Food of New Caledonia
New Caledonia blends Kanak traditions with French cuisine. Yam, taro, and cassava, coconut, and fish and seafood are everyday foods. The bougna, a parcel of yam, sweet potato, and chicken or fish cooked with coconut milk in banana leaves over hot stones, is the signature feast dish. French baguettes, croissants, and cafes are everywhere.
Bougna
Chicken or fish with yam and coconut milk cooked in banana leaves.
- Main dishes (6)
- Breakfast (2)
- Street food (2)
- Salads (2)
- Desserts and sweets (2)
- Drinks (2)
- Fruits and produce (4)
Staples
- yam, taro, sweet potato, cassava, fish, coconut, chicken
Signature flavors
- coconut milk, banana leaf, lime, vanilla
Main dishes
Chicken or fish with yam and coconut milk cooked in banana leaves.
Key ingredients: yam, sweet potato, coconut milk, chickenChicken in coconut sauce.
Key ingredients: chicken, coconut milkShrimp salad with lime.
Key ingredients: shrimp, lime
Coconut crab dish.
Key ingredients: crab, coconutVenison in sauce, a local specialty.
Key ingredients: venisonGrilled lagoon fish.
Key ingredients: fish, limeBreakfast
With butter and jam.
Key ingredients: flour, butterFull guide →
Buttery French pastry.
Key ingredients: flour, butterFull guide →Street food
Sweet French pancakes.
Key ingredients: flour, eggFull guide →Ham and butter baguette.
Key ingredients: baguette, hamSalads
Crab salad.
Key ingredients: crab, mayonnaiseCool starchy salad.
Key ingredients: taroDesserts and sweets
Coconut pie.
Key ingredients: coconut, pastryBananas cooked in sugar and butter.
Key ingredients: banana, sugarDrinks
Strong coffee, French style.
Key ingredients: coffeeFresh.
Key ingredients: young coconutFruits and produce
Used widely.
Key ingredients: milkFull guide →
Traditional crop.
Key ingredients: boiled, baked
Sweet fruit.
Key ingredients: eaten freshFull guide →
Sweet.
Key ingredients: eaten freshFull guide →Dish guides from New Caledonia
Explore New Caledonia on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.More cuisines of Melanesia
Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.
- Coconut Crab Birgus latro: Drew Avery, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Baguettes, Paris, France - panoramio: Nick Thweatt, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Croissant-Petr Kratochvil: Petr Kratochvil, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Crepes dsc07085: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Cocos nucifera - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-187: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Yam at monday market kaduna state 01: Dorcas Atule, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Litchi chinensis fruits: B.navez, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Carica papaya - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-029: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
