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Home » African dishes

West African Bean Stew

Dated: September 28, 2023 . Modified: Sep 28, 2023 by Kate Hahnel

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West African Bean Stew - Red Red

You will love this West African bean stew, red red! Made with tender black-eyed peas and a medley of aromatic spices, this stew is a tasty and comforting one-pot meal that will have you asking for more.

What's better? Just like our South African Banana Bread, Rougaille Saucisse, and Peri Peri Mayonnaise, this bean stew comes together pretty easily.

African bean stew red red.

reasons you will love this recipe

  • once you have boiled the beans, this is a quick and easy one-pot recipe.
  • filling and delicious.
  • great for meal prep plus, you can easily double or triple the portion to feed a crowd.
Red red bean stew served with plantain on a plate.

what is red red

Red Red is a beloved African bean stew hailing from Ghana. Known for its vibrant red color and rich, savory taste, it is a staple in many Ghanaian households. It usually is readily available in most local restaurants, and street food stalls.

It is strikingly similar to the Nigerian bean stew called "ewa riro", sharing a common base of black-eyed peas or beans. In fact, many West African bean stews follow a similar cooking style, featuring ingredients like palm oil, tomatoes, spices, a variety of beans, and sometimes a protein, such as dried fish or smoked turkey.

I asked my Ghanaian friend about the name red red; and what she said was that the name stems from the dish's vivid red color, achieved through red palm oil and ripe tomatoes, with the repetition of the word red emphasizing its striking, memorable appearance.

ingredients you will need

  • black eyed peas - you will need some dried black-eyed peas (substitutable with canned black-eyed peas). You can also use other types of hard beans, such as kidney beans.
  • palm oil - which is what gives the bean stew its vibrant red color. Feel free to use a mixture of regular cooking oil and palm oil, if you do not like the taste or smell of palm oil.
  • vegetables - garlic and ginger, white, red or yellow onion, scotch bonnet pepper, and blended or canned tomatoes.
  • seasonings - salt, all-purpose seasoning, chilli powder and some shrimp seasoning cube. You can use vegetable or chicken bouillon cubes to substitute the shrimp seasoning, as well as use more or less of the chilli powder, to suit your taste.
  • fish - I used canned mackerel for this recipe but you can also use smoked or salted fish, or even leave the fish out altogether.
Ingredients for making West African bean stew.

This above is a summary of the ingredients you will need to make some West African bean stew red red, as well as possible substitutions, if any. The full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions have been provided in the recipe card below.

how to make african bean stew

Black eyed peas soaked in water.
Boiled black eye peas.
  1. Remove unwanted debris such as stones, clean, and soak the beans for 5-6 hours, or overnight. Drain and rinse.
  1. Using a large pot, cook the soaked beans in water for 40-60 minutes or until tender. Keep adding water to the pot if necessary, to prevent burning. Drain and set aside.
Tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and scotch bonnet pepper inside a blender.
Onions frying in a pan.
  1. Blend tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and scotch bonnet peppers into a smooth puree.
  1. Heat palm oil in a pot or pan then sauté the sliced onion until translucent and fragrant.
Blended tomato, garlic, and ginger along with some seasonings, in a pan.
Beans simmering in a pan during the preparation of the West-African bean stew red red.
  1. Add the blended tomato-pepper puree and seasonings. Simmer until the sauce thickens.
  1. Fold in the boiled beans and canned mackerel (optional). Simmer further over medium heat until done. Once cooked, taste, adjust the seasoning, then serve while still hot or warm.

Related recipes: For other delicious African dishes, certainly try out our Kenyan ndengu (mung bean curry), Githeri recipe, and vegan egusi soup.

serving suggestions

  • For an authentic West African experience, serve your African Bean Stew with some fluffy white rice, fried plantains, boiled yams, or top it with some gari.
  • Also, don't just stop there, feel free to get creative and serve this stew with bread, or your favourite side dishes.

useful tips

  • Save energy by boiling your beans using an Instant pot or electric pressure cooker. Here's how to boil beans in the Instant Pot, in case you are interested.
  • Use a combination of blended tomatoes and tomato paste, for a more intense flavour and an enhanced red hue.
  • To achieve a thicker stew, mash the beans directly in the pot using a wooden spoon. Alternatively, blend 1.5 cups of boiled beans and add this back to the pot to simmer with the other ingredients.
Red red bean stew served with plantain on a plate.

variations and substitutions

  • When I first tasted this stew, one of my initial thoughts was how great it would be, to have it vegan, without any meat or fish! It tastes amazing this way so feel free to leave out the fish and shrimp seasoning, to make this recipe vegetarian and vegan.
  • I used canned mackerel but you can also use other types of fish such as koobi (dried salted tilapia), the fermented fish momoni (also known as looshala or lafifi), for a true Ghanaian taste!
African bean stew served in a bowl with fried plantain.

refregeration and freezing

  • refregeration - allow the African bean stew to cool, transfer it to an airtight container, and refrigerate for 3-4 days. When ready to consume, reheat the stew on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot before serving.
  • freezing - for longer storage, allow the bean stew to cool, transfer it to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags to prevent freezer burn. Leave some space at the top of the container or bag to allow for expansion as the stew freezes, label the container or bag with the best-by date, and freeze for 2-3 months.

more delicious African recipes

  • South African Banana Bread
  • Rougaille Saucisse
  • Peri Peri Mayonnaise
  • South African yellow rice
  • Mshikaki recipe (grilled beef steak kabobs)
  • Kachumbari salad
  • Parsley and Lemon Moroccan Carrot Salad
  • easy baked chicken drumsticks recipe
    Easy Baked Curry Chicken Drumsticks
  • A picture showing fried chicken hearts.
    Fried Chicken Hearts Recipe + Video |Keto-friendly
  • Kenyan Sukuma Wiki served on a small plate and garnished with chopped tomato.
    Sukuma Wiki Recipe + Video
  • An overhead picture of nyama choma arranged on a grilling rack and garnished with some rosemary.
    The Ultimate Nyama Choma Recipe

Great news, you have made it this far which means you probably have made or are making this West African (Ghanaian) Bean Stew recipe! It would go a long way if you could leave a ⭐ rating on the recipe card or leave a comment in the comments section below.

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📖 Recipe

African bean stew served in a bowl with fried plantain.

West African Bean Stew

Kate Hahnel
You will love this one-pot West African bean stew! Made with tender black-eyed peas and a medley of aromatic spices, Ghanaian red red is a must-try!
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour hr
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Course Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine African
Servings 6
Calories 364 kcal
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Ingredients
  

  • 500 g dried black-eyed peas - approximately 1 pound, or 4 14.5 ounce canned beans you can also use other types of dried beans, such as kidney beans
  • ¾ cup palm oil
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger finely minced or crushed
  • 4-6 cloves garlic finely minced or crushed
  • 6-8 blended tomatoes (or one 14.5 ounce canned tomatoes)
  • 1 cube shrimp seasoning (optional)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1-3 scotch bonnet peppers
  • 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning cube
  • ½ can mackerel in oil, drained approximately 200g or 7.25 ounces (optional)

Instructions
 

  • If using dried black-eyed peas, check and remove stones and unwanted debris, rinse them thoroughly, and soak them in water for 5-6 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse again before cooking. If using canned beans, simply drain and rinse, without boiling.
    Black eyed peas soaked in water.
  • In a large pot, add the soaked and drained uncooked black-eyed peas (skip this step if using canned beans). Cover with water, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 40-60 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Keep adding water to the pot if necessary, to prevent burning. Drain the cooked beans, then set aside.
    Boiled black eye peas.
  • Using a blender, process the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and scotch bonnet peppers (adjust the number of peppers based on your spice tolerance) until you have a smooth puree.
    Tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and scotch bonnet pepper inside a blender.
  • In a large, pot or pan, heat the palm oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté until they become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
    Onions frying in a pan.
  • Add the blended tomato mixture, shrimp seasoning cube, chili powder, all-purpose seasoning cube, and salt to the pot or pan. Stir well to combine.
    Blended tomato, garlic, and ginger along with some seasonings, in a pan.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens, darkens, and the oil begins to separate from the sauce.
  • Gently add the cooked beans and fish (optional). Allow the stew to simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to combine (see notes).
    Beans simmering in a pan during the preparation of the West-African bean stew red red.
  • Taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed, to your preference. Serve this African bean stew with rice, fried plantain, gari, boiled yams, or as preferred.

Notes

    • Save energy by boiling your beans using an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. 
    • Use a combination of blended tomatoes and tomato paste, for a more intense flavour and an enhanced red hue.
    • To achieve a thicker stew, mash the beans directly in the pot using a wooden spoon. Alternatively, blend 1.5 cups of boiled beans and add this back to the pot to simmer with the other ingredients.
  • Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated based on tools that this website uses. It may vary, depending on the products used. It is your responsibility to verify ingredient labels to ensure the ingredients fit your dietary needs as well as calculate your own nutritional information.

Nutrition

Calories: 364kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 9gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 342mgPotassium: 302mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 175IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe? I would love it if you could leave a rating by clicking on the stars above on this recipe card.Pin this recipe on Pinterest or tag me out on socials @weeatatlast. I love seeing your creations.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Candice

    October 05, 2023 at 3:39 pm

    5 stars
    The aroma from thew lit up the house while I was making it. We were all drooling waiting for it to be ready hehe and it didn't disappoint. Such a comforting meal.

    Reply
  2. Jeneil

    October 05, 2023 at 3:57 am

    5 stars
    I recently prepared this African bean stew for our gathering, and it was an absolute crowd-pleaser! The carefully selected ingredients and harmonious blend of spices created a flavor explosion that left everyone craving seconds. I would recommend giving this recipe a try!

    Reply
  3. Glenda

    October 05, 2023 at 2:46 am

    5 stars
    Wow, it's really a quick and easy one-pot recipe. And it gave us a hearty and comforting stew. Next time I will try to use kidney beans and see how it will turn out. Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Amy

    October 05, 2023 at 1:14 am

    5 stars
    I made this for dinner tonight and my husband loved it. I appreciated how detailed the recipe was. I'm not familiar with cooking fresh beans and the step-by-step photos were great. Wonderful recipe!

    Reply
  5. Abi

    October 05, 2023 at 12:11 am

    5 stars
    The first time I made this stew I wasn't so sure about the mackerel but it really does add a delicious flavor. Love making this on the weekend and enjoying leftovers for lunch during the week!

    Reply
  6. Paula

    September 30, 2023 at 9:39 pm

    Looks delicious, yum yum i will try it😋

    Reply
5 from 6 votes (1 rating without comment)

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