients: marulaMorula is a well-loved fruit or crop in Botswana, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.
Key ingredients: morulaDish guides from Botswana
Explore Botswana on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.More cuisines of Southern Africa
Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.
- Seswaa: Kalanga, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Ugali & Sukuma Wiki: Paresh Jai from Nairobi, Kenya, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Amaranthus thunbergii 1DS-II 1-5841: SAplants, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Colophospermum mopane 50D 0486: SAplants, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Malva Pudding: Jon Mountjoy, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Taiwan 2009 Tainan City Organic Farm Watermelon FRD 7962: Fred Hsu (Wikipedia:User:Fred Hsu on en.wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
