Beninese · Nigerian · West African
Kuli-kuli
Vegetarian
Crunchy fried snacks made from roasted peanut paste that has had its oil squeezed out, spiced with ginger and chilli. Popular in Benin, Nigeria, Niger and Ghana, and eaten with garri or on its own.
Kuli-kuli is a Beninese finger food, ready in about 1 hour 15 minutes and made with roasted peanuts. It serves 8 and is rated intermediate to cook.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Rest
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 h 15 min
- Serves
- 8
- Level
- Intermediate
- Calories
- 396
Method
Step 1
Grind the peanuts in a food processor (opens in a new tab) with the ginger, cayenne and salt until they form a smooth, oily paste.
Step 2
Knead the paste firmly in a bowl, squeezing out as much oil as you can and pouring it off. Add a few drops of warm water and keep kneading and squeezing until the paste is fairly dry and crumbly.
- 15 min
The drier the paste, the crunchier the kuli-kuli.
How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels Step 3
Shape into small rings, sticks or balls and let them firm up for 20 minutes.
- 12 min
Step 4
Fry in batches in oil at 160 °C until deep golden and crisp, 3–4 minutes. Drain and cool completely — they crisp further as they cool.
- 15 min
- 160°C
- medium heat
- Frying pan / skillet (opens in a new tab)
- Food thermometer (opens in a new tab)
Food safety: Never leave hot oil unattended.
About this dish
- Origin
- Not attributed to one place · Commonly attributedMade across Benin, Nigeria (especially among the Hausa and Nupe), Niger, Togo and Ghana; no single country of origin.Also popular in Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Togo, Ghana
- Dish
- Snack · Finger food · Street food
- Cooking method
- Deep-fried, Blended
- Taste
- nutty, spicy (chilli heat), salty
- Diet
- Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-fibreWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Vegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-fibre · Carb-conscious · Calorie-conscious - Good for
- Portable / lunchbox · Make-ahead
- Cook more with
- Roasted peanuts · Ground ginger · Cayenne / chilli powder
- Techniques
- Deep-frying · Wet grinding · Kneading · Emulsification
Allergens
- Contains: Peanutsfrom roasted peanuts
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
396 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 48 g · recipe makes 8
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 14%
- Carbohydrate 13%
- Fat 73%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 396 kcal | 834 kcal |
| Protein | 15.3 g | 32.1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 13.6 g | 28.6 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 8.2 g | 17.3 g |
| Sugars | 3.1 g | 6.5 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 5.3 g | 11.3 g |
| Fat | 34.2 g | 72 g |
| Saturated fat | 5.1 g | 10.7 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g | 0.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 222 mg | 468 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 0.6 g | 1.2 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 404 mg
- Calcium
- 37 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 112 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 5 µg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 61 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- Optional ingredients are not included: onion.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Keep the squeezed-out peanut oil for frying or cooking — it is the traditional by-product.
Common mistakes
- Frying too hot — the outside burns before the inside crisps.
Serve with
- Eat with gari soaked in cold water, or crumble over salads and use in kilishi coatings.
Storage
- Airtight at room temperature up to 3 weeks.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
Reviews & corrections
Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.
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