RecipesSouth African 
Morogo (African Wild Spinach)
A traditional African leafy green dish — earthy, nutritious, and deeply rooted in heritage.
Ingredients
- 2 cups morogo leaves (amaranth, cowpea leaves, or wild spinach)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp oil
- Salt & pepper
Method
- 1
Rinse morogo thoroughly to remove sand.
- 2
Heat oil, sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add tomato and cook until saucy.
- 3
Add morogo leaves and cook 5–10 minutes until wilted and tender.
- 4
Add salt, pepper, and optional chilli or peanut butter.
- 5
Serve alongside pap, rice, or samp.
Swaps & variations
- Add peanut butter for a traditional creamy version
- Add chilli for heat
- Add butternut cubes
- Add maize meal dumplings
Storing & freezing
Cooked morogo keeps 3 days refrigerated. Freeze blanched leaves up to 6 months.
Grow it yourself
- Amaranth (Morogo): One of the easiest crops; thrives in poor soil, drought, and full sun; self-seeds freely
- Cowpea Leaves: Plant in warm climates; drought-tolerant; produces edible leaves and beans
- Tomatoes: Prefer hot sunny positions; deep compost-rich soil
- Onions: Plant in cooler months; harvest when bulbs swell
- Hand-pick caterpillars from morogo leaves
- Sprinkle wood ash to deter beetles
- Use chilli-garlic spray for aphids
- Plant marigolds around leafy greens
- Morogo: Harvest young leaves for best flavour; frequent picking encourages tender growth
- Tomatoes: Pick ripe and firm
- Onions: Pull once tops bend naturally
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