Red Red (Pepper Stewed Beans)

Name: Red Red (Pepper Stewed Beans)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: Ghanaian
Ingredients: 1 medium red or white onion, coarsely chopped; 2 red bell peppers, coarsely chopped; 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, stemmed; ½ cup red palm oil or vegetable oil; 1 small red onion, diced; Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal); 3 tablespoons whole dried crayfish or tiny dried shrimp (optional), soaked and rinsed (see Tips); 3 tablespoons ground dried crayfish or shrimp, optional (see Tips); 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste; 2 (13- to 15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, kidney or pinto beans, rinsed

By Yewande Komolafe

Published January 16, 2026

Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.

Ready In: 2 hr
Rating: (0)
Comments: Read comments

A common dish served at homes in Ghana, by roadside vendors and in chop chop bars (cafes or canteens), this popular stew is enjoyed all year round. Different versions of stewed beans often pop up across the continent and its diaspora. They all begin with soaking and slowly cooking the beans until tender, allowing the legumes to release starch that adds sustenance to the dish as they swell. Here, canned beans are crushed, thickening the broth without quite collapsing, delicately held together in their thin, speckled or colorful coats. The floral and aromatic stew base is simmered and reduced into a robust and spice-forward piquant sauce. This is a high effort, high impact recipe for prosperity in the new year. Take your time here, commit to this meal. It is joy in a bowl.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

For the pepper base

1 medium red or white onion, coarsely chopped
2 red bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, stemmed

For the stewed beans

½ cup red palm oil or vegetable oil
1 small red onion, diced
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
3 tablespoons whole dried crayfish or tiny dried shrimp (optional), soaked and rinsed (see Tips)
3 tablespoons ground dried crayfish or shrimp, optional (see Tips)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste
2 (13- to 15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, kidney or pinto beans, rinsed

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

FOR THE PEPPER BASE
1. Step 1
  In a blender, combine the onion, bell peppers and Scotch bonnet. Add 1 cup water and purée on high until creamy. Pour the purée into a medium pot. Rinse out the blender with ½ cup water and add to the pot.
2. Step 2
  Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, to thicken and reduce the mixture, 8 to 10 minutes. Cover with the lid cracked on one side and continue to cook until the color deepens to a rusty orange, 10 to 15 minutes. (You should have about 2 cups.)
3. Step 3
  Use immediately or let cool and transfer to an airtight container. The base can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
MEANWHILE, MAKE THE STEWED BEANS
1. Step 4
  In a large pot, warm the palm oil over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens slightly, about 3 minutes.
2. Step 5
  Add the whole crayfish, if using, and cook until fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the ground crayfish, if using, and crushed pepper and stir for 1 minute. Add the pepper base, stir for another minute, then bring to a simmer.
3. Step 6
  Reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid cracked open on one side and cook, stirring often, until any liquid is slightly reduced and thick, about 6 minutes.
4. Step 7
  Add the beans and 1 teaspoon salt and stir well to combine. Cook, stirring often to prevent scorching, until the liquid begins to thicken, about 10 minutes (see Tips). Cover with the lid cracked on one side and continue to cook, stirring now and again, until saucy, 10 to 15 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and crushed pepper if needed.
5. Step 8
  Cover again with the lid cracked and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom once or twice to prevent scorching, until the sauce begins to dry on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Tips

Dried crayfish and shrimp in various sizes, whole and ground, are available at African, Caribbean and Asian grocery stores or online. If using whole dried crayfish or shrimp, soak them in warm water for a few minutes and drain before use.
If you want a thicker stew, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon while cooking. If you prefer a saucy stew, allow the beans to cool in their cooking liquid, then drain them, reserving the liquid. You can stir some liquid into the stew in ¼ cup measurements until you reach your desired consistency.