This Caribbean inspired comfort and hearty pigeon pea stew has got it all - flavor, nourishment, and good feels!
What Are Pigeon Peas?
Pigeon peas are a pea native to India and Africa, but probably more commonly used in the Caribbean as the peas travelled with enslaved Africans to different areas of the Caribbean. They look like a cross between brown lentils and green peas. They are used in Indian dal recipes similar to lentils. Flavor-wise I’d describe them as rich and nutty.
Pigeon peas are big in Jamaica where they are typically eaten with rice similar to how we enjoy a bowl of red beans and rice here in the States.
This stew is actually vegan and relies on a unique combination of ingredients including coconut milk and curry for elevated flavor.
MOOD MUSIC
Pigeon peas are that food that you just always come back to again. For whatever reason I have a thing for heavy synthesized music. The 80’s was the decade for it. Carly Simon’s “Come Around Again” is that slow drag synthesized beat. It’s got that Island pace to it. And in planning this bowl of pig pea stew I envisioned myself on island time.
Pigeon Pea Stew Ingredients
- Pigeon Peas
- Onions
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Acorn Squash - other starchy vegetables like butternut squash, potatoes, yuca, etc can be substituted
- Cabbage
- Habanero - don’t worry it’s used for flavor not heat. This isn’t a spicy dish
- Salt
- Pepper
- All Spice
- Curry
- Fresh Thyme
- Vegetable Stock - any stock will do, but vegetable stock keeps the dish vegan.
- Coconut Milk
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- Bay Leaf
How To Make Pigeon Pea Stew
Bring peas to a boil in a large pot of water. Remove from heat and allow the peas to soak for an hour. Otherwise you can do an overnight soak by placing the beans in a pot of cold water ensuring they’re well covered by the water.
In a large dutch oven pot, heat olive oil. Saute the onions, garlic, and carrots a few minutes. Season with the spices (salt, pepper, allspice, and curry) as you go.
Add the cabbage and squash and cook for 3-4 minutes. Make sure to coat the vegetables well with all the flavor that is building in the pot.
Using the point of a sharp knife, slice a few small slits into the sides of the habanero. Add the habanero, thyme, and bay leaf.
Layer in the liquid ingredients - coconut milk and vegetable stock, plus peas and tomatoes mixing all the ingredients well. Bring to a boil then simmer covered for about 2 hours.
Cooking Considerations and Tips
Pigeon peas should be treated liked most beans/legumes in that you’ll want to soak them ahead of time
Gandules and pigeon peas are the same thing. So if you’ve had Arroz con Gandules then you’ve eaten pigeon peas before.
Most grocery stores will carry them in the dried beans section. If not you can find them in more specialty stores. Then there is always Amazon.
Black-eyed peas or baby lima beans are decent substitutes for gandules if you have difficulty finding them.
Be mindful of the habanero stewing in the pot. After about an hour in the pot you can remove. Otherwise, you run the risk of it disintegrating into the stew dropping some serious heat and disrupting the flavor a lot!
If you feel the need for rice, go all in and serve with coconut ginger rice. The stew is filling enough if you serve a big bowl, but collard greens or smothered green beans. make a great side dish. For a meat protein serve with brown stewed chicken.
Similar Recipes
Blackeyed Peas and Collard Greens Curry
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Ingredients
- 1 lb Pigeon Peas
- 1 whole Yellow Onion diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic diced
- 2 Medium Carrots cut on the diagonal
- 1 Small Acorn Squash peeled, deseeded, and diced
- 1 Small Cabbage core removed and roughly chopped
- 1 Whole Habanero
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon All Spice
- ½ tablespoon Ground Curry
- 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 1 quart Vegetable Stock
- 13.5 oz can Coconut Milk
- 13.5 oz can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- 2 whole Bay Leaves
Instructions
- Bring peas to a boil in a large pot of water. Remove from heat and allow the peas to soak for an hour. Otherwise you can do an overnight soak by placing the beans in a pot of cold water ensuring they’re well covered by the water.
- In a large dutch oven pot, heat olive oil. Saute the onions, garlic, and carrots a few minutes. Season with the spices (salt, pepper, allspice, and curry) as you go.
- Add the cabbage and squash and cook for 3-4 minutes. Make sure to coat the vegetables well with all the flavor that is building in the pot.
- Using the point of a sharp knife, slice a few small slits into the sides of the habanero. Add the habanero, thyme, and bay leaf.
- Layer in the liquid ingredients - coconut milk and vegetable stock, plus peas and tomatoes mixing all the ingredients well. Bring to a boil then simmer covered for about 2 hours.
Chris
Saturday 12th of March 2022
Great recipe! However, pay attention to the number of servings! It defaulted to "Serves 8" on the webpage, and I ended up having to do this in a large and very full stock pot! Good thing it freezes well.
Leigh
Monday 21st of February 2022
This is a great vegetarian recipe! I have tried many vegetarian recipes over the years and been disappointed. I eat meat and I eat what tastes good in general and this dish tastes great! I used "Better than Bullion" brand vegetable stock to make the quart of veggie stock, and I think that made a difference, b/c I've used other brands of veg bullion in the past in vegetarian recipes and they were nasty (and the recipes were too). I had to substitute a serrano for the habanero bc neither grocery store near me had habaneros. I also used lite coconut milk and canned pigeon peas. I used an acorn squash versus the butternut. This was such a good recipe even my beef-preferring dad liked it. A bit too spicy for my mom, with the serrano, which I left in for about 50 minutes. Just right for me and my dad, flavorful heat, not just heat. My first time attempting to make anything Caribbean for myself. I will definitely make it again, as written, and we want to try it with some added shredded chicken or beef. Thanks!!
Marwin Brown
Monday 21st of February 2022
Thanks for the feedback/comments. Glad you guys liked it. I think the shredded chicken would go well!
Janine
Sunday 13th of February 2022
This is amazing. I did add a lb of chicken thighs, but I know it would have been delicious either way. Huge thumbs up!
Marwin Brown
Monday 14th of February 2022
Thank you! I love the chicken add btw