15 Traditional Samoan Food You Must Try
Posted by Maris on 5th Sep 2023
Traditional Samoan food is prepared from staple components such as taro, banana, breadfruit, coconut, fish, and others that are ingeniously blended to create a variety of tastes and experiences. Traditional Samoan food is best tried at fiafia nights or Sunday to’onai with an umu buffet, which allows you to try a little bit of everything. Nonetheless, Samoan staples can be found on the menus of numerous restaurants and marketplaces. So, use this list of traditional Samoan foods to find the cuisine you want to sample in Samoa!
What exactly is a “Umu”?
An umu is a great chance to try a variety of traditional Samoan foods. Umu is a traditional Samoan cooking method in which food is slowly cooked in a hot rock oven while wrapped in banana leaves. Umu food is served at fiafia and to’onai festivals, and umu demonstrations are available at select tourist spots.
Palusami
Palusami is a traditional Samoan cuisine that consists of taro leaves cooked in coconut milk to create a rich and creamy dish. It’s traditionally cooked in an umu, which is a hot-rock oven. Taro leaves must be cooked and sliced precisely or the consumer will become unwell! Don’t worry, Samoans are experts when it comes to cooking palusami. Furthermore, it will be easy to locate on restaurant menus and fiafia nights around the islands.
Oka
Oka is raw fish marinated in coconut cream with a few other spices or chillis for extra flavor. It is a staple of Samoa and many other Pacific cultures. Oka is served as an entrée in many restaurants in Samoa, and is best served in a coconut shell for a true authentic island look!
Koko Alaisa
Simply cooked rice, koko (Samoan cocoa), and coconut milk make koko alaisa or koko rice the ultimate comfort dish! Although it is delicious as a dessert, most visitors will sample koko rice for breakfast at resorts and beach fales.
Supo Esi
Another tropical yet robust breakfast option, supo esi (or papaya soup) is the Samoan equivalent of oatmeal but much more delicious! The meal is sweetened with coconut milk, papaya, and occasionally coconut flakes. Again, try it for breakfast at your resort or beach hut.
Keke Saiga
Keke saiga, also known as Chinese biscuits, are hard biscuits constructed from two separate doughs to form their iconic star/flower design. They are one of the most frequently distributed and easiest Samoan delicacies to find in Samoa. They’re usually available in packs of 5 to 10, and they make a filling road trip snack while seeing the islands.
Sapasui
Sapasui, the Samoan equivalent of chop suey, has been a popular meal in Samoa since the inflow of Chinese migrants under Germany’s reign – see A Brief History of Samoa. This meal is cooked with pig (pua’a) or chicken (moa), taro leaves, and carrots on a vermicelli noodle base and served with rice or taro (talo) on the side.
Palolo
The turquoise or crimson tails of the reef worm, which are discharged to the ocean’s surface on the waning moon in October or November (or often both), are considered a delicacy in Samoa. Palolo has a strong salty seafood flavor, similar to oysters, mussels, seaweed, and caviar packed into a stringy noodle-like structure.
Taro with Banana Chips
When visiting Samoa, swap out potato chips with the island flavors of banana or taro chips. Banana chips have a somewhat sweeter flavor than taro chips. However, both are salted and have the pleasant crunch that we all enjoy in chips.
Panikeke
These deep-fried dough balls are popular among islanders! Panikeke, or Samoan pancakes, are created in the shape of balls, similar to a delectable doughnut.
Fai’ai Elegi
Fai’ai elegi is fish cooked with coconut cream and a few other flavors, such as onions, to make the dish more flavorful. It’s usually served in the shell of the grated coconut during the meal. Using a piece of talo to scoop out the creamy fish is the way to go!
Paifala
Yes, a pie in Samoa practically oozes with the taste of the islands, as hot sweet pineapple gloops out with each bite! The best food to fuel a tour journey across the islands is paifala or pineapple half-moon pie!
Fruit that has been dried
However, thanks to dried fruit products like those from Ifiele’ele Organics, not all snacks in Samoa need to be quite as bad. Try pineapple, banana, and papaya in ways you’ve never tried before! You can even stay at Ifiele’ele Plantation and explore the plantation where they are created.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fresh tropical fruit is abundant in Samoa, whether for breakfast at your resort/beach fale or purchased at the market, and is a cuisine that is well worth trying! There’s plenty to stimulate the senses, from the sweetest pineapples you’ve ever tasted to the smoothest papayas!
I’a
For millennia, Samoa’s main protein source has been i’a, or “fish.” While many families have members who catch fish from paopao or the reefs, the majority of people get their fresh catches at the Apia Fish Market or roadside vendors. In Samoa, you must try fresh fish in whichever form you like, whether raw sashimi style or cooked to perfection!