What to Eat in Burkina Faso: A Guide to 5 Iconic Dishes

Burkina Faso’s cuisine reflects a Sahel–Sudanian landscape where millet, sorghum, and maize anchor daily meals. Cooking fats often come from peanut oil or shea butter, with sauces built on okra, leafy greens, tomatoes, and aromatic onions.

Meals are hearty and practical, shaped by farm work and hot afternoons. Families commonly share one bowl, eating with the right hand, while markets in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso serve quick, filling plates that suit both workdays and celebrations.

Tô is a firm porridge made by briskly whisking millet, sorghum, or maize flour into boiling water, then beating it with a wooden spatula until smooth and elastic. It is served alongside a ladled sauce—often gombo (okra) simmered with onions, tomatoes, chilies, and a pinch of soumbala, with peanut oil or shea butter adding depth; some households prepare baobab-leaf or groundnut sauces instead. The tô itself tastes mild and grainy, acting as the neutral vehicle for a silky, slightly viscous okra sauce that can include smoked or dried fish for umami. Central to Mossi foodways and eaten nationwide, tô anchors midday and evening meals at home, work canteens, and roadside kitchens, where diners pinch off pieces with their fingers and dip them into the steaming sauce.

Riz gras is a one-pot rice cooked in a rich tomato–onion base with peanut oil, garlic, and chilies, often layered with cabbage, carrots, eggplant, and occasionally beef, mutton, or chicken. Cooks sear the aromatics, brown the meat if using, stir in tomato paste and fresh tomatoes, then add rice and stock to gently steam until each grain absorbs the red sauce; bay leaf and ginger are common seasonings, and wood-fired pots lend a faint smokiness. The result is savory, slightly oily rice with tender vegetables and a satisfying, balanced heat. Served at midday in canteens and at baptisms, weddings, and community feasts, riz gras plays a role similar to Jollof in the region yet remains distinctly Burkinabè through its vegetable mix, peanut-oil sheen, and preference for hearty cuts.

Babenda brings together leafy greens—such as amaranth or other locally bitter varieties—with dried or smoked fish, ground peanuts, and soumbala made from fermented néré seeds. The greens are simmered until tender, then enriched with the nutty paste and the pungent, savory soumbala, which mellows as it cooks; onion, chili, and a drizzle of peanut oil round out the pot, creating a thick, deeply flavored relish. Expect a gentle bitterness balanced by sweetness from onion, nut richness, and an umami depth from fish and fermentation, yielding a complex, spoon-coating texture. Originating in Mossi kitchens and especially common during the rainy season when greens are abundant, babenda appears at home tables for lunch or dinner, eaten alone as a complete dish or paired with tô to stretch the meal further.

Benga refers to a simple, filling combination of black-eyed peas (niébé) and rice, a favorite for affordable midday meals. Cooks soak and simmer the peas until creamy, then fold them into rice cooked separately or in the same pot, seasoning with sautéed onions, chilies, salt, and a spoon of peanut oil or shea butter; some vendors add a tomato-onion relish or a sprinkle of dried fish flakes for extra savor. The dish offers nutty rice, tender beans, and a gentle heat, with light oiliness that keeps it satisfying without heaviness. Found in markets and around schools and offices, benga sustains busy workers and students, embodying the role pulses play in Burkinabè diets as reliable protein that travels well and holds up under the heat of the day.

Brochettes are charcoal-grilled skewers of beef, mutton, or liver, often marinated with grated onion, garlic, ginger, salt, black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon before hitting the fire. Skewered with onion or green pepper, the meat is basted as it grills, developing a smoky crust and juicy interior; a bright piment sauce made from fresh chilies, tomato, and vinegar adds heat and tang. The texture spans crisp edges to tender centers, and the aromas of wood smoke and spice mark the evening streets. A social staple after dusk in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, brochettes are eaten with chopped onions, tomato slices, baguette, or fried potatoes at roadside grills and casual maquis, where cooler night air makes lingering over skewers part of daily routine.

Burkinabè cooking blends cereal staples with leafy sauces, fermented néré (soumbala), and charcoal-grilled meats shaped by Sahelian seasons and market life. From tô at midday to brochettes at night, meals balance practicality and flavor. Explore more food guides and weather-smart trip ideas with Sunheron’s tools.