Ewa riro is a hearty and flavorful traditional Nigerian stewed beans recipe made in one pot. Learn how to make it in about an hour!
If you're trying to learn how to make Nigerian recipes or just looking for a filling and flavorful one pot beans recipe, you're in the right spot. You'll love this protein filled recipe for ewa riro on stovetop. The ingredient list is simple but everything combines for an unforgettable Yoruba delicacy you can enjoy for any meal of the day. Let's get into it!
If you enjoy ewa riro, you'll also love these classic Nigerian recipes like jollof rice or yaji seasoning. Try my zobo drink, too!
What You'll Need for this Recipe
My ewa riro is made with a combination of traditional Nigerian ingredients and a couple of readily available swaps to make this an approachable recipe if you live outside of Nigeria. Here's what to add to your grocery list.
- Bell Pepper
- Crayfish
- Maggi Cubes
- Nigerian Brown Beans (or Black Eyed Peas)
- Onion
- Palm Oil
- Roma Tomatoes
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper
- Smoked Turkey
- Sea Salt
- Water
Making ewa riro with ingredients available in the United States is absolutely possible. I can typically source this full list from my local grocery store but African food markets will carry everything you need. As far as tools, grab a sharp knife and cutting board, a blender or food processor, and a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients.
What Does Ewa Riro Taste Like?
Depending on which beans are used, the dish will have either a slightly sweet or earthy flavor. Ewa riro is traditionally made with Nigerian brown beans--aka honey beans--which aren't as readily available in the US so a relative, black-eyed peas, is often used. Nigerian honey beans are also used in dishes like moi moi and akara.
Turkey imparts a bit of smokiness and crayfish a delicious umami flavor. Texture-wise, ewa riro is dense, creamy, and rich so some people refer to it as beans porridge. If you use palm oil in beans, which I highly recommend, you'll notice additional savory and earthy layers of flavor. The same blend of tomatoes, onion, and pepper we use in rice and stew provides the flavor base and stewed texture. I like to make mine a spicy Nigerian beans recipe with hot habanero pepper.
How to Serve Ewa Riro?
Simple dodo (friend plantains) is the perfect pairing for this dish. And I like to enjoy it with a small serving of vegetables or side salad but that's not required as ewa riro is a complete meal by itself with a combination of protein, fat, fiber, and carbohydrates. Not to mention the abundance of vitamins and minerals. Check out the recipe card below for full nutrition information.
Tips for this Recipe
- Mashing the beans is optional and will create an even thicker texture. I use the back of a wooden spoon to mash a few against the side of the cooking pot. This is entirely of to preference.
- Can I freeze cooked beans? Yes. I portion out my cooked black eyed peas or honey beans into soup cubes and store in the freezer for up to six months.
- This recipe calls for two pounds of smoked turkey but the amount or presence of meat is optional if you want to make this a vegetarian meal. You can also use different parts such as turkey wings.
- You can also try making ewa riro in a slow cooker or pressure cooker.
More Naija Recipes to Love
If you enjoy Soul Food versions of stewed black-eyed peas, I highly encourage you to try this predecessor recipe! And sharing is caring so be sure to pin my Nigerian bean recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
Nigerian Ewa Riro Recipe
Ewa Riro (Nigerian Stewed Beans)
Ingredients
- 32 ounces black eyed peas or Nigerian brown beans if you can find them
- water
- 2 pounds smoked turkey
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 1 bell pepper
- ½ onion
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- 3 Maggi cubes
- 2 teaspoons ground crayfish
- ¼ cup palm oil
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse beans and add to a large pot. Add enough water to cover the beans by one inch then add turkey to the pot.
- Cover pot and cook over medium heat until beans have softened and most of the water has cooked off (about 45 minutes).
- While beans cook, cut tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion into chunks. Add to blender with habanero pepper and one cup of water to assist blending process. Pulse ingredients in blender until a liquified, uniform mixture forms. Crush Maggi cubes into a powder.
- Remove turkey from cooked beans and add in tomato mixture, crayfish, maggi cubes, and palm oil. Stir until incorporated.
- Remove turkey meat and skin from bones and shred into bite sized pieces. It's helpful to use two forks for this.
- Stir meat back into pot and continue cooking beans for another 30 minutes to one hour to achieve desired thickness and texture. Taste test and add salt, as needed.
Notes
- Mashing the beans is optional and will create an even thicker texture. I use the back of a wooden spoon to mash a few against the side of the cooking pot. This is entirely of to preference.
- Can I freeze cooked beans? Yes. I portion out my cooked black eyed peas or honey beans into soup cubes and store in the freezer for up to six months.
- This recipe calls for two pounds of smoked turkey but the amount or presence of meat is optional if you want to make this a vegetarian meal. You can also use different parts such as turkey wings.
- You can also try making ewa riro in a slow cooker or pressure cooker.
Britney says
I made these beans last night and enjoyed it with some fresh bread - it was delicious and so easy to make. I loved all of the flavors, especially with the chunks of smoked turkey!
Jessica says
I used black eyed peas and this was FANTASTIC. Smoky, saucy and so comforting. Will be making this again.
Kaluhi Adagala says
Talk about bold flavors!!!!! I loved loved loved this stew so so much! I loved it even more because I could easily find the ingredients here in Kenya! Super simple to put together and the flavors really came through!
Taneisha says
After trying your jollof rice, I knew this was the next recipe I wanted to try! It was so comforting, flavourful and filling! I served with some fried plantains and it was a hit! So so good!
Krys says
I was looking for black eye pea recipes and found your Nigerian Stewed Beans. So glad I did! Also, I highly recommend smashing the beans, as the recipe suggests! Love the texture and thickness it adds. Delicious!
Robin says
I usually make a pot of some type of legume weekly so it was refreshing to come across this recipe - we needed something new. The maggi cubes in combination with the palm oil gave the beans such a richness in flavor. I'm going to make these again for new year's eve.
Jazz says
Ewa riro would make a fab NYE dish!
LaKita says
These stew beans are the perfect filling bowl of comfort! So flavorful and delicious and your instructions made the whole process simple.
Shani Whisonant says
This was my first time making this recipe, and it won't be my last. What a delicious bite! It's so comforting and hearty (but not in a heavy way!), while reminding me of home. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Marta says
I was actually able to find Nigerian brown beans at a local African market, which made me so happy. The added crayfish was a nice touch because it gave the beans even more flavor, which I didn't think was possible. So delicious.