What Is Mbinzo? The Congolese Edible Caterpillars Explained
Mbinzo is a Congolese delicacy of dried edible caterpillars, rehydrated and cooked in a savoury onion or tomato sauce. Here is what it is and how it is made.
African Stores Editorial Team
The short answer
Mbinzo, also spelled mbinso and known in French as chenilles, is a traditional Central African dish of edible caterpillars, a prized delicacy across the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The caterpillars are usually sold dried or smoked, then rehydrated and cooked in a savoury white onion sauce or a tomato sauce seasoned with garlic and chilli. Very high in protein and with an earthy, nutty, savoury flavour, mbinzo is a well loved part of Congolese cuisine and is increasingly noted as a sustainable protein. It is typically served with fufu, rice or chikwangue. In the UK dried edible caterpillars are sold by African food shops, which you can find near you on African Stores.
What to remember
- Mbinzo is a Congolese dish of edible caterpillars, a valued Central African protein.
- It is also spelled mbinso and called chenilles in French.
- The caterpillars are usually bought dried or smoked, then rehydrated before cooking.
- They are cooked in a white onion sauce or a tomato sauce with garlic and chilli.
- Mbinzo is very high in protein, earthy and nutty in flavour, and served with fufu, rice or chikwangue.
Edible caterpillars are an everyday delicacy in the Congo, sold in markets by the bagful and prized at the table the way a fine cut of meat might be elsewhere. Mbinzo is the dish that appears when there is something to celebrate, rich and deeply savoury, spooned over a mound of soft fufu and shared around a busy table. For Congolese families in Britain it carries the taste of home in a way few other foods can.
There is real pride in a plate of mbinzo. It speaks of the forest and the season, of knowledge passed down about which caterpillars to gather and how to dry them well, and of a flavour that no substitute quite matches. To cook it in a kitchen far from Kinshasa is to keep that heritage alive, and to offer a spoonful to someone trying it for the first time is to share a genuine part of Central African food culture.
What Mbinzo Actually Is
Mbinzo, also written mbinso and known in French as chenilles, is a traditional dish of edible caterpillars that are eaten as a delicacy across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the wider Central African region. The caterpillars are gathered in season, then dried or smoked so they keep well and can be enjoyed all year round. In this form they are firm and concentrated in flavour, earthy, savoury and slightly nutty, and they are valued as much for their taste as for being very high in protein.
For anyone new to edible insects, it is worth knowing that they are a normal and respected food here, not a novelty. Caterpillars are usually bought dried and rehydrated before cooking, much as you would soak dried beans or stockfish, so what reaches the pot is a prepared ingredient ready to be simmered into a sauce. Mbinzo sits comfortably among the everyday dishes of Congolese food, and it is increasingly noted beyond the region as a sustainable source of protein.
Mbinzo and the Wider Congolese Table
Mbinzo is one of several proteins that define Congolese cooking, and it is helpful to see where it fits. Where a dish like moambe leans on chicken or fish in a palm sauce, mbinzo brings the deep, earthy character of the forest to the plate, a flavour that fans of the dish look for specifically. It is treated as a delicacy rather than an everyday filler, often cooked for guests or for a special meal.
Like most Congolese mains, mbinzo is built to be eaten with a starch that soaks up its sauce. It is commonly served with soft fufu, with rice, or with chikwangue, the dense fermented cassava loaf, each of which balances the richness of the caterpillars and turns a bowl of sauce into a full and satisfying meal.
How Mbinzo Is Made and Served
Making mbinzo begins with the dried or smoked caterpillars, which are rinsed and soaked in warm water to rehydrate and soften them, then drained. From there the cooking follows one of two familiar routes. In the first, the caterpillars are simmered in a white onion sauce, gently cooked with plenty of onion for a mild, savoury result. In the second, they are cooked in a tomato sauce brightened with garlic and chilli, which gives a richer, spicier plate. Either way the caterpillars are simmered until tender and well seasoned, so their earthy, nutty flavour comes through.
The finished mbinzo is served hot with fufu, rice or chikwangue to carry the sauce. One gentle note for anyone with allergies: some people who react to shellfish or to dust mites can also react to edible insects, as they share certain proteins, so it is sensible to try a small amount first if you are unsure. Treated with the same care as any other ingredient, mbinzo is a warm, nourishing dish made to be shared.
Where to Buy Mbinzo in the UK
Mbinzo starts with dried or smoked edible caterpillars, which are the one ingredient worth seeking out, and they are stocked by African food shops that serve Central African customers. You will usually find them sold dried, ready to be rehydrated at home, alongside the onions, tomatoes, garlic and chilli for the sauce and the cassava or plantain to make an accompanying fufu. With those few things gathered, mbinzo is straightforward to cook at home. You can find African food stores near you to see what is nearby.
Frequently asked questions
What is mbinzo?
Mbinzo, also spelled mbinso and known in French as chenilles, is a traditional Congolese dish of edible caterpillars, a prized Central African delicacy. The caterpillars are usually sold dried or smoked, then rehydrated and cooked in a savoury white onion sauce or a tomato sauce with garlic and chilli. Very high in protein and earthy and nutty in flavour, it is served with fufu, rice or chikwangue.
What does mbinzo taste like?
Mbinzo has a deep, earthy, savoury flavour with a slightly nutty note, which comes from the caterpillars being dried or smoked before they are cooked. Simmered in an onion or tomato sauce, they take on the seasoning around them while keeping their own distinctive character. It is a rich, meaty tasting dish that fans of Congolese food seek out.
Are edible caterpillars safe to eat?
Yes, edible caterpillars are a normal and valued food across Central Africa, gathered in season and dried or smoked so they keep well. They are usually bought dried and rehydrated before cooking, and they are very high in protein. One thing to note is that some people with shellfish or dust-mite allergies can react to edible insects, so it is wise to try a small amount first if you are unsure.
How is mbinzo made?
Dried or smoked caterpillars are rinsed and soaked in warm water to rehydrate them, then drained. They are simmered either in a mild white onion sauce or in a tomato sauce seasoned with garlic and chilli, cooked until tender and well flavoured. Mbinzo is then served hot with fufu, rice or chikwangue to soak up the sauce.
Where can I buy mbinzo in the UK?
Dried edible caterpillars for mbinzo are sold by African food shops that serve Central African customers, usually dried and ready to rehydrate at home. The same shops stock the onions, tomatoes, garlic and chilli for the sauce and the cassava or plantain for an accompanying fufu. African Stores lists African and Caribbean food shops across the UK, so you can find one near you that stocks them.