Nigerian Food: Top 6 Recipes Available in the UK
Nigerian cuisine is bold, comforting, and rooted in stories of home and community. As the Nigerian diaspora has grown throughout the UK, dishes like Jollof Rice, Egusi Soup, and Suya have become easier to cook thanks to well-stocked African grocery shops and reliable national delivery. For many Nigerians abroad, these meals bring back familiar flavours, while more UK residents are discovering West African cooking for the first time. If you’re revisiting family favourites or trying something new, this guide covers essential Nigerian recipes you can easily prepare in the UK.
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Recipe 1: Jollof Rice
Jollof Rice is the star of Nigerian celebrations—bright, smoky, tomato-rich, and hotly debated. Its colour and aroma are unmistakable, and every cook has a signature method that they swear is the best.
Key Ingredients
- Long-grain parboiled rice
- Fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, tomato paste
- Scotch bonnet (atarodo)
- Onions
- Vegetable oil
- Seasoning: curry powder, thyme, bay leaves, Maggi cubes (or bouillon)
- Stock (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
How to Make Jollof Rice (Step-by-Step)
- Blend the base: Purée tomatoes, red peppers, onion, and scotch bonnet.
- Fry the sauce: Cook tomato paste in hot oil until it darkens, then add the blended mix and simmer until thick and slightly smoky.
- Season: Add curry, thyme, bay leaves, Maggi/bouillon, and your stock.
- Add the rice: Pour in washed long-grain parboiled rice so it’s just covered by the sauce.
- Steam gently: Cover tightly (foil under the lid helps) and cook on low heat without stirring.
- Finish: Once tender, fluff with a fork. Keep the smoky bottom layer—it's classic party Jollof.
Popular Variations
- Party Jollof
- Vegetable Jollof
- Chicken or Beef Jollof
How to Get Jollof Rice Ingredients in the UK
The good news? Jollof Rice ingredients are easy to find across the UK.
You’ll find long-grain parboiled rice, tomato paste, curry, thyme, and Maggi cubes are readily available in:
- London: Areas like Peckham (Little Lagos), Dalston, Tottenham, and Walthamstow have many African and Caribbean food shops specialising in Nigerian staples.
- Manchester: Look around Moss Side, Cheetham Hill, and Hulme, where West African groceries are common.
- Birmingham: Soho Road, Handsworth, and Aston are reliable hubs for Nigerian ingredients.
- Leeds & Liverpool: Both cities have growing African communities and neighbourhood markets offering peppers, spices, and imported goods.
Even outside major cities, international aisles in big supermarkets and UK-wide online African grocery retailers make it simple to get everything you need for authentic Jollof.
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Recipe 2: Egusi Soup
Egusi Soup is Nigerian comfort food at its best. Ground melon seeds create a rich, earthy base, while tender meats, palm oil, and greens build warmth and depth. It pairs perfectly with pounded yam or fufu.
Key Ingredients
- Ground melon seeds (egusi)
- Meat of your choice: beef, goat meat, chicken, or assortments
- Fish options: stockfish, dried fish, smoked turkey
- Leafy greens: spinach, ugu (pumpkin leaves), or bitter leaf
- Palm oil
- Onions
- Crayfish
- Seasoning: Maggi cubes (or bouillon), salt, pepper
- Scotch bonnet (optional for heat)
How to Make Egusi Soup (Step-by-Step)
- Prep the proteins: Boil your beef, goat meat, or chicken with onions and seasoning until tender. Add stockfish or smoked turkey so they soften in the broth.
- Toast and mix the egusi: Lightly fry the ground melon seeds in palm oil, then combine with a little warm water to form a thick paste.
- Cook the base: Add the egusi paste to the stock and let it cook undisturbed until it firms into soft lumps.
- Season and simmer: Break up the egusi gently, then add crayfish, pepper, and more seasoning. Simmer so the flavours blend.
- Add greens: Stir in spinach, ugu, or bitter leaf toward the end—just enough to wilt.
- Serve: Enjoy with pounded yam, eba, semo, or fufu.
Popular Variations
- Lumpy Egusi
- Egusi Ijebu
- Egusi with vegetables
How to Get Egusi Soup Ingredients in the UK
Egusi Soup is easy to make in the UK. You’ll find egusi, stockfish, smoked turkey, Maggi cubes, palm oil, and leafy greens in African and Caribbean stores in all major cities.
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Recipe 3: Suya
Suya captures the energy of Nigerian street food—smoky grills, bold spices, and thin strips of meat coated in fiery yaji (peanut-based suya spice). It’s quick, flavourful, and deeply nostalgic.
Key Ingredients
- Thinly sliced beef or lamb (flank, rump, or topside)
- Yaji suya spice (ground peanuts, ginger, garlic, cayenne, paprika, salt)
- Vegetable oil (optional, for moisture)
- Onion slices (for serving)
- Fresh tomatoes and cucumbers (for plating)
How to Make Suya (Step-by-Step)
- Slice the meat: Cut beef or lamb into thin strips for better spice absorption and charring.
- Season: Coat the meat fully in yaji spice, adding a little oil if needed.
- Skewer: Thread onto wooden or bamboo sticks.
- Grill: Cook on a hot grill or grill pan until charred, flipping occasionally.
- Serve: Plate with fresh onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers—the raw onion balances the heat and completes the Suya flavour.
Popular Variations
- Chicken Suya
- Kilishi
- Extra Hot Suya
How to Get Suya Ingredients in the UK
Suya is easy to recreate in the UK — yaji spice mixes, grilling sticks, and the right beef cuts are easy to source in African stores and online. If you're in London, Manchester, Birmingham, or elsewhere, the essentials are simple to find.
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Recipe 4: Puff Puff
Puff Puff is the snack that disappears fast—soft, airy, lightly sweet, and a must-have at Nigerian parties. Whether plain, sugared, or nutmeg-spiced, it’s always a crowd-pleaser.
Key Ingredients
- Plain flour
- Sugar
- Active dry yeast
- Warm water
- Nutmeg (optional but traditional)
- Salt
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
How to Make Puff Puff (Step-by-Step)
- Mix the dry ingredients: Combine flour, sugar, a pinch of salt, yeast, and nutmeg.
- Add warm water: Pour in gradually and mix until the batter is thick, smooth, and lump-free.
- Let it rise: Cover and leave in a warm place for 45–60 minutes until doubled in size.
- Heat the oil: Warm vegetable oil in a deep pot until a small drop of batter sizzles.
- Shape and fry: Scoop portions of batter and drop them gently into the oil. Fry until golden, turning occasionally.
- Drain and serve: Place on paper towels and enjoy warm—plain or dusted with sugar.
Popular Variations
- Nutmeg-rich Puff Puff
- Spicy Puff Puff
- Coconut Puff Puff
How to Get Puff Puff Ingredients in the UK
Puff Puff is one of the easiest Nigerian snacks to shop for — everything you need (flour, sugar, yeast, nutmeg, oil) is sold in all major UK supermarkets. Larger Tesco, ASDA, Morrisons, and Sainsbury’s branches also carry Afro-Caribbean spices in their world-food sections.
Recipe 5: Moi Moi
Moi Moi is a smooth, savoury steamed bean pudding made from blended black-eyed beans, peppers, onions, and spices. It’s versatile, nourishing, and enjoyed with rice, garri, bread, or on its own.
Key Ingredients
- Black-eyed beans
- Red bell pepper
- Scotch bonnet (optional)
- Onion
- Vegetable oil
- Seasoning cubes (Maggi or bouillon)
- Salt
- Water
- Optional add-ins: boiled egg, corned beef, fish (mackerel)
How to Make Moi Moi (Step-by-Step)
- Prep the beans: If using whole beans, soak and rub to remove the skins, then rinse. (Skip this if using pre-peeled beans or bean flour.)
- Blend: Blend beans with peppers, onion, and a little water until smooth and pourable.
- Season: Add oil, seasoning cubes, and salt. Mix well and adjust thickness so the mixture isn’t too dense or watery.
- Add extras: Fold in fish or corned beef, or place boiled egg slices in the containers before filling.
- Cook: Pour into foil containers, ramekins, or bowls. Steam for 45–60 minutes, or bake in a water bath for a firmer texture.
- Serve: Enjoy warm—alone or with Jollof Rice, fried rice, custard, or garri.
Popular Variations
- Moi Moi with Egg
- Fish Moi Moi
- Oven-Baked Moi Moi
- Moi Moi in Leaves
How to Get Moi Moi Ingredients in the UK
Getting Moi Moi ingredients in the UK is straightforward. Black-eyed beans, peppers, onions, and basic seasonings are stocked in nearly all major supermarkets:
- In London, you’ll find peeled beans, bean flour, and traditional add-ins (mackerel, seasoning blends, foil containers) in African grocery areas around Peckham, Dalston, and Tottenham.
- In Manchester, neighbourhoods such as Moss Side and Cheetham Hill have multiple African-Caribbean shops that carry everything needed for Moi Moi.
- Birmingham’s African food hubs around Soho Road and Handsworth also offer bean mixes, spices, and steaming essentials.
If you’re outside these cities, many UK-wide African online retailers stock pre-peeled beans and other staples, making it easy to prepare Moi Moi anywhere in the country.
Recipe 6: Nigerian Pepper Soup (Goat or Fish)
Pepper Soup is light, aromatic, and restorative—built on calabash nutmeg, uda, uziza, and fresh herbs. Whether made with goat meat, chicken, or fish, it’s a warming favourite for cold weather and celebrations.
Key Ingredients
- Goat meat, chicken, catfish, tilapia, or assorted meats
- Pepper soup spice blend (calabash nutmeg, uda, uziza seeds)
- Onions
- Scotch bonnet (atarodo)
- Seasoning cubes (Maggi or bouillon)
- Fresh herbs: scent leaf or basil
- Salt
How to Make Pepper Soup (Step-by-Step)
- Prep the proteins: Wash goat meat, fish, or chicken thoroughly. For meat versions, boil first with onions, salt, and seasoning cubes until tender.
- Add the spice blend: Stir in the pepper soup spice mix—start with a small amount and build the flavour gradually. Add a chopped scotch bonnet for heat.
- Simmer gently: Let the broth cook slowly so the spices infuse fully. For fish, add pieces carefully so they don’t break apart.
- Finish with herbs: Add scent leaf or basil at the end to bring freshness and aroma.
- Serve hot: Pepper Soup is best enjoyed on its own, with fresh bread, boiled yam, rice, or plantains.
Popular Variations
- Goat Meat Pepper Soup
- Catfish Pepper Soup (Point & Kill style)
- Chicken Pepper Soup
- Extra Spicy Pepper Soup
How to Get Pepper Soup Ingredients in the UK
Pepper Soup staples (spice blends, goat meat, chicken, and fish) are easily found across the UK, especially in areas with strong African food shops. Most major cities stock everything you need.
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Where to Buy Nigerian Ingredients in the UK
It’s simple to find what you need for Nigerian recipes in the UK. Growing Nigerian and West African communities—especially in London, Manchester, and Birmingham—have built a strong network of African supermarkets importing all the ingredients featured in this article.
London
Peckham (“Little Lagos”), Dalston, Tottenham, and Walthamstow.
Popular Stores:
- Kumasi Market – 74 Peckham High St
- Kumasi Market London – 86 East St
- Kumasi Central Market – 41B W Green Rd
- African Food Centre – 18 Cricklewood Ln
- Eden Store – 60 W Green Rd
- Nungua Market – 32 High St, Walthamstow
Manchester
Moss Side, Cheetham Hill, Hulme, and Salford.
Popular Stores:
- Moston Superstore – 5 Pym St
- N.A.S Superstore Ltd – 110 Hulme High St
- African Grocers Salford – 85 Raven Wy
- Global African Ltd – 78 Hulme High St
- Top 50 Superstores – 53 Kenyon Ln
- DOA Foods (Afro-Caribbean) – Unit 3, Lime Square
Birmingham
Soho Road, Handsworth, and Aston.
Popular Stores:
- Jennies Wholesale Cash & Carry – 195 New Town Row
- African Food Store Soho Road – 342 Soho Rd
- Joy Express – 120 Great Hampton Row
- Cape Market Oguaa – 8 Heathfield Rd
- Ikeh Foods Limited – 507 Bearwood Rd
5 Online Options (UK-Wide Delivery)
If you live outside major cities, many African grocery retailers deliver nationwide—often next-day:
3 Tips for Finding Cheaper Nigerian Ingredients
- Buy spices in bulk — they last long and cost less per kilo.
- Use Afro-Caribbean aisles in Tesco, ASDA, Morrisons, and Sainsbury’s.
- Visit weekend markets in Nigerian neighbourhoods for fresher goods at better prices.
Bring the Flavours (and Voices) of Home Into Your Kitchen
Cooking Nigerian food in the UK is easier than ever — from Jollof and Egusi to Suya, Moi Moi, and Pepper Soup, the ingredients are widely available in local African stores and through fast online delivery. Whether you’re recreating family favourites or trying to cook Nigerian recipes in the UK for the first time, each dish brings a taste of home and a deeper connection to Nigerian culture.
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