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Kenyan

Sukuma wiki

Vegetarian

Finely shredded collard greens quickly cooked with onion and tomato. An everyday Kenyan side whose Swahili name means 'push the week', because it stretches a budget.

Sukuma wiki is a Kenyan side dish, ready in about 25 minutes and made with kale, onion and tomato. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
10 min
Cook
15 min
Total
25 min
Serves
4
Level
Beginner
Calories
126

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Fry the onion (opens in a new tab) in the oil over medium heat until soft and starting to colour.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Add the tomatoes (opens in a new tab) (and chilli, if using) and cook until they soften into a loose sauce.

    • 4 min
    • medium heat

  3. Step 3

    Add the shredded greens and salt and stir-fry just until wilted and bright green but still with some bite.

    • 5 min
    • medium-high heat

    Some cooks add a crumbled stock cube or a splash of water here; keep it brief so the greens stay vibrant.

    Ingredients tossed in a hot wok
    How it looks · Photo: Aesthos AR. Photography on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Kenya · Commonly attributedAlso common in Tanzania and Uganda.Also popular in Tanzania, UgandaMore food from Kenya
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Side dishes
Cooking method
Sautéed
Taste
savoury, fresh, mild
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-fibre
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-fibre · DASH-style · Carb-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pan · Budget-friendly · Everyday · Child-friendly
Cook more with
Kale · Onion · Tomato
Techniques
Stir-frying · Sautéing

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

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

126 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 220 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 13%
  • Carbohydrate 30%
  • Fat 57%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy126 kcal57 kcal
Protein4.5 g2 g
Carbohydrate10.4 g4.7 g
Net carbohydrate4.1 g1.9 g
Sugars4 g1.8 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre6.3 g2.9 g
Fat8.8 g4 g
Saturated fat0.8 g0.3 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium507 mg230 mg
Salt equivalent1.3 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
617 mg
Calcium
330 mg
Iron
2.2 mg
Magnesium
51 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
326 µg
Vitamin C
127 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
92 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: green chilli.
  • “—” 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

  • Roll the leaves into a tight cigar and slice as thinly as possible — that's the classic sukuma cut.

Common mistakes

  • Overcooking turns the greens dull and soggy.

Serve with

  • Serve with ugali and nyama choma, or with beans and chapati.

Storage

  • Best eaten fresh; refrigerate up to 2 days.

Variations

  • With minced beef: Brown a little minced beef with the onion for a more substantial dish.

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.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Tomato, chopped2 piece · 240 g
  • Kale, stems removed, leaves rolled and very finely shredded500 g
Used in steps 2, 3

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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