Vegetarian Nigerian Bean Stew

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-02 · Updated 2026-04-02

A hearty and protein-packed stew made with black-eyed peas and vegetables, seasoned with traditional West African spices. This nigerian-inspired vegetarian (vegetarian) ready in about 60 minutes pairs large, finely chopped onion, medium, chopped tomatoes, finely chopped red bell pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 240 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 cups, dried and soaked overnight black-eyed peas
• 1 large, finely chopped onion
• 2 medium, chopped tomatoes
• 1, finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1, finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1, finely chopped scotch bonnet pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 medium, diced carrot
• 1 medium, diced potato
• 1 cup spinach
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• 2 tbsp, chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat; add 1 large finely chopped onion and sauté until golden and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Step 2: Stir in 2 medium chopped tomatoes, 1 finely chopped red bell pepper, 1 finely chopped green bell pepper, and 1 finely chopped scotch bonnet pepper; cook for 5 minutes until tomatoes break down and peppers soften.
3. Step 3: Add 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 1 tsp smoked paprika; cook for 1 minute until spices are fragrant and oil shimmers.
4. Step 4: Stir in 2 cups soaked black-eyed peas, 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 diced carrot, and 1 diced potato; bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low.
5. Step 5: Simmer covered for 30 minutes, or until beans and vegetables are tender, stirring once halfway.
6. Step 6: Stir in 1 cup spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted and vibrant green.
7. Step 7: Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then remove from heat.
8. Step 8: Garnish with 2 tbsp fresh cilantro and serve with rice or boiled yam.