Nigerian Beans Recipe

This Nigerian Beans recipe will surely be one of your favorite African dishes. It’s a healthy dish of honey beans, tomato puree, salmon, and plantains! This is a popular recipe because of its affordable yet delicious ingredients.

Trust me; you will add this to your best beans recipes in no time!

How to Cook Nigerian Beans

Since the main ingredients are easy to prepare, this Nigerian Beans recipe will be easy and quick to cook!

Ingredients 

Buy these yummy and affordable ingredients for a delectable meal! 

Beans 

Beans are edible seeds that are turned into moist, sweet, and savory ingredients once cooked. They are good for weight loss, brain function, digestion, and more! I used honey beans in this recipe because my family loves the mildly sweet taste.

Use your leftover beans for cooking High-Protein Beans for the weekend!

Plantains 

Plantains look similar to bananas but are starchier and tougher in texture. Unlike bananas, plantains are best eaten when they are cooked. You can roast, steam, or air fry plantains to release their sweet flavor. 

Assorted meat liquid stock 

Add a rich and savory flavor by cooking it in delicious meat liquid stock. It also gives the dish a mild, meaty flavor to go with the spices and salmon.

I also use this to drastically enhance the quality and flavor of Jollof Rice with Nigerian Beans.

Grilled salmon 

This optional fish adds more texture to the dish. It also has a unique buttery, almost citrusy flavor that improves the recipe. I suggest making your own Grilled Salmon for a homemade meal.

Tomato puree 

Tomato puree adds a bit of tanginess to the dish for a balanced flavor and additional color. It also contributes a fragrant aroma. 

Palm oil 

Palm oil tastes earthy and piquant for a more flavorful touch to the beans and plantains. Moreover, it is an affordable ingredient that has a high smoke point for cooking. 

Seasoning 

This recipe is easy to season. You only made ground pepper, curry powder, mixed herbs, knorr cubes, and sea salt. These herbs and spices can neutralize the overall taste of the dish. 

Using these basic ingredients, you can cook the best Nigerian Beans ever. It is a Nigerian delicacy that all your family and friends want to experience!

Directions

Let’s get cooking to enjoy this dish for lunch or dinner!

1. Boil the rinsed sweet beans in a pot over medium fire for 20 minutes.
2. Use a knife to peel and slice the plantain into small pieces.
3. Add the sliced plantains to the pot of beans.
4. Pour the liquid stock and leave to cook for 15 minutes.
5. Then, add the ground pepper and tomato puree and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Season the dish with curry powder, mixed herbs, knorr cubes, and palm oil, and cook for another 10 minutes. 
7. Season the dish with sea salt, add the chunks of grilled salmon (if preferred), and cook for 5 minutes.
8. Mix everything and cook for five more minutes.
9. Use a wooden spatula to mash the beans and plantings for a finer texture.
10. Stir it, and once contented with the results, serve the dish for a sumptuous meal!

Give it a taste, and tell me how delicious Nigerian Beans are! Don’t you love the combination of flavors and textures in one dish? This dish makes you feel like you’re traveling to Nigeria! 

Tips

Beans

Buying beans

• Beans are readily available in packages in local grocery stores.
• Make sure the beans look fresh and that the packaging has no holes or insects. 

Peeling beans 

1. Soak the beans in warm water for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Then, rub them between your palms to peel off the skin.
3. To separate the skin from the beans, add more water to the bowl for the skin to float. 
4. Filter the contents using a fine mesh sieve.
5. Do this several times until you get all of the skin out. 

On the other hand, you can use a blender, food processor, mortar and pestle, grater, masher, mixer, and other similar tools to peel the beans. 

Storing beans 

• Store the peeled beans in an airtight container or resealable bag.
• Refrigerate for four days or freeze for three months.

Plantains

Buying plantains 

• The Pioneer Woman suggests buying ripe plantains with touches of yellow and black for a sweet taste.
• If you don’t need to use the plantains immediately, then you can purchase unripe plantains and let them ripen at room temperature. 

Storing plantains 

• Plantains can last up to several days or weeks at room temperature.
• Otherwise, store them in the fridge to extend shelf life.

Assorted meat liquid stock 

1. Prepare your preferred meat chops with onions, garlic, curry powder, stock cubes, thyme, and salt.
2. Cook the ingredients for 30 minutes or until the meat shops are tender. 
3. Then, freeze the liquid stock in ice cube trays.
4. Finally, put them into freezer bags to store for several weeks or months.

Tomato puree (fresh)

While tomato puree is readily available in grocery stores, you can make your own.

1. Chop the tomatoes.
2. Then, use a blender or a food processor to puree them.
3. Store the puree in a resealable bag to freeze for weeks o months. 

Nigerian Beans Variations

Aside from this classic beans and plantains recipe, you can also cook it and different varieties. For example, you can use sweet beans, black beans, red beans, or black-eyed peas to make this dish. 

Make sure to use ripe plantains to add a touch of sweetness to the recipe. For herbs and spices, I also suggest using onions, ginger, scotch bonnet, crayfish, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, cilantro, dried fish flakes, or even a bit of spinach to make it extra flavorful. 

Recommended Tools

• Pot: Cook the beans and plantains in one pot.
• Knife: Peel and slice the plantains with a knife.
• Spatula: Mix everything together with a spatula.

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How to Serve Nigerian Beans

The best thing about this dish is that you can serve it at any time of the day. It’s also a healthy dish you can prepare whenever you’re on a diet!

This beans and plantains recipe can be served with the following dishes:

• Roasted Plantains
• No-Oven Bread
• Fried Yam
• Green Plantain Porridge

Meanwhile, here are the best juices you can drink with this dish:

• Pineapple Juice
• Zobo Drink
• Pineapple Pomegranate Juice
• Watermelon Juice

Storage Tips

• At room temperature: Eat this dish within four hours at room temperature to enjoy the texture and flavor. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Nigerian beans called?

Nigerian Beans are also called “ewa riro”. It is a dish where the beans are turned into a porridge or stew. This is a native dish in Africa because it’s easy to cook and it’s made of affordable ingredients.

What type of beans do we eat in Nigeria?

The most common beans in Nigeria include black-eyed beans, honey beans, kidney beans, and more! Additionally, these can be boiled, fried, steamed, or even baked to make the best dishes.

How do you soften Nigerian beans?

Nigerian Beans are boiled in water to soften. It can take at least 30 minutes to cook them until they are ready for use.