Cameroon’s national dish: bitterleaf greens simmered with ground peanuts, beef, and shrimp into a deep, satisfying stew.

Where does Ndolé come from?

Ndolé is a Cameroonian dish from Littoral (Douala), Cameroon.

Can Ndolé be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?

Yes. This Ndolé recipe includes ingredient substitutions to make it vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, or egg-free — including several of those at once, such as gluten-free and dairy-free together.

How long does Ndolé take to make?

About 80 minutes total (30 minutes prep, 50 minutes cooking), serving 5.

Recipe

Name: Ndolé
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Cameroonian
Ingredients: 6 cups bitterleaf (washed well) or spinach, chopped; 1.5 cups raw peanuts; 1 lb beef stew meat, cubed; 1/2 cup dried or fresh shrimp; 2 onions, chopped; 4 cloves + 1 tbsp garlic + ginger, minced; 1 tbsp crayfish powder (optional but traditional); 1/3 cup neutral oil; for 5 boiled plantains or miondo, to serve

Africa → 🇨🇲 Cameroon → Littoral (Douala)

Ndolé

Cameroonian · medium · serves 5

prep 30 min · cook 50 min

~1103 cal · 59g protein · 87g carbs · 64g fat (estimated, per serving)

🍽️

Green ndolé stew with peanuts, beef, and shrimp beside boiled plantains

🇨🇲 Littoral (Douala)

Ndolé is what Douala families cook when someone comes home — the washing of the bitterleaf alone is an act of love, done until the bitterness mellows. Spinach makes an honest stand-in abroad, and the peanut base carries the soul either way.

Make it yours

Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.

🥕 Vegetarian

🌱 Vegan

🌾 Gluten-Free

🥛 Dairy-Free

🥜 Nut-Free

🥚 Egg-Free

Ingredients

Serves 5 —

•

6 cups bitterleaf (washed well) or spinach, chopped

•

1.5 cups raw peanuts

•

1 lb beef stew meat, cubed

•

1/2 cup dried or fresh shrimp

•

2 onions, chopped

•

4 cloves + 1 tbsp garlic + ginger, minced

•

1 tbsp crayfish powder (optional but traditional)

•

1/3 cup neutral oil

•

for 5 boiled plantains or miondo, to serve

Instructions

Boil the peanuts 20 minutes, then blend with a cup of water into a smooth paste.

Season and simmer the beef (or mushrooms) in 2 cups water with half the onion until tender; keep the broth.

If using bitterleaf, boil and wring it two or three times; spinach just needs a quick blanch and squeeze.

Fry the remaining onion, garlic, and ginger in oil; add the peanut paste and fry 5 minutes, stirring — it should thicken and turn nutty-gold.

Add the meat with its broth, the greens, shrimp, and crayfish powder. Simmer 20 minutes until thick enough to mound. Serve with boiled plantains.

Douala, Littoral tradition.

Ratings & reviews

No reviews yet — be the first to cook it.

🌏 While it simmers — know your destination

📍

Littoral (Douala). Port-city kitchens where ndolé is the taste of home.

🗺️

Cameroon. "Africa in miniature" — and its kitchens agree.

🌍

Africa. Fifty-four countries of tagines, stews, and fire-kissed grills.

The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.

👩‍🍳

Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker

Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →