Red Red (Ghanaian Bean Stew with Fried Plantain)
Black-eyed peas simmered in a smoky tomato-palm-oil sauce served alongside sweet fried plantain. a Ghanaian one-bowl wonder that costs almost nothing and tastes like everything.
- Total time:
- 1 hr
- Servings:
- 4
- Per serving:
- 480 kcal
- Cost per serving:
- $1.95
- Difficulty:
- easy
Step-by-step
Soak peas 4 hours. Drain. Simmer in 5 cups water 35–40 minutes until just tender. Reserve cooking liquid.
In a heavy pot, heat palm oil. Sauté onion 5 minutes.
Add garlic, ginger, tomatoes, tomato paste, scotch bonnet, and stock cube. Cook 8 minutes until thick.
Stir in cooked peas with 1 cup of their liquid. Simmer 10 minutes. Adjust salt.
10 min timer
Meanwhile, fry plantain in oil over medium heat 2 minutes per side until caramelized.
Plate stew with plantain alongside.
Cook's tip
Palm oil gives red red its color and signature flavor. sub with neutral oil only if necessary, but the dish loses its identity.
Storage
Refrigerate 4 days. Reheat plantain in oven for crispness.
Freezer: Freeze stew 2 months. Fry plantain fresh.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480
- Protein
- 13g
- Carbs
- 58g
- Fat
- 23g
- Fiber
- 9g
- Sugar
- 18g
- Sat Fat
- 8g
- Sodium
- 520mg
Estimates based on USDA FoodData Central. See our nutrition disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use canned beans?
Yes, drain 2 cans. Reduce simmer time at step 4 to 5 minutes since they are already cooked.
No palm oil available?
Use neutral oil and add 1 tsp smoked paprika for similar color and a hint of smoke.
Reviews
Tola O.
3 days ago
Made this for Sunday lunch — the smoky bottom turned out perfect. Family demolished the pot in twenty minutes.
✓ Would make again
Marcus B.
1 week ago
First time cooking this and the timing notes saved me. Did not lift the lid once. The crust at the bottom was the best part.
✓ Would make again
Aisha K.
2 weeks ago
Loved it but added an extra scotch bonnet — we like it spicy. Recipe scales well, made a double batch.
✓ Would make again
Reviews shown are illustrative pre-launch. Real user reviews appear here as the community grows.
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