African cuisine is not a single style of cooking, but a vast and highly diverse collection of culinary traditions spanning the second-largest continent on Earth.

It is characterized by the inventive use of local ingredients, deeply flavorful seasonings, and a strong emphasis on communal dining.

African cuisine meals are typically built around a dense, starchy foundation, often served as a dough or thick porridge, used to scoop up the stew or sauce. Examples include Fufu (made from cassava, yams, or plantains), Ugali (maize flour porridge), and Injera (a sour, spongy flatbread). 

The starch is always paired with a hearty, heavily seasoned stew, or soup that provides the main flavor and protein. These are often made from vegetables, legumes, and protein, which in the case of vegan dishes could be tofu, beans and peas.

Common ingredients across regions include beans, peas, leafy greens (like cassava leaves or spinach), various squashes, groundnuts (peanuts), palm oil, and chili peppers.Flavor ProfileDishes are known for their depth of flavor, utilizing spices like ginger, garlic, onions, and various chili peppers, often cooked in a slow, one-pot manner.