African Food History Books
African food history books have tasty recipes made with ingredients you may have never seen before. They are more special because many of these recipes come with ancient stories. So, African cookbooks are not just about cooking. They also tell the history of African food and culture.
The cookbooks we’ll discuss here will help you learn more about African food traditions. We picked some of the best-selling books on Amazon that have simple steps and use easily available ingredients.
If you’re part of the African Diaspora, these books can help you feel close to home. If you’re not, they’re still a fun way to learn about African food and culture.
Keep reading to see the top African food history books on Amazon.
Top 10 Best African Cookbooks
1. Ghana to the World: Recipes and Stories That Look Forward While Honoring the Past
Eric Adjepong brings you Ghana to the World, a cookbook with 100 West African-inspired recipes and stories.
The book is based on the idea of Sankofa. Sankofa is a word from Ghana that means we must look back to move forward. So, the recipes in this book mix old and new ways of cooking. This idea helps balance traditional and modern West African food.
Eric was also a finalist on the popular TV show Top Chef. As a cooking expert, he shares creative dishes like sticky tamarind-glazed duck legs and sweet curried corn soup. You’ll also find classic meals like jollof rice and thick kontomire stew with leaves. Some recipes even come from his mother, adding a special touch of family history.
2. Black Food
Black Food is a powerful book that tells stories of creativity in Black food culture in America and worldwide. Bryant Terry, a food activist and author of Vegetable Kingdom, wrote this African food history book.
The book includes voices from over 100 Black chefs, writers, artists, and thinkers. It also includes stories, essays, and poems about the Black experience through food. Among the topics are migration, home, faith, and the future.
Bryant compiles recipes from different parts of the African Diaspora. You can find delicious recipes like Okra & Shrimp Purloo, Jerk Chicken Ramen, and Sweet Potato Pie.
The book also includes powerful stories and beautiful artwork to improve your reading experience.
3. Gullah Geechee Home Cooking: Recipes from the Matriarch of Edisto Island
Gullah Geechee Home Cooking is a prominent cookbook about Gullah Geechee food. The book was written by Emily Meggett, who is from Edisto Island. In her book, Emily shares the stories and traditional recipes of the Gullah Geechee people.
Gullah Geechee is a clan that originated from West Africa. However, they were colonised and taken as slaves to live on the Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia. Hopefully, they preserved their language, culture, and food over the years.
Emily enjoys living a simple life and making Gullah-inspired meals in her home kitchen. She is known for cooking for big groups, even in her old age. You will also find some stories of her family and community in the book.
Gullah Geechee recipes often use fresh, local ingredients like seafood, vegetables, and traditional rice. Some tasty recipes are Okra Gumbo, Barbecue Ribs, Black-eyed Peas, Mac and Cheese, Shrimp and Grits with Gravy, and Chocolate Cream Pie.
4. High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America
High on the Hog is a book about African American food and its history. This African food history book was written by Jessica B. Harris, who has spent many years learning about the foods of the African Diaspora.
In her book, she tells powerful stories about how African food traditions came to America. She explains how they began during slavery and continued to grow throughout history.
Even after many years, her book shows that African American cooking still stays close to its roots.
The award-winning author Jessica shares tasty meals like chitlins, fried chicken, and new vegan soul foods.
She also talks about how these meals are essential to African American culture.
5. Vegan Africa: Plant-Based Recipes from Ethiopia to Senegal
Vegan Africa is all about healthy and tasty plant-based meals from Africa. The recipes come from the author Marie Kacouchia’s childhood in Ivory Coast.
The book shares 70 plant-based meals inspired by the food traditions of over 15 African countries. It includes rice meals, sauces, snacks, drinks, and desserts from places like Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, and South Africa.
Marie shares tasty dishes like Peanut Hummus, Yassa Burger, Sweet Potato and Ginger Loaf, and Coconut Rice Pudding.
She also discusses popular ingredients used in African cooking, such as cacao, ginger, sweet potato, and garlic.
If you like vegan food, you’ll want to try this African food history book.
6. My Everyday Lagos: Nigerian Cooking at Home and in the Diaspora [A Cookbook]
My Everyday Lagos by Yewande Komolafe is a simple and rich cookbook that shares recipes from Lagos, Nigeria. This book is a standout pick among West African food history books.
It has 75 tasty recipes from different ethnic groups in Nigeria. Some meals include Jollof Rice, Puff Puff, and Groundnut Stew.
Yewande also writes short stories that explain the background of some ingredients. She talks about how these ingredients have changed over time and how they are used today in African communities like London, Toronto, and Atlanta. She also shares her personal story of reconnecting with her Nigerian roots through cooking.
This book gives you a feel of Nigerian culture, with beautiful pictures of Lagos and its food.
7. South of Somewhere: Recipes and Stories from My Life in South Africa, South Korea & the American South (A Cookbook)
South of Somewhere by Dale Gray is a cookbook that tells the story of the author’s life through the food she grew up eating.
Dale was born in South Africa, later moved to South Korea to teach, and now lives in the American South. Her journey gave her many stories and food experiences, which she put together in this book.
The book includes meals such as Mississippi Comeback Sauce, Garlic Peri-Peri Roast Chicken, and Salmon Ssam Feast.
She explains that South African people come from many backgrounds. Their history was shaped by colonisation, slavery, apartheid, and the mix of Asian, African, and European cultures.
Dale’s book is an excellent African food history book for anyone who wants to learn about the rich African culture.
8. Soo Fariista / Come Sit Down: A Somali American Cookbook
Soo Fariista is a Somali American cookbook made by Somali American students. Somali families are known for coming together to enjoy meals and share their culture. To keep Somali food traditions alive, the students gathered recipes by talking to their family members. They tested and adjusted the recipes to make them easier to follow.
The result is 70 tasty dishes like Saabuuse (stuffed pastry), Suqaar (cooked meat), Canjeelo (flatbread), and Shushumow (fried sweet dough).
These recipes mix East African roots with life in America. The book also introduces Somali food culture and includes personal stories from some of the students. Each recipe includes helpful notes from the book to guide anyone in cooking.
9. Roots, Heart, Soul: The Story, Celebration, and Recipes of Afro Cuisine in America
Roots, Heart, Soul by Chef Todd Richards is a cookbook that shows how West African food made its way to the Americas. It discusses Black history, including the slave trade and the Great Migration.
The book also explains how West African food and culture have shaped cooking in the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Inside, you’ll find over 100 recipes with colourful pictures. It also includes ingredient tips, short stories about the food, and interviews with chefs. Some of the tasty meals in the book are Haitian Oxtail with Beef Broth and Pikliz, 7-Up Cake, and Grilled Shrimp Mojo with Black Bean Puree.
Chef Todd’s book is excellent for exploring African food history books.
10. Authentic Recipes from Jamaica: [Jamaican Cookbook, Over 80 Recipes] (Authentic Recipes Series)
Authentic Recipes from Jamaica is a cookbook filled with tasty, easy-to-make recipes. It also includes fun stories about Jamaican culture and food history.
The book shares recipes from some of the best Jamaican chefs and restaurants. You’ll find over 60 recipes with colourful photos taken in Jamaica. Some meals include rich curries, sweet desserts, Pepperpot, Pepper Shrimp, and Sweet Potato Pone. Since Jamaica is known for its beaches, the book also has refreshing tropical juice recipes. Plus, it explains the ingredients clearly.
This book is perfect for learning more about Jamaican food and culture.
Final Thought
African cookbooks are a great way to learn about African food and culture. They contain tasty recipes, stories, and traditions that have been shared for many years.
Most of these books are made for people from the African Diaspora, helping them reconnect with their roots through food. But anyone who wants authentic African meals can also enjoy these African food history books.
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