Tender rice and black-eyed peas cooked together with dried sorghum leaves for a deep reddish-brown colour, served with stew, egg and wele — Ghana's most iconic street food.
Waakye (pronounced WAH-chay) is one of Ghana's most beloved and iconic dishes: rice and black-eyed peas (or kidney beans) cooked together with dried sorghum leaves or baking soda, which turn the rice a distinctive reddish-brown colour. It is sold from roadside stalls across Ghana from early morning until sold out, served on folded newspaper with a choice of accompaniments: a spiced tomato stew, fried fish, boiled eggs, wele (cow skin), avocado, plantain and shito (black chilli sauce). The combination of the earthy, slightly nutty waakye with the rich stew and the fiery shito is one of the great simple meals of West African cooking.
Serves 6
Bring water to a boil with bicarbonate of soda. Add rinsed rice and beans. The water will turn brownish-red. Season with salt. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 20–25 minutes until rice and beans are tender and liquid is absorbed.
The bicarbonate of soda is what gives waakye its characteristic reddish-brown colour. Dried sorghum leaves (millet stems) are the traditional alternative.
Blend tomatoes, scotch bonnets and half the onion. Fry remaining onion in oil until golden. Add tomato paste and the blended mixture. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes until reduced and oil surfaces. Add stock cubes and season.
Plate waakye alongside the stew. Add a halved hard-boiled egg. Top with shito and any other accompaniments: fried plantain, fried fish or sliced avocado.
Bicarbonate of soda creates the colour and also helps soften the beans — use the correct amount.
Shito (Ghanaian black chilli sauce) is available in African stores and makes a significant difference.
The stew should be thick and very reduced — it needs to stand up to the hearty waakye.
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
Add more protein: fried chicken, grilled tilapia or beef stew alongside.
Jollof rice is a related but distinctly different one-pot rice dish.
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.
Waakye keeps refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat with a splash of water.
Waakye originated in northern Ghana, particularly among the Hausa people, and has spread to become one of the most popular street foods across the country. It is one of Ghana's most democratic foods — eaten by all social classes as a morning or lunchtime meal from roadside stalls. The combination of rice and beans reflects West Africa's long culinary tradition of combining legumes with grains for a nutritionally complete meal.
Shito (Ghanaian black pepper sauce) is available in African grocery stores and online. It is a distinctive condiment made from dried fish, prawns, ginger and chillies — there is no good substitute for the authentic flavour.
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 (480g / 16.9 oz) · 6 servings total
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