Nigerian Party Food Ideas You Need To Try Now
How many of us love getting together with others or love hosting parties? If you’re planning on creating a Nigerian food party, we’ve got you covered in this post! Here is a list of Nigerian party food to give you some ideas for your next gathering or party. Keep in mind that some of these foods are traditional Nigerian food while others are foods from other countries that Nigerians have learned to love and enjoy eating in everyday life (especially at parties).
(There may be affiliate links in this post. Read my disclosure policy to learn more).
Nigerian Meat Pie
One of the most popular Nigerian foods is the Nigerian meat pie and it is the PERFECT Nigerian party food.
The reason for this is that it is not too difficult to make and you can make a lot of them!
These pies are popular in both Nigeria as well as other parts of Africa. In fact, sometimes they’re referred to as African meat pies.
(FYI, Nigerians enjoy eating their meat pies filled with ground beef and chopped potatoes and carrots).
Their recipe has TONS of ratings and very good reviews, too.
Nigerian Scotch Eggs (or Nigerian Egg Rolls)
Here in the United States, it is VERY common to have deviled eggs at a food gathering or party. Well, Nigerians, too, enjoy their eggs and they ESPECIALLY enjoy eating what is called Nigerian scotch eggs.
Even though scotch eggs did not originate in Nigeria, many Nigerians eat them and you will see them a lot if you ever make a trip out there.
Also, similar to deviled eggs, what makes scotch eggs such great Nigerian party food is that they’re portable and they don’t require any eating utensils.
FYI, if you’re not aware of what scotch eggs are, they are basically boiled eggs that are enclosed in sausage meat.
YUM!!
Here, take a look at this EXCELLENT YouTube recipe video by Kolawole Ajayi to see what I mean:
Ok, so if you watched the video, you’ll notice that he mentioned he likes adding a Maggie cube to his sausage for some great flavor.
Jollof Rice
Growing up in a Puerto Rican / Costa Rican household, we always had either Puerto Rican arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas) or Costa Rican gallo pinto (rice and black beans) at our food gathering parties (like Thanksgiving or Christmas… or someone’s birthday).
Nigerians have jollof rice.
If you’re not already familiar with jollof rice, it’s basically a one-pot meal made primarily with long-grain white rice, tomatoes, onions, vegetables, and meat along with special spices, too.
FYI, these are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:
- Long grain rice
- Olive oil
- Tomato paste
- Chicken stock
- Curry powder
- Thyme
- Garlic
- Bay leaves
- Grated ginger
- Salt
- Onion
- Tomato
- Seasoning powder or seasoning cubes
- White or black pepper
- Red bell peppers
- Plum tomatoes
- Scotch bonnet peppers
Party Jollof Rice – Excellent Nigerian Party Food Menu Idea
By the way, there is a variety of jollof rice that’s called Party Jollof Rice. What makes it distinct is its smoky flavor.
Also, as the name implies, party jollof rice is ESPECIALLY popular for large events such as celebrations (like weddings) or ceremonial occasions.
If you’d like to learn more, please check out this page by Immaculate Ruemu.
Nigerian Fried Rice
Ok, so here’s another Nigerian rice recipe. However, instead of jollof rice, we’ll be talking about a Nigerian-style fried rice recipe, instead.
Like jollof rice, Nigerian fried rice is a VERY popular rice dish option that’s very common in Nigerian households. It’s also a very popular option for events and parties, too.
(Great for your Nigerian party food menu, right)?
So, you may be wondering how Nigerian fried rice is different from Asian fried rice? Well, the answer is that Asian fried rice relies heavily on soy sauce for flavor, while the main flavorings for Nigerian fried rice are curry, thyme, and seasoning cubes.
FYI, these are the basics of how to cook Nigerian fried rice:
- Cook long-grain white rice in meat stock.
- Fry your vegetables.
- Cook your protein using African-type seasonings and spices.
- Combine all of the ingredients together in a large pan or pot.
Beef Suya (Nigerian Beef Skewers) for Party Food from Nigeria
Want a reason to go outside and grill some meat?
Well, then Nigerian beef (or chicken) suya will be a perfect food for your Nigerian party food menu.
But keep in mind that these are not just regular beef skewers. No, they are seasoned (literally COVERED) with spices and groundnut (peanut), too.
Interested in learning more?
Here, take a look at this Nigerian beef suya recipe by Food Fidelity.
Some of the main ingredients for this recipe are sirloin steak, dry roasted unsalted peanuts, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and chicken bouillon powder.
Perhaps you’d prefer to watch a YouTube recipe video for beef suya? If that’s the case, then please check out the video below by SisiYemmieTV.
P.S. she shows you how to make Nigerian beef suya in the oven if you don’t have a grill:
Nigerian Salad Recipe
It seems like there always has to be some kind of salad at a party, am I right? Well, here’s a great Nigerian salad recipe to add to your Nigerian party food menu.
(Keep in mind that although Fusili pasta is more commonly used in Nigerian salad, this recipe developer decided to go with Farfalle pasta simply because it looks really nice).
However, before showing you the recipe, how about we go over the main ingredients you’ll be using, first?
- Cabbage
- Romaine lettuce
- Cucumber
- Eggs
- Farfalle or fusili pasta
- Carrots
- Canned sweetcorn
- Cherry tomatoes (or 6 medium tomatoes)
- Canned baked beans
- Salad cream or mayonnaise
It’s that simple!
Anyway, here is the recipe for Nigerian salad by Sisi Jemimah.
Asaro (Nigerian Yam Porridge)
So, this dish actually reminds me more of candied yams I normally eat for Thanksgiving here in the United States. The difference is that these are not as sweet.
Asaro, if you’re not already aware, is actually made with boiled Puna yam and cooked with peppers, tomatoes, onions, palm oil, and other African seasonings.
Egusi Soup (or Egusi Stew)
OK, so in reality, many Nigerian food gatherings include some kind of Nigerian soup or stew with fufu, pounded yam, or another kind of “swallow”.
So, egusi soup is arguably one of the most popular kinds of Nigerian soups out there.
If you read about egusi soup on my List of Nigerian Soups and Stews page, you’d already know that egusi soup is melon seed soup.
You might be wondering, where am I going to find the melon seeds I need for egusi soup? Well, the simple answer to that is an African market near you or Amazon.
Check out this recipe by Low Carb Africa to learn how to make it and why it’s so common in Nigeria.
Or, you can check out the video below by Sisi Jemimah’s Recipes:
Nigerian Pepper Soup
Pepper soup is another VERY popular soup option for Nigerian party food. It’s so common, actually, that several parts of Africa make it (not just Nigeria). In fact, some people call it African Pepper Soup.
I’ve gotta warn ya… it’s very spicy!
However, the amount of spiciness will depend on the preference of the person who is cooking the soup recipe. In other words, you can make it very spicy or not very spicy… it’s up to you how you want to make it.
By the way, you’ll need pepper soup seasoning, which you can purchase at your local African market, or you can buy it online on Amazon.
Moin Moin
This is a kind of steamed Nigerian bean pudding cake. It’s made with cooked and peeled brown beans (or black-eyed peas) that you blend with peppers and onions, season, and then steam.
Actually, you can make moi moi (or moin moin) with bean powder instead of the whole beans.
Check out this VERY informative video by Lifeclue to learn more:
Homemade Nigerian Sausage Rolls
Ok, so although Nigerian sausage rolls are a street food that’s commonly sold when people are stuck in traffic, I’ve made homemade Nigerian sausage rolls and they are FANTASTIC!
They kind of remind me of what we call Pigs in a Blanket here in the United States. It’s basically seasoned sausage rolled into a dough. It’s SOOOooOOOoo delicious!
Check out my Nigerian Sausage Rolls page to learn more (and for some awesome recipes, too).
FYI, even though I couldn’t find the kind of sausage mentioned in the recipes, I just used regular Bob Evans original roll sausage that I found at my local grocery store and they turned out VERY yummy.
Also, FYI, Nigerian sausage rolls, like Nigerian scotch eggs, are GREAT Nigerian food tray ideas ;-).
Nigerian Peppered Chicken
According to blogger, Sisi Jemimah, peppered chicken is a very popular Nigerian party food. It’s basically fried or grilled chicken that’s cooked in tomato stew.
YUMMY!
These are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:
- Tomatoes
- Cooking oil
- Red bell peppers
- Onions
- Scotch bonnet peppers
- Minced ginger
- Chicken or beef stock
- Garlic cloves
- Tomato puree
- Curry
- Thyme
- Bullion cubes
- Salt
Click here to find out more about Sis Jemimah’s Nigerian peppered chicken recipe.
Nigerian Samosas for Nigerian Party Food
Although samosas originate from India, they are VERY popular in Nigeria.
(Samosas are baked or fried pastries filled with potatoes, onions, peas, and various hot spicy ingredients).
In fact, according to My Active Kitchen, samosas are ESSENTIAL for every Nigerian party.
(Good thing I’m including a Nigerian samosa recipe for this list of Nigerian party food, huh)?
If you’re interested in this recipe, please check out this page by My Active Kitchen.
FYI, these are the only ingredients you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
- Water
- Potatoes
- Fresh prawns (deveined)
- Seasoning
- Cayenne pepper
- Frozen peas
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Onion
- Turmeric powder
- Cumin (or suya spice)
Or, you can check out the YouTube video below by Lydia Isaac Recipes to find out how to make Nigerian samosas:
(We can add Nigerian samosas to our Nigerian food tray ideas list, would you say)?
What to Serve with Nigerian Party Food
Nigerian party food goes well with the following:
- Nigerian Zobo (Hibiscus drink)
- Any soft drink
- Dodo (sweet fried plantains)
- Boli (ripe plantains that are roasted, grilled, or baked)
- Plantain chips
- Roasted corn and coconut
- Nigerian coconut candy
- Kokoro (sweet fried cornmeal snack)
- Kuli-kuli (deep-fried peanut cake)
By the way, sweet fried plantains, boli, plantain chips, roasted corn, and roasted coconut are just a few more Nigerian food tray ideas for you.
Nigerian Party Food FAQs
Now, here are some frequently asked questions related to Nigerian party food.
What is Nigeria most popular food?
These are the most popular food in Nigeria:
- Jollof rice
- Egusi soup
- Swallow food (Fufu, Eba, Tuwo Shinkafa)
- Moi moi
- Pepper soup
- Amala and Ewedu Soup
- Efo Riro
- Suya
- Dodo (sweet fried plantains)
What should I make for a Nigerian birthday party?
Here are some ideas for foods to make for a Nigerian birthday party:
- Beef or chicken suya
- Nigerian meat pies
- Scotch eggs (or Nigerian egg rolls)
- Nigerian sausage rolls
- Party jollof rice
- Nigerian fried rice
- Egusi soup
- Nigerian salad
- Pepper soup
- Peppered chicken
- Nigerian samosas
- Plantain chips
- Roasted corn and coconut
- Nigerian coconut candy
- Zobo
What are some Nigerian appetizers?
- Puff puffs
- Samosas
- Chin chin
- Scotch eggs
- Pepper soup
- Nigerian sausage rolls
- Dodo (sweet fried plantains)
Related Articles:
- Popular Nigerian Breakfast Recipes
- How To Make Nigerian Donuts
- Incredibly Delicious Nigerian Sausage Rolls Recipes
- 9 Awesome Nigerian Chicken Recipes You Must Try
- Astonishing List of Nigerian Soups You Need to Try!
Final Thoughts for Nigerian Party Food Ideas
I seriously hope you consider cooking these AMAZING recipes for Nigerian party food ideas. They are seriously something you MUST try sometime in your life.
Have you tried any of these recipes before? Please let me know below!
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