Leaving Nigeria doesn’t just mean leaving behind family and friends. It means leaving behind the food. And to be frank, Nigerian food is not something you just “replace” abroad. You can try to explain it to others, you can try to cook it in your new kitchen, but some things just don’t taste the same outside Naija. Here are 20 Nigerian foods every Nigerian abroad misses and why they’re so unforgettable.
1. Ewa Agoyin
Ewa Agoyin is just beans and a burned pepper sauce… but is it really “just”? That sauce is a national treasure. People abroad will say, “I can make it at home,” but can they really? Burning the sauce to the edge of disaster without ruining it, that’s pure art and only Nigerian street food sellers seem to get it perfectly right. Abroad, no beans dish compares.
2. Pap and Akara
Saturday morning back home isn’t complete without hot pap and akara balls. Abroad, you can try oats or pancakes, but it doesn’t carry the same warmth. The soft pap, the crunchy akara, the peak milk flowing in and that smell in the morning air, nothing replaces it.
3. Garri Ijebu and Groundnut
Cold garri, sugar, groundnut and maybe milk if you’re feeling rich, some prefer Kulikuli, kai, tthis is survival food. Abroad, garri becomes luxury. One soak takes you straight back to hostel rooms, childhood afternoons, or late-night gist with friends.
4. Indomie
Simple noodles, right? Wrong. Nigerian Indomie is an entire experience. Abroad, you’ll find noodles, but they don’t taste like the Indomie “we know.” Spiced, fried with egg and pepper, or cooked with vegetables, Indomie is instant comfort.
5. Plantain
Dodo is dodo. Sweet, ripe, golden plantain fried beside beans, rice, or just eaten alone or with Garri, Nigerians abroad will never stop missing it. And no, the plantains abroad don’t always taste the same! Mba!
6. Party Jollof Rice
We need to emphasize this because this one deserves its own space. Party Jollof isn’t just jollof rice, it’s a whole experience. That smoky taste, the fried plantain on the side, maybe coleslaw, every Nigerian abroad craves it, especially when they see wedding pictures online. And don’t forget the oversized, well fried beef at the size. An experience indeed!
7. Egusi Soup
Ground melon seeds, palm oil, vegetables, meat, locust beans, dried fish, okporoko, chai, egusi soup is home. Abroad, you can cook it, but it never quite tastes like your mother’s pot. Paired with pounded yam or eba, egusi is that nostalgia you can taste.
8. Edika Ikong
Deep, rich, green soup filled with waterleaf, ugu, and more meat than vegetable. This is Cross River pride. Abroad, you may not always find the leaves, but when you do, the memory of family Sundays comes rushing back.
9. Amala and Ewedu
The way this food divides Nigerians! But those who love it, love it to death. Amala with ewedu and gbegiri is not just food, it’s identity. Haha….Abroad, finding the right flour, leaves and spices can be tough, and that’s why it’s one of the top foods people miss.
10. Masa (Waina)
This northern Nigerian snack which is soft rice cakes often served with suya or soup is something many abroad don’t even try to recreate but they terribly miss and dream about. The taste is too unique, too tied to the streets of Kano and Jos.
11. Yam Pottage (Asaro)
Boiled yam cooked down with palm oil, pepper crayfish and spices until soft and rich. Abroad, yam is not always easy to find, and when you do, it feels like finding treasure.
12. Suya
Even if you grill meat abroad, it’s not suya. Suya is smoky, spicy, wrapped in newspaper, with yaji pepper that makes you sweat. Abroad, the craving is constant.
13. Boli and Groundnut
Grilled plantain on the roadside, eaten with crunchy groundnut. Abroad, you can grill bananas if you like, but it’s never boli. That burnt-sweet taste is one of the most Nigerian things ever.
14. Pepper Soup
This is Nigeria’s medicine for everything. Cold, fever, heartbreak? Pepper soup will fix it. Abroad, you can try, but without the exact spices, it doesn’t taste the same.
15. Moi Moi
Soft, savory, and always a favorite. Back home, moi moi steamed in leaves has a taste that foil-wrapped versions can never match. Abroad, people used to say, “ah, it’s impossible to get the leaves.” But not anymore. Stores like My Sasun African Market now stock moi moi leaves, so you can recreate that authentic flavor in your own kitchen. The taste will carry you right back to Saturdays at home.
16. Abacha (African Salad)
From the East, this colorful cassava dish with palm oil, crayfish, and ugba brings home to life. Abroad, it’s rare to find the ingredients easily, which is why people miss it so much.
17. Agege Bread
The legend itself. Abroad, you’ll find fancy loaves, but none stretch and chew like Agege bread. Tear it open, dip in stew or beans, and you’re back home.
18. Gala and Lacasera
Only Nigerians understand this combo. Gala sausage roll with cold Lacasera apple drink is the official snack of Lagos traffic. Abroad, you’ll miss this most when hunger strikes between meals.
19. Okra Soup
Slimy, yes, but in the best way possible. To Nigerians, this soup with swallow is a meal that sticks to memory. Abroad, you’ll find okra, but the taste never feels exactly the same.
20. Ofada Rice and Ayamase (Designer Stew)
The aroma alone makes people nostalgic. That local rice with the green pepper stew is something no regular white rice abroad can match.
Final Thoughts 🌍
These foods are not only meals but Nigeria itself. They remind us of family gatherings, roadside sellers, school days, late-night gist, and everything in between. And while living abroad means you’ll definitely miss them, here’s the good news:
Today, you don’t have to crave in silence. In the U.S. and Canada, My Sasun African Market makes it possible to get almost all these foods and ingredients. Agege bread, palm oil, egusi, suya spice, garri, Indomie, plantain, even Gala and Lacasera etc. Yes, they’re all within reach at affordable prices.
You may be far from Nigeria, but with the right plate in front of you, home never feels too far away.
Disclaimer
We do not own the rights to the images used in this blog. All images were sourced online and are used here for illustrative purposes only.
Comments (15)
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