Vegetarian Nigerians do exist. Vegetarians and Vegans are people who do not eat any form of meat. However, while vegetarians tend to consume dairy products and eggs, vegans avoid all animal products, including eggs and dairy.
Although we depend heavily on animal source of protein, most of our meals are plant-based, so it is not that hard to be vegetarian or vegan in Nigeria. Here are some simple Nigerian vegetarian foods you can prepare at home that won’t make you feel like you’re missing out.
1. Moi Moi
Moi Moi is a very versatile meal in Nigeria. It can be eaten with almost anything. Moi Moi is made with beans paste and spices. The best thing is you can add any filling to it. If you want your moi moi to be completely vegan, you can have it completely plain. If you make a main meal like jollof rice or fried rice and skip the meat, you can use moi moi to complement the meal as protein.
2. Akara and Akamu (pap)
Akara and Akamu together is one of the common breakfast meals in Nigeria. Akara is also made with bean paste and spices while Akamu is made with corn meal. It is completely meat and dairy free, except you add milk to the akamu.
3. Mushroom stir-fry
Using mushroom in your stir fry instead of shrimp or chicken is a good vegetarian option, with pasta or rice.
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4. Puff Puff
Puff Puff is a sweet street snack very common all over Nigeria. It is basically made out of flour, sugar and yeast, with no egg or milk at all. You can easily make this snack at home or buy at a street corner.
5. Bole and pepper sauce
Bole is a street food made up of roasted plantain and a spicy pepper sauce. It is usually eaten with fish but you can skip that, obviously. If you don’t have access to the spicy sauce, you can also try the Yoruba alternative — Boli and Ekpa (groundnut).
Culled from Pulseng