Food of Ivory Coast

Ivorian cuisine is known for fluffy attieke, grilled fish and chicken, kedjenou slow-cooked stews and sweet fried plantains. Cassava, yam, plantain and rice fill the plate, with tomato, onion and chili as flavor base. Informal restaurants called maquis serve grilled fish or chicken with spicy onion sauce under open skies.

National dish

Kedjenou

Chicken stewed slowly in sealed pot with vegetables.

Staples

  • cassava
  • yam
  • plantain
  • rice
  • fish
  • chicken
  • corn

Signature flavors

  • chili
  • onion
  • tomato
  • ginger
  • garlic
  • palm oil
  • bouillon

Main dishes

Kedjenou

Chicken stewed slowly in sealed pot with vegetables.

Key ingredients: chicken, tomato, onion, ginger
Attieke and grilled fish
Attieke and grilled fish

Cassava couscous with fish and tomato salad.

Key ingredients: attieke, fish, tomatoFull guide →
Aloco
Aloco

Fried ripe plantain with spicy tomato-onion sauce.

Key ingredients: plantain, onion, pepper
Foutou banane

Pounded plantain and cassava dough with a sauce.

Key ingredients: plantain, cassava
Sauce graine

Palm nut sauce with meat or fish, over rice or foutou.

Key ingredients: palm nuts, fish
Sauce arachide

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

Key ingredients: peanuts, chicken
Garba

A traditional dish of Ivory Coast made with tuna, attieke, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: tuna, attieke
Poulet braise

A traditional dish of Ivory Coast made with chicken, onion, pepper, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: chicken, onion, pepper
Riz gras
Riz gras

Rice cooked with meat and tomato.

Key ingredients: rice, tomato
Placali

Fermented cassava paste served with sauces.

Key ingredients: cassava

Breakfast

Bouillie de riz

A traditional breakfast dish of Ivory Coast made with rice, milk, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: rice, milk
Pain-omelette

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

Key ingredients: bread, egg

Street food

Kebab ivoirien

A traditional street snack of Ivory Coast made with beef, chili, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: beef, chili
Aloko
Aloko

A traditional street snack of Ivory Coast made with plantain, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: plantain
Beignets

Fried dough sold in the morning.

Key ingredients: flour, sugar
Choukouya

A traditional street snack of Ivory Coast made with mutton, spices, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: mutton, spices

Soups

Soupe kandja

A traditional soup of Ivory Coast made with okra, fish, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: okra, fish

Salads

Salade d'avocat

A traditional salad of Ivory Coast made with avocado, tomato, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: avocado, tomato

Desserts and sweets

Gateau de manioc

A traditional sweet treat of Ivory Coast made with cassava, sugar, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: cassava, sugar
Dejeuner de bananes

A traditional sweet treat of Ivory Coast made with banana, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: banana

Drinks

Bissap

A traditional drink of Ivory Coast made with hibiscus, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: hibiscus
Gnamankou

A traditional drink of Ivory Coast made with ginger, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: ginger
Dêguê

A traditional drink of Ivory Coast made with millet, yogurt, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: millet, yogurt

Fruits and produce

Pineapple
Pineapple

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

Key ingredients: pineappleFull guide →
Mango
Mango

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

Key ingredients: mangoFull guide →
Cocoa
Cocoa

Ivory Coast grows much of the world's cocoa.

Key ingredients: cocoa
Cashew apple
Cashew apple

Cashew apple is a well-loved fruit or crop in Ivory Coast, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.

Key ingredients: cashew
Banana
Banana

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

Key ingredients: bananaFull guide →

Dish guides from Ivory Coast

Attieke
AttiekeMain dishes
Banana
BananaFruits
Mango
MangoFruits
Pineapple
PineappleFruits
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More cuisines of Western Africa

About this page

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

Photo credits
  • Attieke: Serein, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Vendeuses de bananes plantain: Romanceor, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Plat de riz au gras plus viande: Mandanye, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • കൈതച്ചക്ക: Suniltg at Malayalam Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Cocoa Pods: Photo by Medicaster., Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Cashew apples: Abhishek Jacob, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 14-QWSTION-BANANATEX-STRIPPING-LAUSCHSICHT: BANANATEX, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)