Cooking today has gone beyond just following handwritten recipes or watching TV shows. With smartphones in our hands, we now have access to thousands of recipes, step-by-step cooking guides, meal planners, and even videos that teach you how to prepare local and international dishes.
For Nigerians, this is even more exciting because you can find apps that help you cook local favorites like jollof rice, egusi soup, suya, puff-puff, or okra soup, while also exploring international cuisines.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through 20 of the best free cooking apps some focused on Nigerian food, others on international dishes. These apps are perfect whether you’re:
- A beginner learning how to cook for the first time
- A busy professional who needs quick meal ideas
- A food enthusiast who wants to try new recipes
- Or someone who just loves exploring different cultures through food
Let’s dive into the top picks!
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Best Free Cooking Apps in Nigeria
1. Afrolems Recipe App
Afrolems is one of the most popular Nigerian cooking resources, and its app is designed for anyone who wants to bring African flavors into their kitchen. It goes beyond just Nigerian dishes — you’ll also find a collection of other African recipes.
Why it’s great:
- Focuses on both traditional and modern Nigerian meals.
- Offers step-by-step cooking guides with clear instructions.
- Includes tips on food presentation and portion control.
- Recipes are written in a way that even beginners can follow.
If you’re looking for a reliable app to master local dishes like jollof rice, egusi, and akara, Afrolems is a solid choice.
2. All Nigerian Recipes
This app is built around one of the most recognized Nigerian food blogs and YouTube channels. All Nigerian Recipes provides a large database of Nigerian meals, making it easy to find recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks.
Why it’s great:
- Wide collection of Nigerian dishes in one place.
- Detailed video tutorials to guide you visually.
- Recipes are arranged by category (soups, stews, rice dishes, snacks, etc.).
- Great for beginners and advanced cooks.
From puff-puff to pepper soup, this app gives you the confidence to recreate Nigerian classics from scratch.
3. Dooney’s Kitchen
Dooney’s Kitchen app is inspired by the well-loved Nigerian food blogger who made Nigerian cooking fun and modern. The app brings the same flair — combining traditional recipes with a creative twist.
Why it’s great:
- Offers recipes with a modern approach to Nigerian classics.
- Focuses on both everyday meals and “party food.”
- Includes food hacks, shortcuts, and creative plating ideas.
- Perfect for people who love to experiment while keeping food authentic.
If you want to cook like a pro and surprise your guests with stylish meals, Dooney’s Kitchen is worth having.
4. My Nigerian Food App
This app is a practical guide for people who want easy access to Nigerian recipes at their fingertips. It provides a blend of traditional meals and simple everyday cooking ideas.
Why it’s great:
- Offline access — recipes are saved and can be used without data.
- Easy-to-follow cooking steps with ingredient lists.
- Includes both local Nigerian meals and snacks.
- User-friendly interface that makes navigation simple.
If you’re living abroad and missing home food, this app is especially helpful since it guides you with simple alternatives when local Nigerian ingredients are hard to find.
5. Kitchen Butterfly
Kitchen Butterfly is not just a cooking app — it’s an experience. Inspired by a Nigerian food enthusiast, this app combines recipes, food history, and culture. It helps users not only learn how to cook but also understand the background of different Nigerian meals.
Why it’s great:
- Combines cooking with Nigerian food culture and history.
- Step-by-step guides with tips for flavor balancing.
- Covers both popular and less-common Nigerian dishes.
- Great for food lovers who want to explore Nigerian cuisine deeply.
If you love the idea of cooking while also learning the roots of Nigerian food, Kitchen Butterfly is a must-try.
6. Food Planner (Nigeria-Specific Recipes Included)
Food Planner is a meal-planning app that goes beyond recipes. It allows users to organize their weekly meals, create shopping lists, and even track nutrition. While it features international recipes, many Nigerian food lovers use it to organize their local dishes too.
Why it’s great:
- Lets you create custom meal plans with Nigerian recipes.
- Generates shopping lists automatically.
- Helps reduce food waste by planning meals ahead.
- Supports cloud sync, so you can access your meal plans across devices.
If you’re someone who loves order in the kitchen, Food Planner helps you prepare Nigerian meals more efficiently.
7. Cookpad (Nigeria Community Recipes)
Cookpad is a global cooking app, but one of its strengths is its user-generated Nigerian recipes. Thousands of Nigerian home cooks share their personal takes on classic meals, so you get multiple variations of dishes like jollof rice, egusi, or moi-moi.
Why it’s great:
- Massive recipe library with Nigerian community contributions.
- Lets you interact with other cooks, share your own recipes, and learn tips.
- Search feature makes it easy to find both Nigerian and international dishes.
- Ideal for learning different versions of a single recipe.
It feels like being part of a Nigerian cooking club right from your phone.
8. Naija Chef App
Naija Chef is built specifically for Nigerians who want a convenient, on-the-go recipe guide. It focuses on everyday Nigerian dishes and makes it simple for beginners to try out meals without getting overwhelmed.
Why it’s great:
- Dedicated to Nigerian cuisine only.
- Provides clear, step-by-step instructions for common meals.
- Recipes are written with locally available ingredients.
- Great for beginners and students who want quick, simple meals.
If you’re just starting your cooking journey and want to master Nigerian basics, Naija Chef is the perfect app.
9. Nigerian Food Recipes by Ozochima
This app is a straightforward and practical tool for Nigerian cooking lovers. It brings together a wide range of Nigerian dishes with clear instructions and ingredient breakdowns.
Why it’s great:
- Covers a variety of Nigerian soups, stews, rice dishes, and snacks.
- Offline functionality makes it useful when you don’t have internet.
- Simple design — easy for all age groups.
- Regular updates with new Nigerian recipes.
Whether you’re a busy mom, a student, or living abroad, this app ensures Nigerian meals are always within reach.
10. Soup Hub (Nigerian Soups Focus)
Soup Hub is designed for one of Nigeria’s favorite food categories — soups. From egusi to oha, banga, and ogbono, this app gives you multiple soup recipes with different preparation styles.
Why it’s great:
- Focuses entirely on Nigerian soups.
- Offers regional variations (Igbo, Yoruba, Efik, etc.).
- Step-by-step instructions make it easy to replicate traditional flavors.
- Great resource for anyone who wants to master Nigerian soup-making.
Since soups are the backbone of Nigerian cuisine, Soup Hub is a must-have app for lovers of local food.
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Best Free International Cooking Apps
11. Tasty by Buzzfeed
Tasty is one of the most downloaded cooking apps worldwide. Known for its viral recipe videos, it provides quick, easy-to-follow guides for meals from breakfast to dinner.
Why it’s great:
- Huge recipe collection, updated regularly.
- Step-by-step cooking videos.
- “What’s in your kitchen” feature lets you input ingredients and get meal ideas.
- Recipes are beginner-friendly and fast to make.
If you’re short on time and love watching how meals are made, Tasty is the go-to app.
12. Yummly Recipes
Yummly is like a personal cooking assistant. It suggests meals based on your preferences, dietary needs, and available ingredients.
Why it’s great:
- Personalized recipe recommendations.
- Nutrition facts for every recipe.
- Allows you to save and organize favorite recipes.
- Smart shopping list feature.
For anyone who wants healthy, customized meal options, Yummly is an excellent choice.
13. AllRecipes Dinner Spinner
AllRecipes is one of the oldest and most trusted recipe platforms. The app brings together thousands of recipes from home cooks all over the world.
Why it’s great:
- Interactive “Dinner Spinner” tool helps you discover new recipes.
- Large community with ratings and reviews on recipes.
- Step-by-step cooking guides.
- Great for experimenting with international dishes.
It’s like joining a global cooking community where everyone shares what works.
14. BigOven
BigOven is all about simplicity and organization. With over 500,000 recipes, it’s one of the largest free cooking apps available.
Why it’s great:
- Organize recipes into meal plans.
- Handy grocery list builder.
- Features leftover ideas — input ingredients you already have, and it suggests recipes.
- Great for families and busy households.
If you often wonder what to do with leftovers, BigOven will save you money and reduce waste.
15. Kitchen Stories
Kitchen Stories combines recipes with storytelling, making cooking a fun experience. The app has video tutorials, step-by-step photo instructions, and community features.
Why it’s great:
- Professional-quality recipe videos.
- Clear, photo-driven guides for each step.
- Allows you to upload and share your own recipes.
- Suitable for both beginners and pros.
It feels like cooking with a friend who guides you through every step.
16. BBC Good Food App
This app comes from one of the world’s most trusted food brands, the BBC. It brings together professional recipes that are tested and reviewed.
Why it’s great:
- Thousands of tried-and-tested recipes.
- Wide range: quick meals, healthy eating, baking, and gourmet dishes.
- Offline saving so you can use recipes without internet.
- Reliable for high-quality results.
Perfect for anyone who wants recipes that are guaranteed to work.
17. SideChef
SideChef is an interactive app that guides you through cooking with voice instructions, timers, and step-by-step visuals.
Why it’s great:
- Hands-free voice commands while cooking.
- Adjustable serving sizes and automatic ingredient scaling.
- Grocery delivery integration in some regions.
- Great for beginners who want guidance in real-time.
It’s like having a cooking instructor in your kitchen.
18. Epicurious
Epicurious is a well-established app with recipes from professional chefs and trusted food brands.
Why it’s great:
- Over 35,000 professionally tested recipes.
- Seasonal ingredient guides.
- Smart kitchen tools like timers and conversion charts.
- High-quality images and instructions.
If you love trying sophisticated or gourmet recipes, Epicurious is a top choice.
19. SuperCook (Ingredient-Based Recipes)
SuperCook is unique because it helps you cook based on what you already have at home. Just enter your ingredients, and it generates recipes instantly.
Why it’s great:
- Prevents food waste by using what’s in your pantry.
- Supports Nigerian and international dishes.
- Quick and easy for everyday cooking.
- Ideal for students and budget-conscious families.
When money is tight or you don’t want to shop, SuperCook gives you smart options.
20. Mealime
Mealime focuses on healthy eating and meal planning. It’s great for people who want to eat better without spending hours searching for recipes.
Why it’s great:
- Personalized meal plans based on your diet (vegan, keto, paleo, etc.).
- Easy-to-cook recipes that take under 30 minutes.
- Automatic grocery list generator.
- Helps with portion control and healthy living.
Mealime is perfect for busy professionals and health-conscious eaters.
Conclusion
Cooking has never been this easy, thanks to technology. Whether you’re exploring rich Nigerian dishes like Jollof rice, Egusi soup, or Puff Puff, or diving into international cuisines from Italy, Asia, or America — there’s an app to guide you step-by-step.
From Nigerian recipe apps like Nigerian Food Recipes and African Recipes, to global favorites like Tasty, Yummly, and BBC Good Food, these apps give you everything you need — recipes, cooking tips, ingredient lists, and even shopping guides.
No matter your skill level, you can now cook confidently at home and impress friends, family, or even yourself with restaurant-quality meals. Best of all, these apps are free and easy to use, making them perfect for both beginners and experienced foodies.
So, download a few from this list, try out your favorite recipes, and turn every meal into a delicious experience.
