Top 10 Traditional Somali Dishes Everyone should try
1.🍚Bariis Iskukaris (Somali Spiced Rice)
Bariis Iskukaris is one of the most iconic dishes in Somali cuisine — a richly flavored rice dish cooked with warm spices, often served with roasted meat, chicken, or fish. The name “Iskukaris” literally means "cooked together," because the rice is simmered with sautéed onions, garlic, tomatoes, and traditional Somali xawaash spice blend.
This dish is especially popular during big family events, Eid celebrations, and weddings. It’s often served with a banana on the side — yes, a banana! — a beloved Somali food pairing.
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👉:https://youtu.be/JcIrQz_AKqk?si=ZQpuiwDKVAgcPiux
Credit:[Chef Hussein Officials]
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🍚 Key Ingredients:
• Basmati or long-graind rice
• Xawaash (Somali spice mix)
• Onion, garlic, tomato
• Cooking oil or ghee
• Raisins (optional)
• Meat (beef, chicken, or lamb)
• Banana (on the side - Somali style)
• Onion (sliced)
💡 Fun Fact:
In many Somali households, the color of the rice varies — sometimes golden, orange, or red — depending on whether saffron, tomato, or food coloring is used. It’s not just a dish — it’s a centerpiece.
🥈 2. Suqaar (Somali Stir-Fried Meat)
Suqaar is a simple yet flavorful dish made with tender, cubed meat stir-fried with onions, peppers, and Somali spices. The name "suqaar" means "small pieces" in Somali — a reference to how the meat is finely diced for quick cooking and rich flavor absorption.
Served with muufo, canjeero, or bariis, suqaar is a favorite for both everyday meals and special occasions. It’s also often eaten during iftar in Ramadan, thanks to how fast and satisfying it is to prepare.
Here’s a great video showing how to make Somali Suqaar:
👉 [https://youtu.be/GtoffqY6-tI?si=IzlP5Y202ny9-oJC]
Credit: [Daryeel Kitchen]
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🥘 Key Ingredients: • Diced beef, goat, or chicken
• Onion (sliced)
• Garlic (minced)
• Green or red bell pepper
• Potatoes (cubed) 🥔
• Xawaash (Somali spice mix)
• Salt and black pepper
• Cooking oil
• Optional: Fresh coriander (cilantro) for garnish
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💡 Fun Fact:
Suqaar is so versatile that it's used as a filling in sambuusa, eaten for breakfast with eggs, or served as a main course with bread or rice. It's like the Somali version of stir-fry — easy, hearty, and full of flavor.
🥉 3. Canjeero (Somali Sourdough Pancakes)
Canjeero, sometimes spelled laxoox, is a soft, slightly spongy pancake made from a fermented batter of flour and water. It’s thinner than Ethiopian injera and smaller in size, with a unique taste that comes from its light fermentation.
Eaten mostly for breakfast, Canjeero is enjoyed with butter and sugar, honey, or soaked in spiced milk tea. It’s also served with savory stews or suqaar for a hearty meal.
📺 Watch How It’s Made
Here’s a traditional Somali way to make Canjeero:
👉 [https://youtu.be/2YAdBjWxAao?si=f1P75d9yI0ao1K8t]
Credit: [Aromatic Dishes]
🥘 Key Ingredients: • All-purpose or sorghum flour
• Warm water
• A pinch of salt
• Yeast (or old batter as a starter)
• Sugar (optional)
💡 Fun Fact:
Canjeero batter is often left to ferment overnight, creating its signature tangy flavor. In Somali homes, families often keep a small amount of old batter to help the next day’s batch rise naturally — like a family sourdough tradition passed down for generations!
🧆 4. Muufo (Somali Cornmeal Flatbread)
Muufo is a dense, golden flatbread made from cornmeal (or maize flour), baked either in a traditional clay oven or on a flat pan. It's hearty, slightly crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside — perfect for scooping up suqaar, maraq (stew), or even dipping into spiced tea.
This dish hails especially from southern Somalia, where maize is a major staple. Muufo is known for its simplicity, long-lasting energy, and nostalgic value — many Somalis remember waking up to the smell of muufo baking early in the morning.
📺 Watch How It’s Made
Here’s a traditional method for making Somali Muufo:
👉 [https://youtu.be/evHSA6x3G54?si=G8k4Kh5nqlT3QPpJ]
Credit: [Xawaash Foodblog]
🥘 Key Ingredients:
• Yellow cornmeal (maize flour)
• Warm water
• Salt
• Yeast or baking powder
• Optional: a bit of sugar or milk for softness
• Ghee or sesame oil for brushing
💡 Fun Fact:
In traditional Somali homes, Muufo was baked in a clay oven called a "tanoor", giving it a rustic flavor and smoky aroma. It's still a symbol of southern Somali hospitality and heritage.
🥟 5. Sambuusa (Somali Samosa)
Sambuusa is a beloved Somali snack — a crispy, triangle-shaped pastry filled with spiced ground meat, onions, and herbs. Though similar to the samosas found in South Asia and other African regions, Somali sambuusas have their own twist: they’re often lighter, smaller, and spicier.
During Ramadan, no Somali iftar table is complete without a plate of sambuusa. They’re also common at weddings and gatherings — a perfect finger food with a big flavor punch.
📺 Watch How It’s Made
Check out this video for a step-by-step guide to making Somali sambuusa:
👉 [https://youtu.be/0b8mV9fcXL0?si=Fm9SQ0TGg7Fv1hR-]
Credit: [Daryeel Kitchen]
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🥘 Key Ingredients: • Ground beef or lamb
• Chopped onion.
• Garlic and green chili.
• Cilantro or parsley.
• Somali xawaash spice
• Pastry sheets or homemade dough
• Oil for deep frying.
💡 Fun Fact:
Many Somali families make huge batches of sambuusas ahead of Ramadan, freezing dozens to fry fresh every evening. The sambuusa is like a Ramadan tradition and culinary icon rolled into one!
🥞 6. Malawax (Sweet Somali Crepe)
Malawax (also spelled Malawah) is a soft, thin pancake similar to a crepe — slightly sweet, buttery, and often served for breakfast or tea time. Unlike Western pancakes, Malawax is usually made without baking powder, giving it a soft, foldable texture perfect for rolling or layering.
It’s traditionally served with sugar, honey, or even a drizzle of sesame oil, and sometimes enjoyed with a side of Somali tea or dipped into savory stews for a sweet-salty flavor combo.
📺 Watch How It’s Made
See how to make Somali Malawax with this easy video recipe:
👉 [https://youtu.be/OoYopTzfdTE?si=2_IK-0if8-DCOpPo]
Credit: [Ayan Nura Cooking]
🥘 Key Ingredients: • All-purpose flour
• Eggs
• Milk or water.
• Sugar.
• Cardamom (optional).
• A pinch of salt.
• Butter or oil for cooking.
💡 Fun Fact:
In many Somali homes, Malawax is the first thing kids learn to cook. It’s a comfort food passed down from mother to daughter, often eaten while sitting together and dipping pieces into hot spiced shaah (tea). ☕
🍝 7. Baasto Soomaali (Somali-Style Pasta)
Baasto Soomaali is a flavorful pasta dish with a Somali twist — usually made with spaghetti, tender meat sauce, and traditional Somali xawaash spices. Introduced during Italian colonial times, pasta became a Somali favorite and is now a regular dish in many homes.
Unlike Italian spaghetti, Baasto Soomaali is often spicier and served with a side of banana — yes, it’s a Somali thing! Some families even top it with fried potatoes or a splash of lemon juice.
📺 Watch How It’s Made
Here’s a great video showing how to make Somali-style pasta:
👉 [https://youtu.be/v6PfXXdSowM?si=rFYFOuxQo4hhXJlw]
Credit: [adar cooking]
🍲 Key Ingredients: • Spaghetti pasta.
• Ground beef or lamb.
• Garlic, onion, tomato.
• Xawaash spice mix.
• Tomato paste or fresh tomatoes.
• Oil or butter.
• Optional: banana, fried potato slices.
💡 Fun Fact:
Somalis often eat pasta with their hands and a banana on the side, blending sweet and savory in a uniquely Somali way!
🥩 8. Hilib Ari (Slow-Cooked Goat Meat)
Hilib Ari, or Somali-style goat meat, is a beloved dish often reserved for special occasions, feasts, and Eid celebrations. The goat meat is usually slow-cooked or roasted, marinated with Somali xawaash spices, garlic, lemon, and sometimes yogurt for extra tenderness.
It’s often served alongside bariis (rice), muufo, or flatbread, and garnished with fried onions or sautéed vegetables
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📺 Watch How It’s Made
Here’s a video guide to making tender Hilib Ari:
👉 [https://youtube.com/watch?v=zXsSJfhT6Aw]
Credit: [Dhadhan Kitchen]
🍖 Key Ingredients: • Goat meat (bone-in preferred)
• Xawaash (Somali spice blend).
• Garlic and ginger.
• Lemon juice or yogurt (for marination).
• Onions and tomatoes.
• Salt and black pepper.
• Oil or ghee.
💡 Fun Fact:
In Somali tradition, goat meat is a prized dish — often prepared by elders for big celebrations and shared as a symbol of honor and hospitality.
🪵 9. Muqmad (Oodkac – Preserved Dried Meat)
Muqmad, also known as Oodkac, is a traditional Somali method of preserving beef (or sometimes camel meat) by drying and storing it in fat. The meat is cut into small cubes, fried until dry, and then stored in rendered fat (subag or ghee). This process can preserve the meat for months without refrigeration — ideal for nomadic life.
When ready to eat, Muqmad is usually reheated and served with flatbreads, muufo, or even canjeero, often alongside spiced tea (shaah).
📺 Watch How It’s Made
See how Somali Muqmad is prepared in this traditional cooking video:
👉 [https://youtu.be/r5nQZn_cK3o?si=ACLchq_cmArdle8y]
Credit: [Xawaash Foodblog]
🥩 Key Ingredients: • Beef (or camel meat)
• Salt
• Ghee or subag (clarified butter)
• Garlic (optional)
• Xawaash (optional)
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💡 Fun Fact:
Muqmad was once the ultimate travel food — Somali nomads, herders, and merchants carried it during long journeys across the desert. It’s still used today as a symbol of heritage and resilience.
🍲 10. Cambuulo (Adzuki Beans with Butter and Sugar)
Cambuulo is a beloved Somali comfort food made from boiled adzuki beans (or red beans) mixed with butter (or ghee) and sugar. It’s often eaten for dinner or light supper, and sometimes paired with a banana — classic Somali style!
This dish is simple, filling, and packed with energy, making it a favorite in both urban homes and rural areas.
---📺 Watch How It’s Made
Here’s a simple video showing how Cambuulo is prepared at home:
👉 [https://youtu.be/AnffzEEKAg8?si=7JsDWagDpG4feV2t]
Credit:[Istanbul Kitchen]
🥣 Key Ingredients: • Adzuki beans (or red beans)
• Butter, ghee, or sesame oil
• Sugar (to taste)
• Salt (optional)
• Banana (served on the side – optional)
💡 Fun Fact:
Cambuulo is considered both a meal and a dessert depending on how sweet you make it. It’s a go-to dish for busy weeknights or when you need a hearty plant-based meal.
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