Food of Madagascar

Malagasy cooking is built on rice at every meal, eaten with a flavorful side called laoka, with zebu beef, fish, greens, coconut, ginger and vanilla. The island's mix of African, Southeast Asian and Arab roots shows in its flavors. Madagascar produces most of the world's vanilla.

Romazava
National dish

Romazava

Beef and greens broth with ginger.

How to make Romazava

Staples

  • rice
  • zebu
  • fish
  • greens
  • cassava
  • beans
  • coconut

Signature flavors

  • vanilla
  • ginger
  • tomato
  • coconut
  • onion
  • pepper
  • cloves

Main dishes

Romazava
Romazava

Beef and greens broth with ginger.

Key ingredients: beef, greens, tomatoFull guide →
Ravitoto
Ravitoto

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

Key ingredients: cassava leaves, pork
Ravimbomanga

A traditional dish of Madagascar made with sweet potato leaves, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: sweet potato leaves
Henakisoa sy ravitoto

A traditional dish of Madagascar made with pork, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: pork
Vary amin'anana

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

Key ingredients: rice, greens
Sambos

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

Key ingredients: flour, meat
Ranon'apango

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

Key ingredients: rice, water
Lasary voatabia

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

Key ingredients: tomato, onion
Tsaramaso

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

Key ingredients: beans

Breakfast

Mofo gasy

A traditional breakfast dish of Madagascar made with rice flour, sugar, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: rice flour, sugar
Koba

Sweet rice-peanut cake wrapped in leaves.

Key ingredients: rice flour, peanuts, sugar
Mofo baolina

A traditional breakfast dish of Madagascar made with rice flour, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: rice flour

Street food

Mofo akondro

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

Key ingredients: banana, flour
Brochettes de zebu

A traditional street snack of Madagascar made with zebu, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: zebu
Sambos
Sambos

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

Key ingredients: pastry, meatFull guide →

Soups

Lasopy

A traditional soup of Madagascar made with vegetables, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: vegetables

Salads

Lasary

A traditional salad of Madagascar made with cabbage, carrot, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: cabbage, carrot

Desserts and sweets

Koba

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

Key ingredients: peanuts, sugar
Fried sweet bananas

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

Key ingredients: banana, sugar
Mofo anana

A traditional sweet treat of Madagascar made with flour, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: flour

Drinks

Ranon'ampango

A traditional drink of Madagascar made with rice, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: rice
Vanilla tea

A traditional drink of Madagascar made with tea, vanilla, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: tea, vanilla
Malagasy coffee

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

Key ingredients: coffee

Fruits and produce

Vanilla
Vanilla

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

Key ingredients: vanilla
Lychee
Lychee

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

Key ingredients: lycheeFull guide →
Mango
Mango

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

Key ingredients: mangoFull guide →
Banana
Banana

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

Key ingredients: bananaFull guide →
Baobab
Baobab

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

Key ingredients: baobab

Dish guides from Madagascar

Banana
BananaFruits
Lychee
LycheeFruits
Mango
MangoFruits
Romazava
RomazavaSoups
Samosa
SamosaStreet food
Explore Madagascar on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.

More cuisines of Eastern Africa

About this page

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

Photo credits
  • Madagaskar stew 2019-10-01: Z thomas, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Ravitoto: lovarakotomalala, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Samosas, snack food at Wikipedia's 16th Birthday celebration in Chittagong (01): Moheen Reeyad, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Vanilla planifolia (6998639597): Malcolm Manners from Lakeland FL, USA, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Litchi chinensis fruits: B.navez, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 14-QWSTION-BANANATEX-STRIPPING-LAUSCHSICHT: BANANATEX, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Adansonia grandidieri04: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)