African Black Eyed Peas and Rice
If you’re looking for an easy and flavorful rice side dish, this African Black Eyed Peas and Rice is a recipe worth trying. Made with parboiled rice, black-eyed peas, warm spices, and tomato, it’s a hearty dish that pairs beautifully with grilled meats, stews, fried chicken, or fish.
This recipe introduced me to West African cooking, and it completely changed my perception of the cuisine. The combination of simple ingredients and bold flavors makes this one of those recipes you’ll want to make again and again.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make with everyday ingredients.
- Fluffy rice packed with warm spices and black-eyed peas.
- Perfect alongside grilled, fried, or slow-cooked meats.
- Great for meal prep and leftovers.
- A delicious way to enjoy a classic West African-inspired rice dish.
While Testing This Recipe
These little tips helped me get the best results:
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear to remove excess starch and keep the grains fluffy.
- Soaking the rice for 30 minutes helps it cook more evenly.
- If using dried black-eyed peas, cook them until tender before adding them to the rice.
- Tomato paste gives a deeper flavor than tomato sauce, but both work well.
- Keep the heat low after adding the rice and avoid lifting the lid too often.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned black-eyed peas?
Yes. Drain and rinse them before adding them to the rice.
Can I use regular long-grain rice?
You can, but parboiled rice gives the fluffiest texture and is less likely to become sticky.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Absolutely. Simply replace the chicken or beef stock with vegetable stock.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. This rice reheats very well and often tastes even better the next day.
More Rice Recipes to Try
Looking for more rice recipes? Browse my complete collection of rice recipes for easy side dishes, one-pot meals, biryanis, pilafs, and comforting family favorites.
African Black Eyed Peas and Rice
Ingredients
- ½ cup canned or pre-cooked black-eyed peas
- 2 ⅓ cup chicken or beef stock
- 1 cup uncooked parboiled long grain rice
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 carrot diced
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon Salt
- 3 tablespoon tomato sauce or paste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
Instructions
- Wash and drain par-boiled rice until water is clear. Soak in water for 30 minutes. Keep aside.
- In a pan add olive oil, when hot add the carrot and onion sauté until onion is translucent.
- Add spices and salt stir for 1 minute on medium heat. Add the tomato sauce stir and then add the stock.
- Cover and let the mixture come to a boil.
- Add the rice and the black-eyed peas, stir and when it boils again cover tightly and reduce heat to the lowest.
- Let it cook for 20 minutes, uncover and stir, cover again and let it cook on low heat for 10 more minutes.
Notes
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear to remove excess starch and keep the grains fluffy.
- Soaking the rice for 30 minutes helps it cook more evenly.
- If using dried black-eyed peas, cook them until tender before adding them to the rice.
- Tomato paste gives a deeper flavor than tomato sauce, but both work well.
- Keep the heat low after adding the rice and avoid lifting the lid too often.
Nutrition
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Muna, you make everything look so delicious. Every culture seems to have different versions of rice and peas recipe. I have all the ingredients mentioned in the post, except for allspice, can I skip it.
Hey Rahul, Allspice smells and tastes very much like garam masala except I think the amount of clove used in allspice is a little more, use garam masala instead 🙂
This rice looks amazing! I’ve never really tried much African food but I know where I can start now 😉
You will be surprised, some African food are addictive, glad you liked my recipe 🙂
The rice looks great! I’ll try to pair it with some steak. I’m sure it will be perfect!
You’ll love it with steak Nagi, I promise 🙂