fufu

American  

[foo-foo] / ˈfuˌfu /

Or fu-fu,

noun

1. a doughlike West African dish of boiled and ground plantain, yam, or cassava, made into balls to go with soups or stews.

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Etymology

Origin of fufu

First recorded in 1740–50; from a West African language; compare Twi fufuu, Ewe fufu, Yoruba fùfú, Cuban Spanish fufú

Example Sentences

At a busy Beirut centre, migrant volunteers stirred pots of okra soup and shaped balls of the African staple fufu, keeping food coming for those caught between the latest Israel-Hezbollah war.

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

Back in St Lucia, Dr Ogbo says his attempts to bring egusi, fufu and jollof to local people are a small but worthy contribution to the strengthening of relations between Africa and the Caribbean.

From BBC • Aug. 17, 2025

At its center, a substantial orb of fufu sits, a pale gold plantain mash formed into a plump dumpling.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 14, 2024

Bakeries where baguettes and a doughy cassava bread called fufu are made typically rely on charcoal or wood for cooking.

From New York Times • Jul. 13, 2022

I stared at the fufu on the enamel plate, which was chipped of its leaf-green color at the edges.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie