15 Delicious Kwanzaa Recipes to Make This Year (2024)

Kwanzaa is an ever-evolving celebration of Black American heritage and culture that links African traditions with African American customs. The week-long celebration takes place December 26 through January 1, ending with a feast called karamu. The meal usually takes place on the final night of Kwanzaa as an alternative to New Year's Eve celebrations. Traditionally, the karamu might include dishes from across the African diaspora, such as Jollof Rice from West Africa, Jamaican Jerk Chicken from the Caribbean, or other traditional offerings from the American South. Here are recipes for those and more delicious Kwanzaa food to celebrate the holiday.

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Jamaican Jerk Chicken

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In 2018, we named this recipe one of our 40 best, and we stand by that decision. There are as many takes on jerk chicken in Jamaica as there are cooks on the island, but most share the same method: Chicken is coated in a seasoning mixture dominated by spices and chiles, then grilled. This version comes from Paul Chung, a self-taught cook of Chinese-Jamaican descent who worked in the mail room at Food & Wine. It's wonderfully spicy, smoky, and fragrant — everything we want jerk chicken to be.

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Mirliton and Gulf Shrimp Casserole

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Mirliton, or chayote squash, tastes like a blend of cucumber and crisp zucchini, and is beloved in New Orleans, where there is even a festival dedicated to it. Paired with warming Creole seasoning and savory andouille sausage, the tender squash and sweet shrimp bring balancing freshness to this hearty casserole

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Southern-Style Mac 'n' Cheese

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Three kinds of cheese — extra-sharp cheddar, Colby-Jack, and cream cheese — go into this creamy, savory macaroni and cheese recipe, which also gets layers of flavor from fresh bay leaves and dry mustard. Southern-style mac 'n' cheese is typically made with a milk-and-egg base rather than a roux. Here, that milk component is an infused milk-and-cream mixture reserved from cooking the noodles (which adds even more richness to the dish).

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Rosy Hibiscus-Gin Lowball

On the fence when it comes to gin? Try a sip of this gateway cocktail. Known as sorrel in parts of Africa, roselle — the type of hibiscus used in most hibiscus teas — complements the floral notes found in gin, resulting in a refreshing, balanced beverage. Stir leftover hibiscus tea into lemonade for a refreshing nonalcoholic sipper.

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Glazed Beef Shanks with Coffee and Peanuts

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Mashama Bailey roasts these hefty beef shanks in a ginger- and spice-spiked tomato sauce which she finishes with a generous dollop of thick and creamy peanut butter. She garnishes them with grated coffee beans; toss them in a coffee grinder for a chunkier texture.

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Nigerian Clay Pot Chicken

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For this homey dish, a whole chicken is trussed, rubbed with an infused compound butter — Alligator Pepper and Makrut Lime Butter, in this case — then nestled in a layer of seasonal vegetables. Lemongrass, whole lime slices, and ginger add a punchy fragrance and a tangible sweetness to the pot. In the oven, the delicious herb-spiced chicken drippings coat the vegetables and citrus slices, which gently caramelize as the chicken cooks.

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Hoppin' John with Turnips and Turnip Greens

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Todd Richards spices up his family recipe for this Southern favorite (often enjoyed on New Year's Day) with harissa for extra heat. Richards adds smoked paprika and cumin to deliver a similar savory depth. Turnips become soft and tender after a quick braise, adding body to the dish. The traditional ham hock is optional so that vegetarians can enjoy the dish as well.

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Candied Sweet Potatoes

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Sweet potatoes are baked in a sweet, buttery sauce with hints of maple syrup and warm autumn spices in this satisfying side. The syrup thickens and becomes sticky as it rests; sprinkling on grated orange zest at the end balances the sweetness of the dish.

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Island Jollof Rice

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Jollof rice, a spiced red rice dish with diasporic expressions across the Atlantic, starts with rice, tomatoes, onions, and chili peppers. It's such a beloved dish that several West African countries claim ownership of it. Historians believe it was actually created in Senegal, but that doesn't stop the competition; Nigerians and Ghanaians especially squabble on who makes it better.

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Sweet Potato Oven Fries

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Jessica B. Harris serves these sweet-salty oven sweet potato fries for herKwanzaa celebration dinnerfor what she says is, "another nod to the African-American diet in the South."

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Mom's Fried Catfish with Hot Sauce

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Todd Richards' mother made catfish on Fridays as part of her weekly rotation of dishes. He recalls how he was always amazed by the crispiness of her fish: Her secret is to let the dredged catfish sit in cornmeal for about 5 minutes before frying it — a technique he uses today.

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Sour Cream Pound Cake

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The combination of sour cream and buttermilk in this recipe creates a lighter pound cake. For a decadent breakfast, serve toasted slices with butter and preserves.

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Okra Gumbo with Blue Crabs and Shrimp

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In this recipe from the iconic The Dooky Chase Cookbook, the late chef Leah Chase used okra (and lots of it) to thicken the dish.

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Coconut Chicken with Pickled Pepper Collards

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"Coconut connects with my African roots," says Ethiopian-born Marcus Samuelsson about the key ingredient for this dish.

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Black-Eyed Pea and Watercress Salad with Corn Bread Croutons

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Chef Sean Brock seasons his black-eyed peas with hot sauce, lemon juice, and vinaigrette before tossing them with crackling corn bread and peppery watercress for a Southern main-course salad.

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15 Delicious Kwanzaa Recipes to Make This Year (2024)

FAQs

15 Delicious Kwanzaa Recipes to Make This Year? ›

Catfish, collards, and macaroni and cheese all began showing up on Kwanzaa tables, as did jerk chicken, gumbo, accras (Caribbean fritters) and feijoada — foods of the Atlantic rim expressive of the geography of the African diaspora. Kwanzaa food, at its simplest, is any dish people cook for Kwanzaa.

What food is typically eaten for Kwanzaa? ›

Catfish, collards, and macaroni and cheese all began showing up on Kwanzaa tables, as did jerk chicken, gumbo, accras (Caribbean fritters) and feijoada — foods of the Atlantic rim expressive of the geography of the African diaspora. Kwanzaa food, at its simplest, is any dish people cook for Kwanzaa.

What do kids eat for Kwanzaa? ›

Some possibilities include black-eyed peas with rice and ham, seasoned black beans and rice, fried catfish, macaroni and cheese, gumbo, and curried chicken and banana soup. Additionally, any special foods that feel festive or culturally relevant for your family can work as well.

Can you eat meat on Kwanzaa? ›

Kwanzaa meals might include Jollof Rice, a traditional West African dish, jerk meats from the Caribbean, and black beans that are popular in Caribbean and South American dishes. During Kwanzaa, some people abstain from eating meat or fast until the Kwanzaa feast. This decision is a personal choice.

What fruit is served at Kwanzaa? ›

Arrange your “first fruits” around the kinara. Fresh pears are a lovely addition to the Kwanzaa table. You will also want to include one ear of corn (a symbol of fertility) for every child in the family. If you don't have kids, you'll still include one ear for the idea of social parenthood.

What do you drink on Kwanzaa? ›

If you celebrate Kwanzaa, a stinger is the cocktail for you. Invented in the early 1900s by African-American Tom Bullock, it's a great way to pay tribute to the unity of African-American culture in the states. The recipe is simple – blend a two to one ratio of brandy and creme de menthe, shake well, and serve over ice.

Does Kwanzaa have a feast? ›

Kwanzaa is an annual seven-day African American and pan-African holiday celebration from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu, usually on the sixth day.

What does an ear of corn symbolize during Kwanzaa? ›

The corn represents the children of a family (one ear of corn for each child). The corn symbolizes the parents' wish for the child to grow up strong and happy.

Does Kwanzaa have a Santa? ›

Kwanzaa's official edicts say it was specifically created as a cultural and not a religious observation, although the holiday's official Website states that "one can accept and revere the religious message and meaning [of Christmas] but reject its European cultural accretions of Santa Claus, reindeer, mistletoe, ...

What religion is Kwanzaa tied to? ›

But unlike many of the holidays celebrated and observed in December, Kwanzaa isn't attached to any one religion. The week-long celebration of Kwanzaa began in the United States and has links to harvest festivals in Africa and communities around the world.

Does Kwanzaa have a religion? ›

Kwanzaa is a strictly secular holiday. Although its seven-pronged kinara bears a resemblance to the eight-pronged Jewish menorah, it has no connection to Judaism. And although Kwanzaa is celebrated immediately after Christmas, it is neither related to nor intended to supplant the Christian holiday.

What is the gift given on the last day of Kwanzaa? ›

On Karamu, the last day of Kwanzaa, community members exchange meaningful, often handmade gifts like books, heritage symbols, and artworks to reinforce awareness of African American creativity.

What vegetables for Kwanzaa? ›

Kwanzaa's traditional foods are usually made to reflect the colors of the Pan-African flag or Bendera. The Bendera is red, black, and green. The two most significant foods on the table at Kwanzaa are black-eyed peas and collard greens symbolizing good luck and good fortune.

What is the name of the candle holder for Kwanzaa? ›

The kinara is a seven-branched candleholder used in Kwanzaa celebrations in the United States.

Why is Kwanzaa first fruit? ›

The origins of Kwanzaa on the African continent are in the agricultural celebrations called the first-fruits" celebrations and to a lesser degree the full or general harvest celebrations. It is from these first-fruits celebrations that Kwanzaa gets its name which comes from the Swahili phrase matunda ya lewanza.

What is given on the 7th day of Kwanzaa? ›

Lighting the Seventh Candle

On the last day of Kwanzaa when we light the final candle, we celebrate Imani, or faith. That means honoring our best traditions as a family and community. We look within and above to strive for a higher level of spirituality and a better life for ourselves and for those around us.

What is the name of the Kwanzaa feast? ›

Karamu Ya Imani (Feast of Faith) is a feast that takes place on December 31, the sixth day of the Kwanzaa period. The Karamu feast was developed in Chicago during a 1971 citywide movement of Pan-African organizations.

Are plantains part of Kwanzaa? ›

Starches may include anything from rice or couscous, candied yams, buttermilk biscuits, spoonbread, plantains, fritters, hoppin' John, or injera. Some families even use Kwanzaa as an opportunity to explore different African cuisine.

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