Wat is the national dish of Ethiopia (and also popular in Eritrea, where it's known as tsebhi), a spicy stew made with berbere - a spice blend usually consisting of very hot chili peppers, garlic, ginger, rue, basil, ajwain, nigella, and fenugreek, all of them sold in markets and ground together in a mortar using a pestle. It is the most popular dish in these two countries and can be made with beef, chicken, lamb, lentils, vegetables, or fish. Pork is never used due to religious reasons. In Ethiopia and Eritrea, nothing gets wasted, so every possible cut of meat is used in the wats, either fresh or dried, from fine cuts to organs. In the past, women were judged on the basis of their wat cooking skills, and those who made the best ones were the most respected by their neighbors and husbands. Wat begins with onions, used for sweetening and thickening the stew, followed by berbere, water, tomato sauce, and meat or vegetables, slowly cooked to perfection.
Kefta tagine is a classic Morrocan tagine variety consisting of small meatballs in a homemade tomato sauce, and are prepared in the eponymous conical cooking vessel.
The meatballs are shaped into spheres the size of a cherry tomato, made of ground lamb or beef meat (or a combination of two), and flavored with spices such as paprika, cumin, parsley, coriander, black pepper, and salt, and cooked in a piquant tomato sauce. Sometimes kofta tagine also includes eggs, which are added to the sauce near the end of cooking and cooked until poached.
Kefta tagine is mainly prepared at home and is a communal dish traditionally served straight from the tagine pot, with khobz or some other Moroccan bread used to scoop the tasty stew.
Shiro wat or tsebhi shiro is an Ethiopian and Eritrean stew made with chickpeas or broad beans as main ingredients, along with garlic, onions, ginger, tomatoes, and chili peppers. The chickpeas give this stew a nice texture and nutty flavor, but they can be replaced by shiro powder, which is a combination of chickpea flour and various spices. The dish is traditionally prepared for special occasions such as Ramadan and Tsom. It is recommended to serve shiro with injera flatbread on the side.
Doro wat (known as tsebhi derho in Eritrea) is a festive type of wat stew made with chicken, usually bought from outdoor markets. The meat gets soaked in water, salt, and lemon juice to eliminate bacteria, and it's then cut into eight to twelve pieces. Peeled hard-boiled eggs are added to the stew about five minutes before it is done in order to absorb all the savory spices and the delicate red color. With tender meat, spicy eggs, and a rich, flavorful sauce, doro wat is a must-have at every festivity, Christmas and Easter included. Many Ethiopians fast on meat for 43 days before Christmas, and on Christmas most of the people choose doro wat as their preferred and finally allowed meat-based dish.
This traditional stew, occasionally also referred as a sauce or soup, is enjoyed throughout the West and Central Africa, but it is believed it originated among the Bambara people in Mali. It comes in numerous regional variations, but each version is created with roasted peanuts that are ground into flour and make the basic sauce of the dish. The list of additional ingredients is extensive, and it typically includes tomato paste, fish or meat, usually beef, lamb, goat, or chicken, various vegetables, and numerous spices such as ginger, turmeric, coriander, or cinnamon. The variations often differ in texture and consistency, while the side dishes are regionally influenced and may include anything from rice to couscous, fufu, or sweet potatoes.
Bunny chow is a South African dish consisting of a half or a quarter loaf of bread that is hollowed out and stuffed with curry that has been cooked with kidney beans or meats such as mutton, chicken, and lamb. It is traditionally consumed without utensils. The dish originated in the city of Durban, and it is believed that bunny chow owes its origins to the Indian immigrants who came to South Africa in the late 19th century. Today, this cheap and filling dish has crossed borders, so it is also quite popular in the United Kingdom.
Tajine, also known as tagine, refers both to the rich Moroccan stews and the cooking vessel used to make them. When referring to the cooking vessel, it is a round and shallow, clay or ceramic casserole with a tall, pointy, conical lid. The same lid fits into the base, so the steam condenses on its interior and drops back into the stew without any waste of flavors and moisture. The pots are ideal for slow cooking over embers or on a stove, resulting in buttery, tender vegetables and meat that falls off the bone. Tajines can be glazed or unglazed - the unglazed ones are earthier and darken over time, while the glazed ones are recommended for people who cook infrequently. There are also serving tajines, which are usually decorated and lighter than the other tajines, but they're not resistant to heat. In the area of Rif Mountains, there's tagra, an unglazed tajine with little clay handles and without a lid. A Berber tajine is known as chalhaoui, and it has a rounded, dome-shaped lid instead of the conical one. Tajines show Moroccan cuisine's affinity for combining different textures and mixing flavors, such as a well-balanced blend of savory and sweet, for example, chicken with tomato and almonds, and veal cuts with stewed, sliced pears. Baby artichokes, spring peas, and various nuts such as almonds or pistachios are a common ingredient in tajines. These dishes are often accompanied by couscous, steamed rice, or fresh, hot bread, and the varieties are virtually limitless – from seafood tajines with mussels and tomato sauce, to lamb tajines with vegetables such as onions, carrots, potatoes, and olives, fruits such as apricots and raisins, and lots of spices such as red and black pepper, cumin, saffron, and turmeric, tajines are a national dish full of creativity and flavour.
Misir wat or tsebhi birse nis a traditional and Eritrean dish and a type of wat (Ethiopian and Eritrean stew). In order to prepare it, onions are sautéed in niter kibbeh clarified butter, followed by garlic, ginger, tomato paste, berbere spices, stock, and lentils. The stew is slowly simmered until the lentils become soft, and the dish is then usually enriched with a bit more berbere spices and niter kibbeh near the end of cooking. Misir wat is served warm and it's usually accompanied by injera flatbread on the side, which is used to scoop up the lentils. If desired, the stew cna be garnished with a dollop of creamy Ayib cheese on top.
Potjiekos is a South African dish made by layering meat, vegetables, starches (such as potatoes, rice, or pasta), and sauce in the pot. Potjiekos is never stirred during cooking because the dish cooks slowly in order to let the steam build up. Making potjiekos is usually a social activity, since the dish is typically cooked from three to six hours. It is prepared in small pots, hence the name. The dish dates back to the 1800s, but it is still widely consumed today.
As the name suggests, the star ingredient in this traditional Moroccan dish is chicken, preferably bone-in chicken cuts such as legs, thighs, or drumsticks. Like other tajine dishes, this chicken variety is also prepared in the eponymous conical cooking vessel. The meat is neatly arranged with various vegetables such as onions, carrots, tomatoes, or potatoes, and the whole dish is usually seasoned with cumin, saffron, parsley, or coriander. Typical variations also may include preserved lemons, olives, almonds, or apricots. Chicken tajine is usually served with bread on the side.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot,
nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable.
For the “Top 100 African Stews” list until June 15, 2026, 5,041 ratings were recorded, of which 1,825 were recognized by the system as legitimate.
TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods,
instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.
