Canadian-based West African influencer Afia Amoako is the bona fide ambassador of popular African food on TikTok. Amoako, together with other African influencers such as Kenyan Sueh Owino and Beninese Malicka Anjorin changed TikTok’s content landscape with their amazing features on different African dishes.
Recent data by the giant short-videos platform indicated that food searches hit 13.5 million this year. Recipe searches clocked 4.96 million. Millions of people globally now know a lot about African cuisine and how to prepare these delicacies, thanks to TikTok.
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Which are the Popular African Food on TikTok?
African food trends on Tiktok as people around the world share colorful, delicious food recipes in every part of the continent. From delicious street food, to more traditional staples, these foods have a strong cultural and community foundation. Below are the popular African food on TikTok for each region in Africa.
West Africa
Fufu
Women grind fresh cassava then let it ferment before pounding it into a dough. Photo/Obaapa’s recipe
Fufu is a staple Nigerian and Ghanaian dish made from boiled and pounded cassava or yams. Fufu is extremely popular on TikTok, with over 250 million views and numerous videos showing its preparation, and how it’s eaten.
Red Red
Red Red is a delicious Ghanaian black-eyed pea stew, flavoured with red palm oil and spices. This dish is a staple in West African cuisine, often served with rice or yams.
Jollof Rice
Nigerian Jollof rice. Photo/ 12 Tomatoes.
Jollof rice, is tops the list of popular African food on TikTok. This one-pot dish from Ghana and Nigeria is prepared with parboiled rice, tomatoes, beef/chicken and spices. It is popular in Ghana and Nigeria, although it traces it is roots to Senegal. You will find in every party or gathering you attend in West Africa.
Waakye
Waakye is a Nigerian and Ghanaian dish prepared with rice, beans, and red sorghum leaves. Waakye is a nutritious and flavorful meal that’s often served with boiled eggs, fish, or meat.
Egusi Soup
African Cuisine: Egusi Soup. Photo/recipes
This is a flavourful Nigerian soup made with ground melon seeds and leafy greens. Egusi soup is a nutritious a dish mostly served often served with fufu or eba (garri).
East Africa
Nyama Choma
Nyama choma. Photo/Wikipedia
Nyama choma is a Kenyan dish of roasted meat, served with vegetables, ugali (maize flour) or French fries. A search on popular African food on TikTok brings out a lot of content on how to roast the meat, and the best places in the country to enjoy it.
Matoke
Matoke is a national dish in Uganda and equally popular in Kenya and Tanzania. Ideally, matoke refers to fried bananas with onions, tomatoes, and a savory sauce.
Injera
Injera. Photo/Hedonism eats
Injera is an Ethiopian flatbread made from teff flour. Injera defines Ethiopian cuisine. Ethiopians use it as a ‘spoon’ to scoop up stews and salads.
Pilau
Chichen pilau served with chopped tomatoes and onions – courtesy
Pilau is a cherished delicacy among East Africans. It’s fried, spicy rice cooked the Swahili way with mutton or beef and a hot sauce served on the side.
Southern Africa
Bobotie
Bobotie is a delicious South African dish made with minced meat, spices, and dried fruit, topped with a custard-like egg mixture. Bobotie is a flavorful and aromatic dish that’s often served with yellow rice.
Boerewors
A roll of the South Africa boerewors [Photo/Pinterest]
North Africa
Couscous
Moroccans treasure couscous with every inch of their breath. It is a smoky semolina with slow-roasted meat, vegetables, and spices dish that you can’t have enough of.
Shakshuka
Shakshuka. Photo/Shakshuka Recipe
Shakshuka is famous in Kenyan kitchens as it is in Tunisia where a majority of families have it for breakfast. Basically, shakshuka is a fried eggs with tomatoes dish. TikTok charm with the idea of capturing a pan of boiling eggs as they sizzle in an egg-rich, spiced sauce.
What is the Most Trending Food in Africa?
Fufu is not only among Popular African food on TikTok but the most trending dish in 2025 on the socials. It has more than 250 million views on TikTok alone. Food enthusiasts attribute its popularity to the West African culture.
