A lot of us have heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Whether or not you eat breakfast, many people around the world choose to consume something in the morning to jumpstart their day. For example, in Costa Rica, where I’m from, we eat gallo pinto (rice and black beans) to keep us full for the next few hours until lunchtime. Similarly, there are many people in Nigeria who prefer starting off their day with breakfast, whether large or small. Interested in learning more? Then, please continue reading for some amazing Nigerian breakfast recipes to jumpstart your morning.
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Do People Eat Breakfast in Nigeria?
So, there are some countries around the world where eating breakfast is not very common.
Similar to people here in the United States, there are people in Nigeria who enjoy eating a large breakfast to jumpstart their day.
However, there are others who are satisfied with just eating bread and tea before heading out to work or school.
Also, in case you were not already aware of this, it is very common for people in Nigeria to eat the previous evening’s dinner for breakfast since it’s convenient and a good way to make sure leftovers do not go to waste.
However, as mentioned previously, there are some people who would rather eat something fresh in the morning.
Now, here are the top 10 Nigerian breakfast recipes for you.
Nigerian Bread and Tea
Bread and tea are arguably one of the most popular breakfast meals to make in Nigeria.
There are several ways to prepare this breakfast combination, but most of the time it consists of any kind of bread (toasted or plain), “tea” (which can often just be cocoa and milk), and eggs (fried, boiled, or scrambled).
(FYI, Milo, which you can purchase on Amazon, is one of the more popular kinds of “tea” that lots of Nigerians enjoy drinking with breakfast).
Take a look at the YouTube video below by Adorable Kitchen for a typical bread and tea Nigerian breakfast recipe with egg:
Nigerian Noodles and Egg Breakfast
Instant noodles, from the brand Indomie, and eggs are another super popular kind of Nigerian breakfast.
(FYI, if you’re interested, you can purchase Indomie noodles on Amazon).
Moi-Moi
This is just one other example of a Nigerian breakfast recipe idea.
If you’ve never heard of moi-moi before, it’s basically a steamed bean “pudding” that Nigerians make with black-eyed peas, onions, ground red pepper, and other seasonings and spices.
Also, if you’re not familiar with this breakfast item, some people in Ghana and Sierra Leone call this African breakfast dish alele or olele.
Now, I know what some of you may be thinking… beans for breakfast!?
Actually, eating beans for breakfast is SUPER common in LOTS of countries around the world!
For example, in Costa Rica, where I’m from, we enjoy eating a dish of black beans and rice for breakfast that we call gallo pinto (spotted rooster).
How To Make Nigerian Moi Moi Breakfast Recipe
These are the basic steps for how to make Nigerian moi moi breakfast:
- Soak the beans in cold water for about an hour.
- Blend the beans with water, which will separate the bean from the outer peeling.
- Use a strainer to separate the beans from the skin.
- Grind or blend the beans into a fine paste along with onions and red peppers.
- Add seasonings such as salt and chicken bouillon and mix.
- Place the bean paste into a heat-proof container.
- Place the container into a pot with some water.
- Steam for about 45 minutes to an hour.
To help you understand this better, take a look at the YouTube video below by LifeWithRozy for this typical Nigerian breakfast recipe.
(Pay attention, because she shows you 2 different methods for how to make moi moi for your Nigerian breakfast).
How’s that for a delicious Nigerian breakfast idea?
Akara
Akara is basically African bean fritters (or black-eyed peas fritters) that a lot of Nigerians, and many other Africans, like to eat for breakfast.
(Some people know this breakfast bean dish as bean cakes or bean balls.)
They’re super filling… and vegetarian, too (if you’re looking for that kind of recipe).
For this recipe, you’ll be needing black-eyed peas (or African brown beans), hot chili peppers, an onion, salt, and frying oil.
Also, similar to the moi moi recipe above, you will need to soak the beans and blend them in order to separate the outer skin from the bean.
Take a look at this akara recipe by All Nigerian Recipes to learn how to make it.
Also, be sure to take a look at the YouTube video on the page for a visual representation of how to make this Nigerian breakfast recipe.
What to Serve with Akara
You can serve Nigerian akara with the following:
- Pap (fermented corn pudding)
- African pepper sauce
- Tomato stew
- Bread loaf
Ewa Agoyin
This is a kind of Nigerian breakfast dish made with beans that you can eat with bread. It’s basically boiled beans with a hot pepper sauce.
What you’ll love about this recipe is that it is SUCH an easy Nigerian breakfast recipe that you can make from home.
Who knows… this might become your go-to breakfast!
Anyway, to make this easy recipe, you’ll basically need to boil beans, mash them, and top them with a spicy ewa agoyin stew made of hot peppers and onions.
Yup, that’s it!
Check out this YouTube video below by Velvety Foodies to see what I mean:
Yam and Egg Sauce
This is yet another very popular and easy Nigerian breakfast recipe.
The basic ingredients for this Nigerian breakfast dish include:
- Boiled (African) yam
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Scotch bonnet chili peppers
FYI, the “egg sauce” is basically an egg stew.
Check out this recipe by My Active Kitchen to learn more!
Or, you can also take a look at this YouTube video below by Tasty City for a visual recipe.
Nigerian Pancake
Finally, here’s the last of the Nigerian breakfast recipes that I have for you today.
A Nigerian pancake more closely resembles a French crepe than an American pancake.
It’s flat and very thin and mainly consists of sugar, onions, and peppers.
Just so you know, these are the other ingredients you will need:
- Plain Flour
- Eggs
- Milk
- Butter, margarine, or vegetable oil
- Sugar
- Chilli pepper or Scotch bonnet
- Onion
- Salt
- Vegetable oil
- Nutmeg
If you’re interested in making a Nigerian pancake recipe, I recommend this one on Nigerian Food TV.
(Also, there are a lot of useful tips on the page that are very helpful such as how to use evaporated or powdered milk if you choose to use those in place of whole milk.)
This recipe is definitely worth considering!
Breakfast Recipes in Nigeria FAQ
In case you did not catch the answers to these questions above, here are some frequently asked questions related to Nigerian breakfast recipes.
What is a typical Nigerian breakfast?
A typical Nigerian breakfast consists of any of the following:
- Bread and tea
- Noodles and egg
- Moi moi
- Akara
- Ewa Agoyin
- Yam and egg sauce
- Nigerian pancake
- Leftovers from the previous day’s dinner
What is the most popular breakfast in Nigeria?
The most popular breakfast dishes in Nigeria are bread and tea, akara, and yam and egg sauce.
What is a typical African breakfast?
A typical African breakfast consists of bread, tea, and eggs.
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Final Thoughts On Nigerian Breakfast Recipes
And that’s a wrap! I hope you seriously consider making at least one of these breakfast recipes from Nigeria. Did any of them stand out to you? Which ones? If so, please let me know in the comments below!
