A vibrant stew of black-eyed peas cooked in a rich palm oil and tomato sauce, served with fried sweet plantain — Ghana's most popular everyday dish.
Red red is one of Ghana's most beloved everyday dishes and perhaps the country's most famous export dish: black-eyed peas are cooked in a richly spiced tomato sauce with red palm oil (which gives the dish its name — the red beans in the red oil), onion, dried smoked fish and scotch bonnet. It is always served with fried ripe plantain (kelewele-style or plain fried), and the combination of the earthy, slightly smoky bean stew with the sweet, caramelised plantain is one of the great flavour pairings in West African cooking. Red red is naturally vegan (if made without the dried fish) and profoundly satisfying — a dish that makes pulses feel like a celebration.
Serves 4
Heat palm oil in a pot. Fry onion for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, cook 2 minutes. Add blended tomatoes and scotch bonnet. Simmer for 15 minutes until reduced and oil surfaces.
Add drained black-eyed peas, smoked fish, stock cubes and salt. Add a splash of water if too thick. Simmer for 20–25 minutes until the beans are very tender and have absorbed the sauce.
Slice ripe plantain at an angle. Fry in vegetable oil over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and caramelised.
Serve the bean stew alongside fried plantain. The stew should be deep red from the palm oil and tomato.
Red palm oil is essential for authentic flavour and colour — do not substitute with regular vegetable oil.
The plantain must be ripe (yellow with black spots) for sweetness — green plantain is too starchy.
For a vegan version, omit the dried fish — still excellent.
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
Kidney beans or brown beans can substitute for black-eyed peas.
Some versions add a small piece of salted dried fish (herrings) instead of smoked fish.
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.
Bean stew keeps refrigerated for 4 days. Fry plantain fresh.
Red red is one of Ghana's most ancient dishes, with black-eyed peas (cowpeas) having been cultivated in West Africa for over 5000 years. The combination of cowpeas with palm oil is one of the foundational flavour combinations of West African cuisine. Red red became one of the most widely exported Ghanaian dishes, introduced to the world through the Ghanaian diaspora and increasingly popular in pan-African restaurants internationally.
Red palm oil is the unrefined oil from the palm fruit, which is dark orange-red in colour and has a distinct earthy flavour. Find it in African, Caribbean and some Asian grocery stores. It is fundamentally different from refined palm oil (which is white and flavourless) — the two cannot be substituted for each other in this dish.
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
Authenticity sits on a spectrum — what matters more is honoring the technique and balance of flavors. If the dish tastes harmonious and respects how cooks in its home region would build it, you're on solid ground.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 4 servings total
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