Easiest Nigerian Foods To Make

Don’t be fooled, the Nigerian meal isn’t all about Jollof Rice. Nigeria is home to a wide variety of tasty meals, so diverse that one could easily get lost trying to identify them all. Delicious as they come, not all of these Nigerian meals can be prepared effortlessly or by everyone. Some of the preparation of these meals would take hours, complicated processes, and sheer strength. Many of them would turn out to be a disaster if prepared by an amateur or anyone who isn’t experienced in its making.

On the other hand, there are many others that are not only easy to make, they are also finger-licking tasty. Not only that, they can be prepared at the drop of a hat and do not require you having any prior experience. Just a few basic ingredients and you’re done.

Take a look below at some of the easiest Nigerian foods to make.

1. Tomato Stew

This is popular among many Nigerians not just because it is simple to make but also for its versatility. When you’re armed with a pot of Tomato stew, you really cannot run out of meal options. Especially when it tastes heavenly when eaten with staples like Rice, Pasta, Yam, Bread etc.

For this meal, you’ll only be needing a blend of fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and a tomato paste or puree (for the signature red color). All you need do is fry the blend in oil for about 10 minutes. Not forgetting to add your desired protein (beef, fish or chicken), and then season to taste. It’ll only take about 15 to 20 minutes and voila! Your tasty tomato stew is ready to serve. May I also add that the smell is out of this world? Especially when you fry the onions!

• Noodles/ Pasta

Aside from being great staples, Noodles/ Pasta have always been here to save the day. And for many years, the duo has never failed to deliver that instant gratification at the moment you think you’re going to die of starvation. Which is why they may be topping the list of Nigerian meals that are so simple they can be prepared when one is half asleep, despite that they aren’t really Nigerian meals. No, not by origin. All you’ll be needing to prepare this is a cooking pot and water. And in as little as 3 minutes, you’re already helping yourself to a plate. Noodles can be enjoyed with chicken, eggs, fish or beef while plain pasta is eaten with soup, stew or vegetables.

• Dodo (Friend Ripe Plantain)

If you can make this meal without having a taste, just one bite, believe me, you deserve a medal! Because not only is Dodo easy to make, it’s super delicious too. And the smell…. it’s mouth-watering!  All you’ll ever be requiring to treat yourself to this yummy goodness are ripe plantains and oil. It takes less than 5 minutes to fry. After which it is ready to be consumed. Super cool, isn’t it? Fried plantains go with almost any staple food. You can have it with scrambled eggs, rice, beans, yam pottage, or even vegetables.

• Okro Soup

Okro soup is a traditional vegetable dish that takes about 3 to 5 minutes to prepare, depending on what you want. Plain Okro takes the least amount of time and is usually eaten with soup or stew. The combined Okro type (Ila Alasepo), however, takes longer but is tastier and allows for greater flexibility of options during preparation. While you may add an assortment of ingredients such as stockfish, meat, chicken and even Ugu leaves to a combined Okra soup, the plain variety is just as its name implies, very simple. However, they are both super tasty when combined with the right additives. Okra soup can be consumed with staples like Eba, Semo, Amala,  Fufu, Pounded Yam, etc.

• Catfish Pepper Soup

Pepper soups are a refreshing balm to the soul. They are usually prepared from a variety of spices, pepper, and herbs, giving them have a spicy, yet soothing feel. To top it off,  they take a short time to cook. Cooking time even gets shorter when you have a ready-made pepper soup mix, such that your ingredients are all in one place and you get to add them at once. It is efficient and it makes the process even easier to do. Apart from Catfish, you can also enjoy other varieties of pepper soup like Goat meat, Chicken, or Beef pepper soup.