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Abacha (African Salad), a Nigerian recipe
Nigerian

Abacha (African Salad)

A traditional Nigerian salad made with shredded cassava, oil bean, and palm oil, seasoned with spices and vegetables.

By CuocoMitra · Published · Updated 30 July 2026

saladvegetariannigerianafrican
Start freeSave this recipe
Total time
Prep
Serves
4
Per serving
273kcal
Difficulty
easy

Abacha (African Salad) is a easy Nigerian recipe that serves 4 and takes 20 minutes. It uses 7 ingredients across 4 steps. Each serving provides about 272.74 calories.

Ingredients

7 ingredients for 4 servings. Open any ingredient for its nutrition detail.

  • Cassava Flakesalso known as abacha, soaked until soft200 g

    Manihot esculenta

    Cereal Grains and PastaCassava products

    In this recipe: 200 g, also known as abacha, soaked until soft

    Per 100 g

    Calories360 kcal
    Protein1.5g
    Carbs86g
    Fat0.5g
    Fiber3g

    Common portions

    100 g100 g
    1 cup130 g
    1 tbsp9 g
    StapleBaseThickenerMildStarchySlightly sour
  • Ugbarinsed and sliced150 g

    Pentaclethra macrophylla

    CondimentsFermented seasonings

    In this recipe: 150 g, rinsed and sliced

    Per 100 g

    Calories320 kcal
    Protein25g
    Carbs20g
    Fat17g
    Fiber7g

    Common portions

    100 g100 g
    1 cup110 g
    1 tbsp12 g
    Umami builderFlavor baseSalad baseFunkyNuttyUmami
  • Palm Oilred, unrefined120 ml

    Oil, palm

    Fats and Oilssr_legacy

    In this recipe: 120 ml, red, unrefined

    Per 100 g

    Calories884 kcal
    Protein0g
    Carbs0g
    Fat100g
    Fiber0g

    Common portions

    tsp 1 undetermined4.5 g
    tbsp 1 undetermined13.6 g
    cup 1 undetermined216 g
    Fat sourceCooking mediumEmulsifierNeutralMildEarthy
  • Crayfish, dried, groundfor authentic flavor30 g

    Astacidea (crayfish) / Procambarus spp.

    Aquatic foodsCrustaceans

    In this recipe: 30 g, for authentic flavor

    Per 100 g

    Calories295 kcal
    Protein62g
    Carbs0g
    Fat4.5g
    Fiber0g

    Common portions

    powder 1 tsp2 g
    powder 1 tbsp6 g
    bulk measure 10 g10 g
    1 oz 1 undetermined28 g
    Umami builderSeasoningFlavor baseUmamiSeafoodSalty
  • Raw Onionsfinely chopped or thinly sliced0.5 medium

    Onions, raw

    Vegetables and Vegetable Productssr_legacy

    In this recipe: 0.5 medium, finely chopped or thinly sliced

    Per 100 g

    Calories40 kcal
    Protein1.1g
    Carbs9.34g
    Fat0.1g
    Fiber1.7g

    Common portions

    slice, thin 1 undetermined9 g
    tbsp chopped 1 undetermined10 g
    slice, medium (1/8" thick) 1 undetermined14 g
    slice, large (1/4" thick) 1 undetermined38 g
    AromaticFlavor enhancerBase ingredientPungentSweetSavory
  • Raw Taro Leavesfresh, thinly sliced10 g

    Taro leaves, raw

    Vegetables and Vegetable Productssr_legacy

    In this recipe: 10 g, fresh, thinly sliced

    Per 100 g

    Calories42 kcal
    Protein4.98g
    Carbs6.7g
    Fat0.74g
    Fiber3.7g

    Common portions

    leaf (11" x 6-1/2") 1 undetermined10 g
    cup 1 undetermined28 g
    Vegetable componentThickenerNutrient sourceEarthyMildSpinach like
  • Scotch bonnet pepperfinely minced, to taste1 small

    Capsicum chinense

    Vegetables and Vegetable ProductsPeppers (hot)

    In this recipe: 1 small, finely minced, to taste

    Per 100 g

    Calories30 kcal
    Protein1.5g
    Carbs6g
    Fat0g
    Fiber3g

    Common portions

    1 whole pepper (medium) 1 pepper25 g
    chopped 1 tbsp8 g
    minced 1 tsp2.5 g
    small portion (chopped) 10 g10 g
    Spicy agentAromaticFlavor enhancerSpicyFruityPungent

What you’ll need

1 tool across 4 steps.

  • mixing bowlEssentialsteps 2, 3

Method

  1. 1

    Soak Cassava Flakes

    Soak the 200 g of dried cassava flakes in warm water for about 15- minutes, or until they are soft but still have a slight bite. Drain thoroughly in a colander and set aside.

    Ensure the cassava flakes are fully softened before proceeding.

    Timer: 15 min
  2. 2

    Combine Ingredients

    In a large bowl, first prepare the dressing by combining the 120 ml of palm oil, 30 g of ground crayfish, and the minced scotch bonnet pepper. Then, add the drained cassava flakes, 150 g of ugba (oil bean), chopped onion, and sliced utazi leaves.

    Adjust the amount of pepper to your desired level of spiciness.

    Timer: 5 minmixing bowl
  3. 3

    Mix Well

    Using your hands or a spatula, thoroughly toss all the ingredients together until the cassava and ugba are evenly coated in the palm oil dressing.

    Use your hands to mix for a more even distribution of ingredients.

    Timer: 5 minmixing bowl
  4. 4

    Serve

    Serve the Abacha immediately, as it is best enjoyed fresh. Garnish with extra utazi leaves or sliced onion rings if desired.

    Abacha is best served fresh.

Nutrition

Per serving, across 4 servings.

Nutrition for Abacha (African Salad), per serving and for the whole recipe
NutrientPer servingWhole recipe
Calories272.7 kcal1091 kcal
Protein4.9 g19.7 g
Carbohydrates1.5 g5.9 g
Fat28 g111.9 g
Fibre0.3 g1.4 g
Sodium0.6 mg2.6 mg

Computed from the matched ingredient data rather than entered by hand, with 100% of ingredients matched. Treat it as a close estimate, not a clinical figure.

How it tastes

Heat 2 of 5from spicesSavoryEarthySaltySpicyUmami
Salty
3 out of 5
Bitter
1 out of 5
Umami
3 out of 5
Spicy
2 out of 5
Herbal
1 out of 5
Rich
3 out of 5

Texture

ChewySoft

Mood

Light freshHealthy feelStreet food vibesFamily style

Good for

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Questions about this recipe

How long does Abacha (African Salad) take to make?
About 20 minutes from start to finish.
How many calories are in Abacha (African Salad)?
Roughly 272.74 calories per serving, based on 4 servings. Each serving also has 4.93g protein, 1.47g carbohydrates, 27.97g fat. These figures are computed from the matched ingredient data rather than entered by hand.
Is Abacha (African Salad) vegetarian or vegan?
No. This recipe contains meat, poultry or seafood, so it is neither vegetarian nor vegan.
What equipment do I need for Abacha (African Salad)?
mixing bowl. Every tool the recipe calls for is listed above with the steps that use it.
How spicy is Abacha (African Salad)?
It registers 2 out of 5 on heat. The heat comes from spices.

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