10 Best Healthy Appetizers in Nigeria – Nigerian Appetizers  

10 Best Healthy Appetizers in Nigeria – Nigerian Appetizers  | Nigerian Finger Foods

If you’re looking for healthy and exciting to serve at your next party, look no further than Nigerian appetizers. From fried plantains chips, small chops to spicy chicken wings and other healthy Nigerian snacks; these dishes are sure to tantalize your taste buds and leave your guests asking for more.

What is a Nigerian Appetizer? 

Appetizers are those finger foods eaten before a main course meal. In other words, they are offered to whet your appetite before the main dish is served; they are healthy and nutritious finger food.

They are typically served in modest small quantity so that you don’t get fill up but rather to get one ready for the main food.

They are frequently offered during weddings, birthdays, naming ceremonies, anniversaries, funerals, and the taking of a chieftaincy title as well as formal dinners.

Appetizers can be cooked from scratch or get the ones available from the market in Nigeria. Some delicious appetizers aren’t required to be cooked, while others are best served hot from the vendor at the event point.

How Nigerians Celebrate Parties Home and Abroad

A typical Nigerian party is lively with lots of activities ranging from life band or life shows, comedy, Music from DJ with dancers, and the most important aspect “Food and Drinks.” 

Basically, when planning the menu for parties, aside from the quality and quantity of food for your guest; variety is the key to a successful event for Appetizers, menu, and desserts. 

Nigerian parties in other countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and South Africa, variety is essential to the success of a typical Nigerian party anywhere in the world. 

Looking for some delicious Nigerian appetizers to make for your next party or get-together? Look no further! These five recipes are sure to please everyone’s taste buds

Our range of nutritious Nigerian appetizers features not only the most well-liked but also the healthiest and most nourishing dishes:

Small Chops – Nigerian Small Chops

In a Nigerian party, the typical small chops are samosa, spring roll, Asun, and puff-puff. A well-seasoned beef or chicken mince fills a small wrapper pocket that makes up a samosa. It comes with a pepper dip and is crisp-fried to a golden brown color.

Small chops come in a variety of shapes and are simple to prepare, including:

Asun: They are soft beef (meat or ponmo) that has been cut into little bits and cooked to soften and fried; then dipped into pepper sauce. It is also called Asun peppered meat is popular in parties and restaurants.

Puff puff: A pastry that has been formed into balls is called puff puff; Yeast is added to the dough to help it rise.

Plantain mosa:  ripe plantain fritter is a small fried dough ball called plantain mosa. It is delicious and frequently comes with puff-puff.

Spring rolls: Fried pastry stuffed with meat and veggies are called spring roll. Another great option is the Nigerian meat pie or egg roll.

Read Also >>>>> Spring Rolls – How To Make Nigerian Small Chops

Small Chops

Chin chin – Nigerian Appetizers  

Chin chin is fried dough that has been cut into various shapes and sizes. It is crunchy and sweet. Chin-chin is a must-have pastry in every home, especially during parties or festive periods.

Nigerian Appetizers

Chin-chin is like mini-cooky in Africa they are yummy and tasty recipe. Chin chin commonly refers to as chop one is another Nigerian favorite snack, it is a mixture of flour, baking powder, sugar, butter, eggs, and nutmeg to make a perfect Nigerian snack.

Pepper snails – Healthy Nigerian Appetizers  

Peppered snail is a popular small chop or side dish in many Nigerian parties and events. Known for its crunchy, spicy, and delicious taste, the Nigerian peppered snail has come to stay in the menu of nearly all Nigerian parties and restaurants.

It is interesting to know that snails are gluten-free and high in protein. They are also a great source of iron and omega3.

Nigerian Appetizers
Image – Joycee’s Blog

Snail is a great source of protein because it has a low carb count. It’s also unprocessed and free of potentially dangerous substances. Just take a look at the Peppered snail pictures above and see how beautiful it looks.

Corn and Ube (Pear)

Corn and Ube (African pear) are well-liked because they go well together. Boiling corn in salted water softens it. The Nigerian pear is cooked by soaking it in hot water until it becomes mushy, optionally adding salt. Corn is served alongside pears. Usually, just before dinner, in the evening, corn and pears are enjoyed.

Corn and ube

People all over the country, regardless of ethnicity, enjoy corn and African pear,  Ube which is the Igbo term for pear. Although pear may always be available, corn is considered a seasonal appetizer that is only consumed during the corn season because it is not always available.

Peppered Gizzard – Healthy Nigerian Appetizers  

Peppered gizzard is a delicious, mouthwatering delicacy that makes an excellent snack. It is popularly known as ”small chop” (finger food) and served as an appetizer in Nigerian party menu. 

Nigerian Appetizers
Image Credit: ForthWorth Farms

 Garden Eggs and Groundnut Paste

Garden Eggs and Groundnut Paste are healthy Nigerian snacks. Garden eggs are high-fiber, high-water-content edible fruit.

Peanut butter or Groundnut paste is a household name in Nigeria. This spread is being used when eating garden egg in most Eastern part of Nigeria and is commonly refers to as okwa-ose in Igbo language.

Garden egg and groundnut paste
Photo Credit: Amazing Falonne

Groundnut paste and garden eggs are traditionally dish served in wedding ceremonies, parties and other formal celebrations.

Suya – Nigerian Appetizers  

Suya is a popular northern delicacy a delicious appetizer. Suya is a Nigerian skewered roasted beef; the aroma coming out of this meat can be so tempting.

Homemade suya or Grilled meat is very easy to make, moreover, suya without suya spice is no suya at all and this pepper spice is what actually qualifies this roasted beef.

Suya Meat

It can be made using a method similar to preparing barbecue. There are some little  differences, though.

Plantain Chips – Nigerian Appetizers  

Nigerian plantain chips are spicy and crunchy snacks that are made with either a ripe plantain, unripe plantains, or slightly ripe and strong plantains to achieve that crunchiness in chips

Plantain chips

Plantain chips are healthy appetizers. The plantains are cut into thin slices of different shapes and sizes and fried in hot oil. It’s another healthy alternative.

Groundnut – Nigerian Appetizers  

Groundnut is an important nut that is high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. You’ll receive more nutrients and health advantages if you eat groundnut with cucumber, or banana.

Nigerian Appetizers

However, another popular combination is groundnut and boli (roasted plantain) it an excellent appetizer any day. How about groundnut and biscuits; it’s a well-loaded snack.

Pepper Soup – Peppersoup Healthy Nigerian Appetizers  

Peppersoup is a popular party food in Nigeria. It is a flavorful soup with unique ingredients and spices. Pepper soup can be cooked with virtually any protein, including chicken, catfish, beef, cow legs, oxtail, goat meat, dry fish, fresh fish, and stockfish, Similarly, vegetarians are also catered for with mushrooms peppersoup.

Pepper soup

 

Beef Kebabs – Nigerian Appetizers  

Beef Kebabs is a tasty and delicious cooked meat dish in skewer align with colorful veggies. Beef kebab is another appetizer at Nigerian parties or weddings

Beef Kababs can be ground meat or finely cut meat cooked on a stick over a fire like using the grill method, baked or pan-fried with vegetables and other accompaniments. You can also make chicken kabobs as well.

 Beef Kebab

What is a Nigerian snack?

Nigerian Snacks recipes include Puff Puff, Chin Chin, Doughnuts, Buns, Nigerian Meat Pie, Coconut Candy, Fish Roll and the likes. Nigerian snacks are usually deep-fried, baked, or roasted.

What can be served as appetizers in Nigeria?

Other interesting appetizers available in Nigeria are:

  • Biscuits
  • Cucumber
  • Groundnut
  • Roasted plantain (Boli)
  • Pepper snails.
  • Peppered gizzard

What do you serve at a Nigerian party?

7 Proper Nigerian Foods to Serve at Your Party

  • Small Chops
  • Jollof Rice and Dodo or Jollof Rice and Moi moi
  • Fried rice and chicken
  • Amala and Iyan. Amala and Ewedu
  • Ofada Rice and Stew
  • Asun, Snail or Peppered Ponmo
  • Semo and Egusi soup

What are the 6 types of appetizers?

  • Chin chin
  • Small chops
  • Fruit kebabs (chips fruits)
  • Garden egg and groundnut
  • Biscuits
  • Prawn crackers

What are common Nigerian dishes?

10 Popular and Traditional Nigerian Foods to Try

  • Nigerian Jollof Rice
  • Àkara (Fried Bean Cake)
  • Pepper Soup
  • Suya (Grilled Kebab)
  • Fufu (Akpu)
  • Iyan (Pounded Yam)
  • Egusi Soup
  • Àmàlà (Yam Flour/ Plantain Flour)
  • Puff-Puff (Sweet Fried Dough Ball)
  • Ogbono Soup

What is the simplest type of appetizer?

The easiest appetizer is fresh fruit and vegetables. Fruits are tasty appetizers because of their enticing appearance, aroma, flavor, and pleasing appearance like rainbow fruits kebabs.

What is Nigeria most popular food?

The most well-known Nigerian dish is certainly Jollof rice, but there more dishes like “swallow” foods with a richly flavored soups and stews pair along.

What are five finger foods?

  • Chicken tenders
  • Small chops
  • Potato chips
  • Plantain chips
  • Finger chips

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