20 must-try Zimbabwe traditional food recipes (with images)

Zimbabwe is a country located in the southern part of Africa and is best known for its tourist attractions. The country is on the world tourism map for its prominent Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural world wonders. Moreover, it houses the Hwange National Park, where you can expect to find a variety of animal and bird species. Zimbabwean traditional foods are also delicious and full of nutrition.

If you are local or a foreigner, then Zimbabwe got you covered with its variety of traditional cuisine to devour. The country's traditional dishes include tasty meats, leafy greens, and crunchy nuts.

Top 20 Zimbabwean foods

What kind of food does a Zimbabwean eat? Read on below to find out!

Sadza

Read also

Here is how to make tasty samp

Sadza is the national dish of Zimbabwe. It is a simple meal comprising water and corn flour as the only ingredients, but it is one of Zimbabwe’s most loved foods. The corn flour is mixed with cold water to make a smooth paste and then added to boiling water and cooked for a few minutes to form a ball. It is served hot with an accompaniment of vegetable stew or any preferred meat stew.

Muboora

It is a common vegetable dish made from pumpkin leaves. The leaves are washed, chopped and boiled in water mixed with soda bicarbonate. The cooked leaves are then fried with oil, onions, and tomatoes. Seasoning is done according to ingredient preference. This meal is mostly eaten with sadza.

Zondo

This is a delicacy made from cow hooves. Zimbabweans make them edible by cleaning the hooves and chopping off unwanted parts. After that, they are cooked for a long time to soften up and then fried with onions, tomatoes, coriander and garlic, according to preference. Seasoning is with salt or any other preferred ingredient. Served hot or accompanied by bread or sadza.

Read also

Sosatie recipes: How to make the best and tastiest sosaties on Braai Day!

Matemba

This is a Zimbabwean food also called Kapenta or sardines. These are small salty fish which are often sun-dried.

Mopane worms

They are edible caterpillars collected from Mopane tree leaves. The worms are squeezed to remove their intestines. They can be eaten fresh from picking or sun-dried. If sun-dried, they are boiled during preparation to soften and then fried or made into a stew. The meal is eaten with sadza or any other accompaniment.

Matumbu

Ezanga Phakathi. This is a delicacy made from cow intestines, liver and kidney. It can be barbecued to form Gango or cooked. If cooked, the meat is boiled for several hours, and then a paste made from fried onions and tomatoes is added to it. It is mostly served hot or accompanied by sadza or rice.

Amakhowa

It is a wild mushroom breed that grows mainly during the summer months on the barks of trees. They are a simple delicacy, and they can be pan-fried or made into a soup. Their flavour goes well with sadza or rice.

Read also

Amazing tips on how to prepare a delicious chicken breyani recipe

Harurwa

These are insects, mostly termites, aphids and locusts. The insects are caught at night when they are attracted to light and are pan-fried with oil until crunchy. This delicacy is eaten with no accompaniment and can be sun-dried to be eaten later.

Madhumbe

This delicacy made from yams offers a wide variety of options, from breakfast, lunch or dinner. The yams can be boiled and served with tea for breakfast. They can also be lightly fried after simmering on low heat to be eaten as a snack. The yams can also be ground into flour to cook sadza.

Gango

This is a delicacy that comprises different meat varieties. The selection can vary from red meats to white meats. The meat is boiled and dry fried or wet fried according to preference. It is then served with sadza, bread or rice.

Mupunga Une Dovi

It is a delicacy made from rice mixed with peanut butter. The rice is boiled, and peanut butter is added. It is accompanied by meat stews, vegetable salad or soups. It is served hot.

Read also

Learn the best durban curry recipes in South Africa: step-by-step guide

Mutakura

This is a mixture of grains. Maize, groundnuts, beans and peas are mixed and boiled. Seasoning is by preference but mostly salt. Mutakura is a whole meal and is often served with a beverage taken after the meal.

Nhopi

This is a pumpkin-made delicacy. It is a simple meal that children mostly love. First, a pumpkin is peeled and cut into pieces, which are boiled until soft. After that, some milk is added to make a paste. It is served hot or cold and can be eaten with no accompaniment.

Mufushwa

This is a variety of leaves and vegetables. The leaves can be from sweet potatoes, cabbage, blackjack or pumpkin. The leaves are sun dried until they are crunchy. In preparation, the dried leaves are boiled and fried with onions and tomatoes. It is ideal for serving with sadza.

Mbambaira

What do people eat for breakfast in Zimbabwe? Here is one of the morning meals. It is a simple meal made of sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes are peeled and boiled in water with a pinch of salt until tender. They are then served with tea, ideal for breakfast. However, sweet potatoes can be peeled, sliced and deep fried in oil to make a snack that is eaten on the go when seasoned with salt.

Read also

Easy biltong recipe for preparing yummy African meat

Mhandire

This is one of Zimbabwe’s snacks. It is entirely roasted maize, which is soaked in water for some time to soften, depending on how hard it is. It is then placed in a pan with salt and roasted. When the maize turns golden brown, it is ready.

It is made from an assortment of grain flours. Some are used plainly, while others can be mixed to enrich the taste and nutritional value. Its constituents can be maize meal, millet or sorghum. The grains are ground into flour, added to hot water, and stirred to form a thick paste. It can be flavoured by adding peanut butter, salt or sugar. It is served hot and ideal for breakfasts.

Umxhanxha

The meal is made by mixing yellow watermelon, sun-dried maize and sugar. The ingredients are prepared separately and then mixed. The maize is boiled until the grains soften, while the watermelon is peeled, sliced and boiled until it is soft. The watermelon pieces are then crushed and mixed with the maize. Sugar is then added to the mixture.

Read also

Indian restaurants in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town

Nyama

It is mainly beef. The meat is cut into smaller pieces and boiled till tender. It is then fried with onions and tomatoes with carrots and green beans added to the meat. The mixture is left to cook for some minutes and then served. Seasoning is as desired. The meal is served with sadza, rice or bread.

Ifisashi

It is mainly a vegetable treat. The delicacy is a stew made from spinach leaves and peanuts. The spinach leaves are added into a paste of fried onions, tomatoes and peanuts. The food is left to cook until the spinach leaves wilt. The stew is served with sadza or rice.

Zimbabwe is a beautiful country with so much to offer. It not only trickles down to tourist attractions when you visit the country but also the traditional savoury dishes on Zimbabwe’s food list. These foods will leave you craving for more.

Read also

How to prepare traditional Umqombothi beer

READ ALSO: Xhosa food: TOP Tastiest traditional recipes here (step-by-step)

Briefly.co.za published an article about Xhosa foods. The Xhosa are a Southern African ethnic community known for their distinct cultures. Besides, they have a wide variety of traditional foods that often leave the locals’ and foreigners’ taste buds satisfied.

Embracing cultural backgrounds and heritages is a noble thing to do. And who does not love great, unique dishes? Check out this article to find out more about Xhosa’s traditional recipes.

Source: Briefly News