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Home » African dishes

Cassava Fufu

Dated: January 23, 2024 . Modified: Jan 23, 2024 by Kate Hahnel

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How to make fufu.

Essentially one of Africa's most loved dishes, fufu is delicious, easy to prepare, and a great accompaniment to so many dishes!

A plate of fufu with some egusi in the background.

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I have had many of my readers request for a fufu recipe, but had not until now got to it. Somehow, there were always other things. I cannot tell you how glad I am, that it is happening now!

what is fufu

Fufu, also known as foufou or foofoo, is a popular West-African smooth and dense starchy side dish.

Widely believed to have originated from the Akan people in present-day Ghana and Ivory Coast, fufu is usually made from pounded cassava, yam, plantain, or cornflour and water, and can also be made using a combination of these ingredients.

For quicker preparation, fufu flour made from dried and ground starchy roots like cassava, coco yams, or plantains is also used.

Traditionally, fufu was made by pounding the ingredients using a pestle and mortar, but nowadays, most people use high-speed blenders for convenience.

how to make fufu

To make fufu, you will require one cassava root (also known as yuca, maniok, or tapioka), and water. With many different versions of fufu out there, this particular version, is without plantain.

To make fufu using cassava tubers:-

  1. Peel, then dice the cassava into tubers.
  2. Transfer to a blender, along with the water and process it into a thick paste.
  3. Pour the mixture into a pot and cook over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to stir continuosly and rapidly.
  4. Continue stirring until the fufu becomes solid, smooth, and fully cooked.
  5. Serve and enjoy.
A photo of a cassava tuber before peeling, and finally peeled and diced, inside a blender.
Cooking fufu on the stove.

💡Good to know: Fufu from cassava tubers picks up colour from the bottom of the pot and will transition from white to a yellowish colour as it cooks.

To make fufu using cassava flour:-

  1. Sift cassava flour and set aside.
  2. Boil water in a pot.
  3. Off the stove, gradually use a wooden spoon to stir in the cassava flour to the boiled water until smooth and lump-free.
  4. Transfer to the stove, add some hot water, steam covered on low, for 2-3 minutes, then stir until the fufu is thick, smooth, and lump-free.
  5. Remove from the heat and serve hot with your favourite dishes.

Need more African recipe ideas? Consider trying our vegetarian egusi soup, zobo drink, and Jollof rice, next!

A side photo of cassava fufu with some egusi in the background.

what to serve it with

With its mild flavor and soft and sticky texture, fufu goes well with most West-African stews, soups and curries.

In addittion to the popular egusi soup, it tastes great served alongside dishes such as eru, groundnut soup, pepper soup, ogbono soup, and palm nut soup, just to mention a few.

A plate of fufu and egusi soup.

eating it

As a popular West African 'swallow' dish, where 'swallow' refers to its eating style, most people prefer to simply swallow fufu with soups and stews, with some even disapproving of chewing it. Examples of other African swallow dishes include ugali and sadza.

To eat fufu, tear off a small piece with your fingers, shape it into a ball, and make an indentation with your thumb. Dip it into the accompanying soup or stew, allowing it to soak up the flavors, then eat it.

And do not be caught eating with the left hand, as Nigerians are very particular about using the right hand for eating and other social interactions. You wouldn't even want to hand money to the shopkeeper with your left, for that matter, says my friend Lucy, who once made this terrible mistake!

A photo showing how to eat fufu and egusi soup.

is fufu the same as garri?

Fufu is typically made from starchy root vegetables such as cassava, yam, or plantain. These are boiled until soft or blended, and then either cooked or pounded into a dough-like consistency.

Garri, on the other hand, is made solely from cassava. The cassava tubers are peeled, washed, grated, fermented, and then fried or roasted to create dry granules or flour.

more tasty recipes

Check out these other delicious recipes!

  • Air Fryer Mandazi
  • Vegan Egusi Recipe
  • Pilau Spice
  • Chips Mayai
  • Kuku Choma
  • Chapati
  • Moist South African Banana Bread

Enjoy making this recipe! Tried it? Be sure to give it a review⭐ below!

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📖 Recipe

A side photo of cassava fufu with some egusi in the background.

Fufu

Kate Hahnel
Fufu is a delicious, filling and easy-to-prepare side dish that you will love.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine African
Servings 4
Calories 163 kcal
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Ingredients
  

Cassava Tuber (s) method

  • 1 large cassava tuber
  • ¼ cup water

Cassava flour method

  • 2 cups cassava flour
  • 4½ cups water

Instructions
 

How to make fufu using cassava tubers

  • Peel, then dice the cassava into tubers. Transfer to a blender, add water ¼cup, and blend until smooth.
  • Pour the mixture into a pot and cook over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to stir the fufu rapidly and continuously.
  • The fufu will start to thicken as it cooks. Continue stirring for about 15-20 minutes or until the fufu is cooked through and has a smooth, solid consistency.
  • Remove the pot from the heat, and scoop it into individual servings. Serve hot, with egusi, beef stew, pepper soup, or your favorite dishes.

How to make fufu using cassava flour

  • Sift cassava flour and set aside.
  • Boil 4½ cups water in a pot. Reserve ½ cup of the boiled water.
  • Off the stove, gradually add cassava flour to the 4 cups of boiled water, stirring constantly using a wooden spoon until smooth and lump-free.
  • Transfer the pot to the stove, add the reserved ½ cup of hot water, and steam under low heat covered, for 3-4 minutes.
  • Stir until the fufu is thick and smooth with no lumps. Remove from the heat, portion into preferred sizes, and serve hot with your favourite dishes.

Notes

  • Refrigerator storage: Refrigerated fufu can last for up to 3 days. Store it in an airtight container to prevent it from absorbing odors.
  • Freezing: Fufu can be frozen for up to 3-4 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or a freezer-safe bag or container to prevent freezer burn and preserve its texture and taste.
  • Reheating: Thaw frozen fufu in the refrigerator overnight before reheating thoroughly. The texture may slightly change after freezing and thawing.

Nutrition

Calories: 163kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 1gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 15mgPotassium: 276mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 13IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe? I would love it if you could leave a rating by clicking on the stars above on this recipe card.Pin this recipe on Pinterest or tag me out on socials @weeatatlast. I love seeing your creations.

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