• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Blue Fufu

Elegant Made Effortless

  • HOME
  • RECIPES
    • BREAKFAST
    • LUNCH
    • DINNER
    • SIDE DISH
    • DESSERTS
    • APPETIZERS
    • SOUP
    • CONDIMENTS
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT
    • MEET MAGALI
    • ABOUT BLUE FUFU
    • WHAT IS FUFU?
  • THINGS TO KNOW
    • RESOURCES
    • CONTACT
    • DISCLAIMER
  • SELECT LANGUAGE
    • English
    • Français

Mbinzo with avocado and spinach sauce

March 23, 2023 by Magali Mutombo

Mbinzo with avocado and spinach sauce
Jump to Recipe

Fried mbinzo with avocado and spinach sauce is not a recipe for the faint at heart, but for the ones who choose to dare! I can still see my mom’s face as I am developing the recipe in my kitchen. She was looking at me like I had lost it. LOL. I told her my blog name is BLUE FUFU, after all, so we will push boundaries at times. It is so liberating! I had colors popping in my head every time I looked at mbinzo in my kitchen, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with it yet. One day, as I was eating an avocado, I had a EUREKA moment! Mbinzo with avocado sauce!

mbinzo with avocado and spinach sauce

Growing up in Africa, it is very common to eat delicacies such as insects. They are such  a nutritious treat. There are various types of insects that are edible around the world. In fact, nearly 2 billion people on this planet eat insects. In some cases, it represents 30% of their diet, which is the case in some African countries. There are several types of edible insects, but today we will focus on a particular insect called mbinzo.

I am very excited to share with you today this new recipe that was inspired by my childhood and my life outside of Africa. 

Fried mbinzo with green sauce is a very versatile dish that can be eaten as an appetizer, snack or entree. Before we get into the recipe, let’s talk about what mbinzo are exactly.

You might also like these recipes

Salted fish with sweet potatoes

Eggplants(aubergines) with fish recipe

Savory cake with chorizo and peppers

Dried anchovies with charred peppers sauce

What are mbinzo?

mbinzo in a saucepan on the stove.

Mbinzo means edible caterpillar in the Lingala (one of many Congolese languages). Yes,this particular type of caterpillar is a delicacy in Congo.This type of caterpillar belongs to the Sapelli species, better known as Imbrasia oyemensis.They are usually found in central Africa and are collected during the rainy season. This species of caterpillar gets its name from the way they literally fall down from the Sapelli tree (Entandrophragma cylindicum) during that season. You can find out more about them here.

What are the health benefits of mbinzo (caterpillars)?

mixing avocado and spinach with hand blender

Caterpillars are rich in proteins, minerals such as potassium, zinc, phosphorus and iron as well as many different vitamins, and they are low-fat. You can eat them as a snack or cooked in a sauce.In some areas, this high nutritional delicacy is used to help fight malnutrition. 

They are proven to be very healthy as infant food. In Congo, women grind them andadd themtoporridges. Compared to the store bought baby food, this is inexpensive and more nutritious.

How to make fried mbinzo with avocado and spinach sauce?

mbinzo with avocado and spinach sauce  on blue tape

I enjoy eating mbinzo with fufu. However, you can eat them alone or with chikwanga, plantains and lituma. They are easy and quick to make. Before cooking them, make sure you soak them for at least two hours. The dirt will sink to the bottom of the bowl. They are sun dried, so it is common to find some sand or debris in them. Take the time to sort them and rinse them at least 3 times.

Put them in a medium saucepan with 1 cup of vegetable stock.

Let it simmer for 25 min.

Add olive oil and stir once in a while.

After sautéing the caterpillar, add onions and garlic while stirring.

Add salt, nutmeg, and stock with a little bit of water.

Let it simmer until the water evaporates.

Turn off the stove and put it aside.

Avocado sauce:

Sauté onions and garlic on medium high heat in a saucepan with a drizzle of oil.

Add spinach and stir for 2 min.

Add salt and pepper to the avocado, then put it in a blender.

Blend until puréed.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
mbinzo with avocado and spinach sauce

Mbinzo with avocado and spinach sauce

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Magali Mutombo
  • Prep Time: 4 h
  • Cook Time: 20 min
  • Total Time: 4h20 min
  • Category: Lunch, dinner
  • Method: cooking
  • Cuisine: african
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

A dish full of proteins and nutrients with a sauce made with avocado and spinach.


Ingredients

2 cups of  caterpillar

2 medium onions (chopped)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1 avocado  (ripe)

1 cup of spinach

½  green habanero pepper

1/3 cup olive oil 

A pinch of nutmeg *optional

1 cup of vegetable stock

Salt and pepper to season


Instructions

Soak your caterpillar in bowl with cold water for 4 hours.

The dirt sink at the bottom of the bowl.

Rinse them at least 3 times.

Put them in a medium sauce pan with a 1 cup of vegetable stock.

Let it simmer for 25 min

Add olive oil and stir once in awhile

After sautéing the caterpillar, add onions, garlic while stirring

Add salt, nutmeg, scotch with a little bit of water.

Let it simmer until the water evaporates.

Turn off the stove and put it aside.

 

Avocado sauce:

Sauté onions, garlic on medium high heat in a sauce pan with a drizzle of oil.

Add the spinach and stir for 2 min.

Put the avocado, spinach with salt and pepper in a blender.

Blend it until puréed.

 


Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Share this:

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Yummly (Opens in new window) Yummly

Related

Filed Under: Appetizers, Dinner, Lunch, Recipes Tagged With: avocado, mbinzo, spinach

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Primary Sidebar

Welcome To My Food Blog

Hi! I’m Magali. I have been trying many recipes that are simple with different cooking styles. I am excited to share it with you!

Read More

FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Featured Recipes

3 essential sauces for the summer

3 Essential sauce recipes you should make this summer

boiled plantains with tilapia

Boiled Plantains with Tilapia Recipe

cauliflower soup in white bowl next to a blue dish towel

Creamy Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Plantain patties stacked on a white plate

Plantain patties with cornflakes

salad with beets, carrots, arugula, walnuts sweet potato on white plate.

Winter salad with beets and carrots

Before Footer

FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2025 · Blue Fufu

By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies. We use cookies to provide you with a great experience and to help our website run effectively.Ok