A deep-crimson chilled hibiscus drink sweetened and scented with mint and a little vanilla.

Where does Bissap come from?

Bissap is a Senegalese dish from Dakar, Senegal.

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

Yes. This Bissap 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 Bissap take to make?

About 20 minutes total (5 minutes prep, 15 minutes cooking), serving 6.

Bissap — a Dakar, Senegal recipe

Name: Bissap
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Senegalese
Ingredients: 2 cups dried hibiscus flowers; 1 cup, to taste sugar; a handful fresh mint; 1/2 tsp a drop of vanilla; 8 cups water

Africa → 🇸🇳 Senegal → Dakar

Bissap

Senegalese · easy · serves 6

prep 5 min · cook 15 min

~138 cal · 0g protein · 35g carbs · 0g fat (estimated, per serving)

🍽️

Glass of deep red hibiscus drink with ice and mint

🇸🇳 Dakar

Bissap is the unofficial national drink of Senegal, brewed from dried hibiscus flowers into a tart ruby infusion, sweetened generously, and served ice-cold. Sold in frozen sachets on every Dakar corner, it is the taste of relief on a hot Sahelian afternoon.

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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 6 —

•

2 cups dried hibiscus flowers

•

1 cup, to taste sugar

•

a handful fresh mint

•

1/2 tsp a drop of vanilla

•

8 cups water

Instructions

1

Rinse the hibiscus, then simmer in the water for 10 minutes.

2

Turn off the heat, add the mint, and steep 15 minutes.

3

Strain and stir in sugar and vanilla while still warm.

4

Chill thoroughly in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

5

Serve over plenty of ice, with extra mint.

Dakar street tradition.

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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination

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Dakar. The Atlantic capital where thieboudienne simmers in every courtyard.

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Senegal. West Africa’s Atlantic table, where teranga means hospitality.

🌍

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 →