Food guide

Eating in Sierra Leone: Cassava Leaf, Plasas and Groundnut Stew

Away from the beach restaurants' grilled fish and lobster, Sierra Leone's everyday cooking centres on rice served with one of a handful of rich, hearty stews — knowing the main ones makes ordering considerably easier.

Updated 2026-08-16

Cassava Leaf and Plasas: The Everyday Stews

Cassava leaf stew — pounded cassava leaves cooked down with meat or fish, palm oil and seasoning into a dark, rich sauce — is one of Sierra Leone's most widely eaten dishes, served over rice as a proper meal rather than a side. Plasas, made from cassava or potato leaves in a similar style, is a close cousin and just as common; the two are often used somewhat interchangeably depending on the region and the cook, and trying both is worth doing since the flavour differs more than the description suggests.

Groundnut Stew and the Rice-First Meal

Groundnut (peanut) stew, cooked with meat or fish in a thick, savoury peanut sauce, is another everyday staple and a good option for visitors who want something rich but slightly less intense than cassava leaf. As with the leaf stews, rice is the actual centre of the meal here, with the stew serving as the sauce rather than a standalone dish — worth keeping in mind so you order enough rice alongside whatever stew you choose.

Frequently asked questions

Pounded cassava leaves cooked down with meat or fish, palm oil and seasoning into a dark, rich sauce, served over rice — one of Sierra Leone's most widely eaten everyday dishes.

They're closely related leaf stews — plasas is typically made from cassava or potato leaves in a similar style — and the two are often used somewhat interchangeably depending on the region and cook, so trying both is worth it.

Yes — it's a rich, savoury peanut-based stew that's slightly less intense than the leaf stews, and a good introduction to how a Sierra Leonean meal is built around rice with a stew served over it.

Part of the Sierra Leone guide.

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