Ghanaian Waakye (Rice and Beans Cooked with Sorghum Leaves)

About This Recipe

Ghanaian Waakye is a real, traditional Ghanaian dish, known as Rice and Beans Cooked with Sorghum Leaves. Rice and black-eyed peas cooked together with dried sorghum leaves for a distinctive reddish-brown color, served with an array of sides.\n\nWaakye is a beloved staple across Ghana, its name derived from the Hausa word for beans, and the dried sorghum leaves (or waakye leaves) used to color and flavor the dish are a signature technique unique to West African cooking.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Ghanaian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 cupslong-grain rice(rinsed)
• 1 cupdried black-eyed peas(soaked overnight)
• 4dried sorghum leaves (waakye leaves)(or 1 tsp baking soda as a substitute for color)
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)
• 1.5 Lwater
• 300 ggari (toasted cassava granules)(to serve)
• 4hard-boiled eggs(to serve)
• 200 gfried plantain(to serve)
• 150 gspaghetti, cooked(to serve, optional)
• 200 mlshito (Ghanaian chili sauce)(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the beans

   Simmer the soaked black-eyed peas with the sorghum leaves (or baking soda) and half the water for 30 minutes until the beans begin to soften and the water turns a deep red-brown.

2. 2

   Add rice

   Add the rinsed rice to the same pot along with the remaining water.

3. 3

   Simmer

   Cover and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes until the rice and beans are fully tender and the liquid is absorbed.

4. 4

   Remove leaves

   Discard the sorghum leaves if used.

5. 5

   Season

   Season with salt to taste.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve the waakye with gari, hard-boiled eggs, fried plantain, spaghetti if using, and a generous spoonful of shito on the side.

Variations

• •

  Add fried fish or grilled beef as an additional protein option.

• •

  Some vendors add a wedge of avocado to the plate for creaminess.

• •

  A vegetarian version skips the egg and meat, focusing on the rice, beans and vegetable sides.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions