Haiti occupies the western part of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antilles. Its cuisine brings together several heritages: the techniques of the Taíno, the island’s first inhabitants, the ingredients and customs brought from West Africa and Central Africa by people reduced to slavery, French contributions inherited from colonisation, and more recent influences from the Near East. For the Haitian diaspora settled in France, Belgium and Switzerland, these dishes remain a direct link to the country. Here are ten traditional dishes that give a glimpse of this cuisine, with the ingredients to find them in France.
History and influences of Haitian cuisine
Haitian cuisine blends several heritages: barbecue cooking, a technique passed down by the Taíno; okra, yam and pigeon pea, brought by people from West Africa and Central Africa reduced to slavery; bread, cheeses and certain desserts, inherited from French colonisation; and finally dishes such as kibbeh, introduced in the twentieth century by Lebanese and Syrian immigration. This history makes Haitian cuisine one of the most composite in the Caribbean.
Ten traditional dishes of Haitian cuisine
1. Griot
Griot, or griyo, is a dish of marinated then fried pork, served with fried plantain and pikliz. See our Haitian griot recipe.
2. Soup joumou
This soup made with giraumon (a squash) simmered with beef, vegetables and pasta is traditionally prepared on the first of January, the day of Haiti’s independence proclaimed in 1804. In December 2021, UNESCO inscribed the knowledge, know-how and practices linked to its consumption on the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, a first inscription for Haiti. See our soup joumou recipe.
3. Diri ak djon djon
This rice is cooked with djon djon, a dried black mushroom that gives it its characteristic dark colour and aroma. It is an ingredient specific to Haitian cuisine. See our diri ak djon djon recipe.
4. Pikliz
This condiment of cabbage, carrots, onion and chilli marinated in vinegar accompanies fried dishes, first and foremost griot. See our pikliz recipe.
5. Légim
This thick stew brings together aubergine, cabbage, chayote, spinach and watercress, simmered with beef or crab and served with rice.
6. Bouillon
This thick soup, traditionally prepared on Saturdays, brings together beef, root vegetables (malanga, yam, potato) and flour dumplings called bòy.
7. Akra
These fried fritters of grated, spiced malanga (a root close to taro) are eaten as a snack or a side dish.
8. Pressed fried plantains
These slices of green plantain, flattened then fried a second time, accompany most Haitian fried dishes, starting with griot.
9. Tchaka
This stew of cracked maize, red beans, squash and salted meat is traditionally prepared on the first and second of November, for the Gédé festival.
10. Crémas
This creamy drink made with coconut milk, condensed milk and rum is served during the end-of-year festivities. See our Haitian crémas recipe.
Ingredients of Haitian cuisine to gather in France
Several ingredients recur from one Haitian dish to another:
- white vinegar, the base of pikliz
- cloves, to flavour pikliz and marinades
- coconut milk, for crémas
- dried beans, for tchaka and other simmered dishes
- chilli, present in many preparations
Find this selection in our Caribbean grocery and our Caribbean and Creole cuisine collection.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best-known dish of Haiti?
Griot, marinated then fried pork served with pikliz and pressed fried plantains, is one of Haiti’s most emblematic dishes, along with soup joumou, inscribed on the intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO in 2021.
What is djon djon, used in diri ak djon djon?
Djon djon is a dried black mushroom, which gives the rice its dark colour and distinctive aroma. It is an ingredient specific to Haitian cuisine, hard to find outside Haiti.
Where to find Haitian ingredients in France?
NKOSI sells several ingredients useful for Haitian cuisine (white vinegar, cloves, coconut milk, dried beans) in its shop and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
