10 Spectacular African Cuisine Side Dishes That Get Our Thanksgiving Stamp of Approval

Everyone knows that the turkey isn’t the real star of the African Thanksgiving table—it’s the side dishes. Start a new family tradition this year. Step out of the traditional and predictable with our crowd-pleasing African Cuisine side dish recipes.

#1 African Cuisine – Vegan Jollof Rice

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/3 cups diced onions)
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 inch piece of ginger, minced (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
• 3 to 4 Thai chili peppers, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
• half teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 14-ounce (400g) can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup (250ml) vegetable broth or water
• chopped parsley to serve

#2 African Cuisine – Accra Banana

Ingredients

• 2 pounds grated cassava frozen is ok
• 3/4 teaspoons salt or more adjust to suit taste buds
• 3 large overly ripe bananas optional

#3 African Cuisine – Fried African White Yams

Ingredients

• yam, or white yam: as much as you can eat.
• Vegetable Oil
• Salt to taste

#4 African Cuisine – Corn Chaff

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked pinto beans
• 2 cups sweet corn
• 1 sprig Parsley
• 1 small green onion
• 2 gloves garlic
• 1/2 inch cube ginger
• 1 small habanero
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 medium onion
• 2 Tbsp palm oil
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup crayfish optional

#5 African Cuisine – Egg Plant Soup

Ingredients

• 15 Thai eggplants aka green garden-egg
• 6 plum tomatoes
• 1 large white onion
• ¼ cup palm oil
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper chopped
• 340 g smoked mackerel the equivalent of one large mackerel skinned and de-boned
• 1 tsp chicken/ vegetable bullion
• 1 small handful of Clove basil aka Nigerian scent leaf/Thai basil
• Salt to taste
• Optional: 2 tbsp dried shrimp
• Optional: Extra dried chili-pepper

#6 African Cuisine – Goat Meat Pepper Soup

Ingredients

• 1½ lb goat meat (Cut into bite-size pieces)
• 1 cup red onions (chopped)
• 2 tbsp. Seafood Bouillon
• 1 tsp. Thyme leaves
• 1 cup brown beef stock
• ¾ lb beef tripe (cut into bite-size pieces)
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp. pepper soup spice
• ½ tsp. Utazi leaves (finely chopped)
• 1 cup chopped smoked dried shrimp (optional)