Western Saharan cuisine comprises the cuisine of Western Sahara, a disputed territory in the Maghreb region of North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the extreme northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The Western Saharan cuisine has several influences, as the population of that area (Sahrawi), in their most part are of Arabic and Berber origin. The Saharawi cuisine is also influenced by Spanish cuisine owing to Spanish colonization.
Food is primarily imported into Western Sahara, as minimal rainfall in the territory inhibits agricultural production.[1] Indigenous sources of food include those derived from fishing and nomadic pastoralism.[1] The labor and business in these indigenous provisions of foods are also a primary contributor of income for the territory's population, and are among the primary contributors to the economy of Western Sahara.[1]
A major staple food is the couscous that often accompanies one way or another all the food dishes. The influence of southern cuisine makes peanuts an accompaniment of some dishes.
For meat, the Sahrawis favor camel and goat; lamb is also prominent. Some tribes are famous for growing wheat, barley and cereals in general.
Some fruits and vegetables are grown in oasis that are scattered within the territory.[citation needed]