The cuisine of Mozambique has deeply been influenced by the Portuguese, who introduced new crops, flavorings, and cooking methods. The staple food for many Mozambicans is xima (shi-mah), a thick porridge made from maize/corn flour. Cassava and rice are also eaten as staple carbohydrates. All of these are served with sauces of vegetables, meat, beans or fish. Other typical ingredients include cashew nuts, onions, bay leaves, garlic, coriander, paprika, pepper, red pepper, sugar cane, corn, millet, sorghum and potatoes.

One of the most well-known Mozambican dishes is known as matapa, a stew dish made of cassava leaves, ground peanuts, onions, tomatoes, red chili flakes, sometimes with seafood like shrimp, and commonly served over rice.

As Mozambique is a coastal nation, they eat a lot of seafood, and many dishes have Indian influences. For example, they have curry dishes (caril de camarao, shrimp curry), and chamussas (the Mozambican version of samosa). Many dishes are also made with coconut milk, including Frango a Zambeziana, a spicy chicken dish with coconut milk. Rice is a common ingredient. A bolo polana is a cake made of cashew and potatoes.