Ghanaian Bean Stew (Red-Red) with Tomato and Palm Oil

Ghanaian bean stew, often called red-red, is a hearty stew of tender black-eyed peas simmered with tomatoes, onion, pepper, and red palm oil. It is commonly served with fried ripe plantain and gari, and its savory, gently sweet, tangy flavors make a filling meal; family versions vary in heat and seasoning.

Ingredients

1½ cups (300 g) dried black-eyed peas
6 cups (1.4 L) water for soaking, plus 6 cups (1.4 L) fresh water for cooking the beans
⅓ cup (80 ml) red palm oil
2 medium yellow onions (about 300 g), divided
4 medium ripe tomatoes (about 500 g), roughly chopped
2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
2 cloves garlic (about 6 g), peeled
1 tablespoon (15 g) peeled, chopped fresh ginger
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, left whole for mild heat or slit once for more heat
1 teaspoon fine salt, divided, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup (120 ml) reserved bean-cooking liquid, as needed
½ cup (about 45 g) gari, for serving (optional)

Red palm oil gives the stew its characteristic color and a distinctive, earthy flavor. If it is unavailable, use ⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral oil, such as canola, plus ½ teaspoon paprika for color; the result will be milder and less traditionally flavored. Gari is toasted, grated cassava often served with red-red. It is optional, and the stew is still satisfying without it.

Instructions

Soak the beans. Rinse the black-eyed peas and pick out any small stones or damaged beans. Put them in a large bowl, cover with the 6 cups (1.4 L) soaking water, and refrigerate for 8 hours. Drain and rinse. Chilling the bowl during the long soak keeps the beans in a cool, controlled environment; if you would rather not soak them, see the FAQ for how to adjust the cooking time.
Cook until tender. Place the soaked beans in a large pot with 6 cups (1.4 L) fresh water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender all the way through but still hold their shape. If they are not tender yet, continue simmering and check every 5 minutes. Drain, reserving ½ cup (120 ml) of the cooking liquid. Do not add the beans to the tomato sauce while they are still firm; the short final simmer will not soften undercooked beans much.
Prepare the tomato base. While the beans cook, roughly chop one onion and put it in a blender with the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and Scotch bonnet. Blend until mostly smooth, adding a tablespoon or two of water only if needed to get the mixture moving. For a chunkier stew, pulse briefly rather than blending completely. Keep the pepper whole if you want gentle flavor without much heat, and avoid breaking it open while blending.
Fry the remaining onion. Finely chop the second onion. Warm the palm oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden at the edges. The oil should shimmer but not smoke. If it begins to smoke, lower the heat; overheated palm oil can taste harsh.
Cook down the tomato mixture. Stir the tomato paste into the softened onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the blended tomato mixture carefully, since it can splutter when it meets the hot oil. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the sauce is thicker, less watery, and no longer has a raw tomato smell. If it sticks before it has reduced, lower the heat and stir in a splash of reserved bean liquid.
Finish the stew. Add the cooked beans and stir gently so they do not mash. Pour in about ¼ cup (60 ml) of the reserved cooking liquid and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring carefully once or twice. Add more liquid a little at a time if the stew looks dry; it should be thick and spoonable, not soupy. Remove the whole Scotch bonnet if you used one, taste, and add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt or more as needed. Let the pot stand for a few minutes before serving so the beans can settle into the sauce.
Serve. Spoon into bowls and offer gari at the table for sprinkling or mixing in. Serve with fried ripe plantain if desired. Keep any extra gari separate until serving so it stays dry rather than absorbing the sauce in storage.

Tips

Check the beans, not only the clock. Dried beans vary with age and storage, so tenderness is the useful cue. A bean should crush easily with a fork but should not dissolve into the cooking water. If yours need extra time, keep simmering them before draining.
Control the heat with the pepper. Scotch bonnet can be very hot. Leaving it whole gives the stew a pepper aroma with less heat, while slitting it lets more heat escape. For a milder substitute, use half a seeded jalapeño; it gives a different, less fruity pepper flavor. For extra heat, chop a small piece of Scotch bonnet and add it gradually.
Let the tomato sauce reduce properly. If the sauce tastes thin or sharply raw, give it a few more minutes before adding the beans. Stir often and lower the heat as it thickens to prevent scorching. Adding the beans too early can leave the finished stew watery and make the beans break apart with repeated stirring.
Use a broad, sturdy pot. A wide pot lets moisture evaporate from the tomato base and gives you room to fold the beans in gently. If you only have a narrow saucepan, expect the tomato reduction to take a little longer and stir more often around the bottom and sides.

Serving Suggestions

Red-red is often served with ripe plantain fried until browned outside and soft inside. Choose plantains with yellow skins marked by dark spots for a sweet, yielding result. Slice them on a diagonal and fry in a separate pan in a shallow layer of oil, turning once, until golden; drain briefly and serve alongside the beans. The plantain’s sweetness balances the tomato’s acidity and the pepper’s warmth. It is a serving suggestion rather than a required part of this stew recipe.

Gari is another familiar accompaniment. Sprinkle a little over each portion just before eating, or serve it in a small bowl so everyone can add the amount they like. It contributes a dry, lightly tart cassava flavor and absorbs some sauce. If you do not have gari, serve the stew with plain cooked rice, boiled yam, or soft bread. Those pairings are convenient alternatives, though they change the meal’s texture and are not direct substitutes for gari.

For a balanced plate, offer sliced cucumber or a simple cabbage salad on the side. A crisp, lightly dressed vegetable helps contrast with the thick beans without competing with the stew’s seasoning. Keep the sides fairly plain: the tomato, ginger, garlic, and palm oil already provide plenty of flavor.

Variations

Use canned beans for a shorter version. Replace the soaked dried peas with three 15-ounce (425 g) cans of black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed. That gives roughly 4½ cups (about 750 g) of beans, though can sizes and drained weights vary. Skip the soaking and bean-cooking steps, and begin with the tomato base. Simmer the sauce for 25 minutes, then add the canned beans with ½ cup (120 ml) water or vegetable broth and cook for about 10 minutes. Canned beans are convenient and tender, but they may be softer and less firm than beans cooked from dry.

Make the stew without a blender. Finely dice the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and ginger, then cook them in the oil as directed. The stew will have a more textured sauce and may need a little extra time to break down. Stir and mash a few tomato pieces against the pot with the back of a spoon as they soften. Do not mash the beans to thicken the sauce unless you specifically prefer a less distinct bean texture.

Adjust the richness. The listed amount of palm oil gives a rounded, traditional-style richness. For a lighter-feeling sauce, reduce it to ¼ cup (60 ml), but do not remove all the oil: it carries flavor and helps the onion and tomato base cook evenly. If palm oil is unfamiliar, start with the neutral-oil substitution, knowing that it will not have the same aroma or deep red color.

Add a savory accent. Some cooks include dried shrimp or smoked fish, while other versions keep the stew plant-based. To try dried shrimp, soak 1 tablespoon (about 8 g) briefly, rinse, and add it with the tomato base; it brings a salty, seafood-like savoriness, so taste before adding extra salt. For a vegetarian stew, leave it out and use the recipe as written. Family and regional approaches differ, so neither addition is essential to a good pot.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking in a covered, shallow container. The stew keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Store gari and fried plantain separately: gari can turn soggy in the stew, and plantain is best reheated on its own so it does not become overly soft.

Reheat a portion in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring gently and adding a splash of water if the beans have thickened the sauce in the refrigerator. Heat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe temperature for reheated leftovers. You can also microwave a covered portion, stirring halfway through and checking that it is steaming hot throughout. Freeze the stew in airtight containers for up to 3 months for best quality; thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating. The beans may soften slightly after freezing, but stirring gently will help keep them intact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ghanaian bean stew the same as red-red?

Red-red is a common name for Ghanaian bean stew, especially a version made with black-eyed peas and red palm oil. The name is generally associated with the red color of the oil and tomato sauce. Recipes vary from household to household, so the amount of pepper, the texture of the sauce, and the choice of accompaniments can differ.

Can I make this recipe without soaking the beans?

Yes, but allow more time for the beans to cook. Rinse them, cover with the fresh cooking water, and simmer until fully tender, checking regularly; unsoaked black-eyed peas can take around 60 to 90 minutes, depending on their age. Add hot water if the pot gets low, and begin preparing the tomato base while they simmer. The total time will be longer and less predictable than the soaked version.

Can I use kidney beans or another bean?

Black-eyed peas are the usual choice for this style of stew, but other beans can work. Use cooked white beans or kidney beans in the same approximate volume, and fold them into the reduced tomato sauce for the final 10 minutes. Their flavor and texture will differ, and kidney beans are larger and firmer, so make sure they are fully cooked before they go into the sauce.

Why does my bean stew taste sour or watery?

A watery sauce usually needs more uncovered simmering before the beans are added. Give the tomato mixture time to reduce and stir more often as it thickens. A sharp, sour taste can come from tomatoes that need longer cooking; simmer the sauce a little longer, then taste again. If it still tastes unbalanced, a small pinch of sugar can soften the acidity, but add it sparingly so the stew does not become sweet.

What can I serve if I cannot find gari?

Cooked rice, boiled yam, or bread are practical accompaniments. Rice is the easiest option and catches the sauce, while yam gives a more substantial, starchy bite. Gari has a distinctive cassava flavor and texture, so these are alternatives for serving rather than exact replacements. Fried ripe plantain also pairs well, whether or not you serve another starch.

How can I make the stew less spicy?

Use the Scotch bonnet whole and remove it before serving, or leave it out entirely for a mild pot. Do not blend or puncture the pepper if you are trying to limit the heat. If the finished stew is hotter than you prefer, serve it with extra rice or plantain and a mild side; adding more beans can also spread the heat through a larger batch.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).