Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Hacks & How-to's

These ridiculously delicious recipes will make your Kwanzaa celebration shine

Caroline Cote-Bergevin
By

Kwanzaa food is rich in tradition. Created in the 1960s, this non-religious holiday celebrates African American heritage and culture across the diaspora. From December 26th to January 1st, families come together to eat tasty food and celebrate their community.

Originating from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” which translates to the “first fruits of the harvest,” Kwanzaa food centers around staples such as collard greens, black-eyed peas, yams, and peanuts.

Recommended Videos

There is no typical Kwanzaa meal. Recipes from West and East Africa, the Caribbean, South America, and even Southern cuisine all have a place on the table. If you’re wondering how to feast this Kwanzaa, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite dishes.

Related

chicken mafe

Chicken mafe

Kwanzaa is all about celebrating unity. What better way to do that than by sharing a giant plate with family and friends? This West African classic dish is meant to be eaten with guests. Featuring flavorful chicken slowly cooked in a rich peanut butter and tomato sauce paired with aromatics, this mafe is best enjoyed with a generous amount of rice.

If you like spice, we recommend adding slices of scotch bonnet for a traditional take on this recipe.

jollof rice

Nigerian jollof rice

Jollof rice is famous throughout the diaspora for a reason. It’s filling, packed with flavor, and provides a delicious base to soak up stews.

Whether you prefer using long-grain basmati rice or jasmine rice, this Nigerian version of Jollof will have your family and friends coming back for more. Pro tip: Leave the lid on at the end of cooking and turn up the heat to have delicious toasty “Party Rice.”

Red red stew

Named for its vibrantly colored ingredients, this Ghanaian stew is rich in red palm oil and gently spiced tomato sauce. This black-eyed beans casserole with its appetizing color and strong aroma, thanks to the fragrant spices and fresh ginger, is a great addition to your Kwanzaa dinner table.

Sprinkle the stew with garri (dry fermented ground cassava) and serve with a side of fried plantain for a classic Ghanaian meal.

Sausage and chicken gumbo

Cooked on low for six to eight hours, this gumbo has a deep and complex flavor. The secret? Simmering the dark roux from the beginning instead of combining it at the end.

This Southern comfort food recipe is filled with smoked sausage, shredded chicken, and delicious okra. Adding it to your mains for Kwanzaa will bring conviviality to your table and make your dinner a memorable one.

Southern-style collard greens

There are many ways to cook collard greens, but this is our favorite. These slow-cooked collard greens simmer for a few hours with smoked bacon and smoked ham for an incredibly tender and tasty result.

Don’t forget to add the apple cider vinegar to the broth; it balances out the salty and savory flavors to brighten the dish.

If you do not eat pork or simply want to skip the meat, adding smoked paprika is a good option.

Creole skillet cornbread

Crispy on the outside with a delicate crumb, this cornbread is a perfect side dish for Kwanzaa. Whole corn kernels bring a delightful texture while creole seasoning adds heat to this skillet version of cornbread. If you like your cornbread on the sweet side, you can include up to three tablespoons of light brown sugar.

A well-seasoned skillet is important for this recipe, so don’t skimp on this part and make sure it is well-oiled and rubbed with salt.

Sweet potato pie with candied pecans and coconut

Garnet yams or sweet potatoes are the star in this delicious pie. (Celebrating the harvest is an important part of Kwanzaa after all.)

Allspice, ginger, vanilla, and sweetened coconut flakes come together to create a sweet and indulgent dessert. Don’t forget a generous amount of whipped cream before serving this crowd-pleaser pie.

banana foster

Bananas foster crisp

Packed with brown sugar, crushed gingersnap cookies, and a splash of dark rum, this caramelized banana dessert is syrupy sweet. Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you’re feeling indulgent. It’s an ideal way to end your Kwanzaa dinner.

Kwanzaa is a seven-day holiday where sharing food with family and friends is an important part of celebrating a rich history and honoring a whole community. It’s a time of reflection and looking forward to the future with hope. Having a feast of delicious dishes originating from all over the African diaspora is a good way to connect with your roots. When December 26th comes, try out one (or more) of the recipes above to celebrate Kwanzaa food. We promise you won’t be disappointed.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Caroline Cote-Bergevin
Caroline Cote-Bergevin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
7 delicious Thanksgiving appetizers that still leave room for a big meal
Sweet and savory Thanksgiving appetizers that won't spoil your appetite
Thanksgiving table with cracker spread

There's no denying that hosting Thanksgiving dinner is a big feat to accomplish. From buying all the food to preparing the meal and setting the table, some people begin planning weeks in advance.

If you're spending all that time making a delicious meal, you don't want your guests to fill up on appetizers and leave no room for the turkey (and everything that comes with it). These seven delicious Thanksgiving appetizers are both tasty and light, so no one spoils their holiday dinner filling up beforehand.

Read more
6 delicious Thanksgiving desserts to make if you kind of hate pie
Not a fan of pie? Try these holiday dessert alternatives this Thanksgiving
Autumn spices, pumpkin, and cinnamon

We admit it: We're big fans of all the fall flavors. And come Thanksgiving, many of those fall favorites are the highlight of the dessert table — whether you prefer apple or pumpkin, there's probably a pie to your liking. Of course, if you're not the biggest fan of pies (we don't judge), it can be disappointing to see this dessert dominate the Thanksgiving holiday.

The good news is that there is a variety of delectable, non-pie, fall-flavored Thanksgiving desserts that you can integrate into your Thanksgiving holiday meal. Whether you enjoy pumpkin but not the pie, or if you prefer something different altogether, you don't need to miss out on a delicious Thanksgiving dessert just because of your unique preferences! Here are some amazing Thanksgiving sweet treats that you can top off your meal with this year.

Read more
10 dumb Thanksgiving turkey mistakes that will absolutely ruin your holiday
Follow this guide for making the most delicious Thanksgiving turkey
Grandmother helping child with Thanksgiving turkey

If you’re hosting Thanksgiving, you understand the pressure of making the side dishes, baking the pies, setting the perfect holiday table, and most of all, delivering a perfectly cooked, juicy, golden-brown turkey. But getting the turkey from the grocery store to the serving platter can be a very daunting task. From knowing what size turkey to buy to understating the ins and outs of seasoning, roasting, and carving, there are so many opportunities to make a mistake that could ultimately ruin your Thanksgiving feast.

But fear not. We’re going to walk through the most common pitfalls of turkey roasting and provide all the tips and tricks you need to avoid them. Consider this your guide to becoming the host with the most fabulous Thanksgiving turkey on the block.

Read more