Burkina Faso Recipes

Sahel country of millet, rice, and rich groundnut sauces. Not sure what to eat in Burkina Faso? Start with Poulet Bicyclette, Babenda (Greens, Grain and Groundnut Pot), Gapal (Millet and Milk Dessert) and Massa. Here are 8 authentic Burkina Faso recipes, each from a specific region, with cultural context and dietary substitutions for every table.
8 recipes
Riz GrasOuagadougou, Burkina Faso · medium · 1 h 25 minBurkina Faso's "fat rice": rice simmered in a rich tomato-and-meat broth until every grain is stained red.
MassaOuagadougou, Burkina Faso · medium · 35 minLittle fermented millet fritters, crisp and tangy, sold hot with a spicy or sweet topping in Burkina Faso.
Tô with Okra SauceOuagadougou, Burkina Faso · medium · 45 minA smooth, firm millet paste eaten with a slippery okra and tomato sauce, the daily staple lunch of Burkina Faso.
Gapal (Millet and Milk Dessert)Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso · easy · 20 minFine millet blended with tangy yogurt, baobab and ginger into a thick, cool spooning dessert, a Fulani speciality.
Poulet BicycletteOuagadougou, Burkina Faso · medium · 1 h 50 minLean free-range chicken parboiled with aromatics, then marinated in tomato, ginger and chili and grilled over charcoal until smoky.
Babenda (Greens, Grain and Groundnut Pot)Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso · easy · 55 minBitter greens and rice simmered with pounded groundnuts and pungent soumbala into a thick, nourishing one-pot meal.
Gonré (Burkinabè Steamed Bean Cakes)Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso · medium · 2 h 10 minSkinned black-eyed peas ground to a paste with potash, salt, oil and dried chili, beaten light, wrapped in leaves and steamed into soft cakes eaten with a pour of groundnut oil and chili.
Brochettes au Koura-Koura (Burkinabè Peanut-Crusted Beef Skewers)Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso · easy · 1 h 40 minSmall cubes of beef marinated in peanut paste, chili and oil, grilled over charcoal and rolled while hot in crushed koura-koura, the crunchy peanut cake of Kaya.
📋 Teaching Burkina Faso?A free, printable Country of the Week guide for the classroom: geography, a kid-friendly recipe, and discussion prompts.
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