Food of Zambia
Zambian food is built around nshima (maize porridge) served with relishes such as kapenta fish, beans, greens, groundnut sauce and meat stews. Pumpkin leaves, okra and mushrooms are everyday vegetables, and meals are eaten by hand from a shared plate.
Nshima
Thick maize porridge, eaten by hand.
- Main dishes (7)
- Breakfast (2)
- Street food (3)
- Soups (1)
- Salads (1)
- Desserts and sweets (2)
- Drinks (3)
- Fruits and produce (4)
Staples
- maize
- cassava
- beans
- groundnuts
- kapenta
- pumpkin leaves
Signature flavors
- groundnuts
- tomato
- onion
- okra
- chili
Main dishes
Thick maize porridge, eaten by hand.
Key ingredients: maize meal
Dried small fish cooked with tomato.
Key ingredients: kapenta, tomato
A traditional dish of Zambia made with greens, peanuts, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: greens, peanuts
A traditional dish of Zambia made with orchid tubers, peanuts, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: orchid tubers, peanutsA traditional dish of Zambia made with okra, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: okraA traditional dish of Zambia made with chicken, tomato, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: chicken, tomatoA traditional dish of Zambia made with bream, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: breamBreakfast
A traditional breakfast dish of Zambia made with maize, sugar, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: maize, sugarA traditional breakfast dish of Zambia made with flour, sugar, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: flour, sugarStreet food
A traditional street snack of Zambia made with corn, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: cornA traditional street snack of Zambia made with flour, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: flourA traditional street snack of Zambia made with sweet potato, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: sweet potatoSoups
A traditional soup of Zambia made with mushroom, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: mushroomSalads
A traditional salad of Zambia made with tomato, onion, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: tomato, onionDesserts and sweets
A traditional sweet treat of Zambia made with banana, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: bananaA traditional sweet treat of Zambia made with pumpkin, flour, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: pumpkin, flourDrinks
A traditional drink of Zambia made with maize, roots, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: maize, rootsA traditional drink of Zambia made with tea, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: teaA traditional drink of Zambia made with fruit, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.
Key ingredients: fruitFruits and produce
Mango is a well-loved fruit or crop in Zambia, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.
Key ingredients: mangoFull guide →
Masuku is a well-loved fruit or crop in Zambia, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.
Key ingredients: masuku
Banana is a well-loved fruit or crop in Zambia, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.
Key ingredients: bananaFull guide →
Pineapple is a well-loved fruit or crop in Zambia, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.
Key ingredients: pineappleFull guide →Dish guides from Zambia
Explore Zambia on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.
More cuisines of Eastern Africa
- Burundi
- Comoros
- Djibouti
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Kenya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Mayotte
- Mozambique
- Réunion
- Rwanda
- Seychelles
- Somalia
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- Zimbabwe
Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.
- Ugali & Sukuma Wiki: Paresh Jai from Nairobi, Kenya, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Kapenta drying in the sun: Emesik, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Ifisashi: LittleT889, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Chikanda2: LittleT889, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Local Brew: Pearson, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Uapaca kirkiana (4732308006): Ton Rulkens from Mozambique, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- 14-QWSTION-BANANATEX-STRIPPING-LAUSCHSICHT: BANANATEX, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- കൈതച്ചക്ക: Suniltg at Malayalam Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
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