Eastern Africa
Food of Mozambique
The 4 most iconic national dishes of Mozambique — real photos, key ingredients and tasty facts behind every plate.
Africa
Piri-piri chicken
A beloved Mozambican grilled chicken dish marinated with fiery piri-piri chili, garlic, citrus and oil. It is smoky, spicy and tangy, with strong Portuguese and African coastal influences.
Did you know?
The dish is closely associated with Mozambique and Angola, where Portuguese settlers adapted African bird's eye chilies into the famous piri-piri sauce.
Matapa
Matapa is a rich, earthy stew made from cassava leaves slowly cooked with ground peanuts and coconut milk. It is one of Mozambique’s most recognisable traditional dishes and is often served with rice or xima.
Did you know?
Versions of matapa are eaten across southern Mozambique, especially around Maputo, and seafood is often added in coastal households.
Xima
Xima is a firm maize porridge that serves as a staple accompaniment to stews, greens and sauces throughout Mozambique. Mild in flavor, it is valued for its smooth, filling texture.
Did you know?
Although called xima in Mozambique, it belongs to the wider family of stiff corn porridges found across much of eastern and southern Africa.
Chamussas
Chamussas are crisp triangular pastries filled with spiced meat, fish or vegetables, commonly sold as snacks and street food. They reflect the Indian Ocean trading links that shaped Mozambican cooking.
Did you know?
The name chamussa is the Portuguese-Mozambican form of samosa, showing how South Asian foodways became embedded on the Swahili and Lusophone coasts.