Ethiopian Black-Eyed Peas with Coconut Milk

Ethiopian black eyed peas with coconut milk is a deliciously hearty dish with the perfect amount of heat. This naturally vegan dish is bursting with savory flavor, and the coconut milk adds lovely creaminess. Serve it over rice, or with a piece of cornbread.

I love Ethiopian food. And for some reason, I had never made it at home. But I came across this recipe for Ethiopian black eyed peas with coconut milk in a recent issue of Food & Wine and knew I had to make it. What's more, it's from Marcus Samuelsson, so you know it's delicious!

If you are new to Ethiopian food, this is a great dish to start with. It's easy to make, healthy, and delicious. And if you love black-eyed peas, try this black-eyed pea soup!

🤔 What is berbere seasoning?

Berbere seasoning is a traditional spice blend that is ubiquitous in Ethiopia. While it typically contains over a dozen spices, with each home cook having their own particular blend, the key ingredients are usually red chili peppers, fenugreek, and ginger.

It's traditionally used to flavor stews and can also act as a dry rub for grilling or frying meat. Berbere seasoning has a complex flavor, with notes of savory, sweet, spicy, and citrus.

🍅 Recipe Ingredients

• dried black-eyed peas
• non-dairy butter
• red onion
• ginger
• garlic cloves
• habanero chile
• sea salt
• berbere seasoning
• turmeric
• tomatoes
• coconut milk
• low-sodium vegetable broth
• chopped cilantro
• scallions

📝 Variations & Substitutions

• Grains. Add 1 cup of (cooked) brown rice, white rice, barley, or quinoa for a heartier meal.
• Canned black-eyed peas. (2 15-ounce cans) can be used in place of dried black-eyed peas.

🔪 How to Make Ethiopian Black-Eyed Peas

In a large saucepan, cover the peas with water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until tender, about 40 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and let stand for 5 minutes, then drain well.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, chile, and salt, and cook for another minute.

Add the berbere seasoning and turmeric and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the coconut milk and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes.

Add the peas to the broth mixture and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until the peas are lightly coated, about 10 minutes. Fold in the cilantro and scallions and serve.

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips

• How to store: Place in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
• How to reheat: Place in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for around 10 minutes, or until heated through.
• Make ahead: You can make the black-eyed peas one day ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator.
• Serve your black-eyed peas over rice, or accompanied with flatbread or cornbread.
• Use dried black-eyed peas. If you are short on time, you can use canned (pre-cooked) beans, but they don't have the same taste and texture as dried beans. Always be sure to drain and rinse your canned beans.

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

🍽 More Recipe Ideas

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook.

Subscribe to my email newsletter to get a FREE e-book of 15 Healthy Weeknight Recipes, and get new recipes delivered to your inbox every week!

Ethiopian Black-Eyed Peas with Coconut Milk

Author: MaryAnne

Ethiopian black eyed peas with coconut milk is a deliciously hearty dish with the perfect amount of heat. This dish is bursting with savory flavor, and the coconut milk adds lovely creaminess. Serve it over rice, or with a piece of cornbread.

5 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Ethiopian

Servings 6 servings

Calories 348 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 cups dried black-eyed peas
• ▢ 4 Tablespoons non-dairy butter
• ▢ 1 large red onion, minced
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 1 habanero chile, seeded and minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons berbere seasoning*
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ▢ 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
• ▢ 1 cup coconut milk
• ▢ 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• ▢ ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
• ▢ 3 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

 

• In a large saucepan, cover the black-eyed peas with water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until tender, about 40 minutes.
• Add a generous pinch of salt and let stand for 5 minutes, then drain well.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, chile, and salt, and cook for another minute.
• Add the berbere and turmeric and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes.
• Add the peas to the broth mixture and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until the peas are lightly coated, about 10 minutes. Garnish with scallions and cilantro. and serve over rice or accompanied with cornbread.

Video

Notes

*Berbere is an Ethiopian ground red chile spice mix. You can make your own blend or purchase it at a specialty food shop such as kalustyans.com.

• How to store: Place in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
• How to reheat: Place in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for around 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 15gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 520mgPotassium: 929mgFiber: 8gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 681IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 7mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!