Our Pigeon Peas and Rice recipe is a savory dish combining tender pigeon peas, roasted red peppers, and creamy coconut milk, all simmered to perfection in a fragrant blend of spices.
We serve it with fluffy Jasmine rice for a taste of paradise. Get ready to savor every spoonful of this wholesome and satisfying meal.
Grab the recipe down below!
Pigeon Peas And Rice Recipe
Granted, you may not be familiar with pigeon peas served with jasmine rice, but let me assure you it’s genuinely hearty, packed with protein galore, and bonafide comfort food.
This is my version of Pigeon Peas And Rice Recipe Stew, but as usual, I tweaked it until it was just right!
If you’re unfamiliar, you may wonder, what is a pigeon pea?
Well, I’m glad you asked.
The domestication of the pigeon pea has roots in India over 3,500 years ago, and to this day, it’s an everyday food staple throughout Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
Got it? Good? We’re good!
When it comes down to it, if you’re a fan of beans and rice, there’s a good chance you may enjoy this recipe, too.
This is a tomato-based recipe, but the addition of creamy, unsweetened coconut milk tempers the acidity of the tomato.
I also like the slight spiciness of this vegetarian stew; turn the heat up or down with the addition of red pepper flakes or scotch bonnet peppers.
It’s all up to you!
What You Will Need:
EVOO. Red Onions. Roasted Red Peppers. This recipe starts with sautéing red onions in extra virgin olive oil and adding diced roasted red peppers. This delicious trio sets a pretty good tone for the rest of the recipe.
Crushed Tomatoes. Tomato Sauce. Tomato Paste. The crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste give this recipe lots of tomato-based flavors. It’s a great base to build upon by adding the other ingredients, which round out the overall character of this recipe.
Pigeon Peas. Vegetable Stock. Unsweetened Coconut Milk. The pigeon peas give this delicious stew its heartiness; you can also beef up this stew by adding yucca root, cassava, or potatoes. The stock adds volume, and the unsweetened coconut milk adds creaminess.
Garlic. Fresh Cilantro. Adding pan-roasted garlic is what you do when you have a love for all the savory things. But make no mistake, the fresh cilantro adds vibrancy and herbaceousness. Say that three times fast!
Dried Oregano. Smoked Paprika. Ground Cumin. We’re putting the flavor petal to the metal by layering additional flavors like dried oregano; you can use fresh oregano but double the amount. Smoked paprika has become a secret weapon; here, it does a mighty fine job of adding the thrill of smokiness. Ground cumin is a foregone conclusion with almost any respectable legume or bean-inspired recipe!
Sea Salt and freshly Cracked Black Peppercorns. You know the drill: add as much or as little as you want!
How to make Pigeon Peas & Rice
Ingredients:
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup red onion diced
- 3/4 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
- 4 15-ounce cans of pigeon peas, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 14.5-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce
- 1 13-ounce can of unsweetened coconut milk
- 3-4 garlic cloves, smashed and diced
- 2 tbsps tomato paste
- 3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp dried oregano or 2 tbsp fresh oregano
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or chili powder
- 1/8 tsp ground cumin
- Sea salt to taste
- freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste
- 3-4 jasmine rice (prepare according to the package cooking directions)
Directions:
- Remove the lid from the Instant Pot and select the Saute function. Add a tbsp of EVOO; when the oil is hot, add the diced red onions and chopped garlic. Cook the onions for approximately 5 minutes or until they are softened.
- Add the pigeon peas, vegetable stock, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, roasted red peppers, and unsweetened coconut milk. Stir until the ingredients are combined. Allow the mixture to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Next, add the dried oregano, smoked paprika, and ground cumin, and add sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste.
- Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Add torn cilantro just before serving.
- Serve with Jasmine or wild rice. [click on the link to get directions on making our rice.]
What To Serve With Pigeon Pea Stew
I love serving this stew with rice. It will add a lot of texture and heartiness to the soup.
Feel free to swap it out—white or even brown works.
Other options are quinoa or even cauliflower rice.
Or a side of greens. This stew is excellent as the main dish, or you can eat it alone.
Where to Buy Pigeon Peas
You will find your peas in the canned goods aisle by the other vegetables.
You might find your store carries a few brands; feel free to buy what you prefer.
Rinse and drain the peas once you are prepping them for the stew.
I open them, place them in a colander, and run cold water on them in the sink. Then, strain off any liquid and use it.
Can I make Pigeon Stew ahead of time?
You can make the Pigeon peas stew one or days ahead.
It allows the stew to blend and marry all the flavors even more than day one.
I love using leftovers to eat the next day for lunch.
How long can I refrigerate Pigeon Stew?
You can keep the pigeon stew in the fridge for up to three days.
When you are ready, warm up in the microwave or pot on the stove.
This soup is delicious!
Feel free to use leftovers for meal prepping, grab and go for easy lunches and dinners a few days out of the week.
This is a great option. Or make a larger batch to meal prep for a dinner or lunch down the line.
Can I freeze pigeon pea stew?
Yes. Store the pigeon peas stew in a gallon zip-locking freezer bag.
The stew will keep for up to 12 months.
Then warm up and thaw in the fridge overnight.
Then warm up in the pot on the stove or the microwave.
Top with rice, garnish, and dive in!
This is a wonderful pigeon pea and rice recipe, and if you are a fan of comfort food, add this one to your must-have list.
Our pigeon peas and rice is a hearty tomato-based recipe that goes well with long-grain white rice and roasted chicken.
You can also serve this dish without chicken for a great meatless Monday option.
Now that you have our Pigeon Pea Stew recipe, all that’s left to do is make it!
Ingredients
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup red onion diced
- 3/4 cup roasted red pepper chopped
- (4) 15 ounce cans of pigeon peas drained and rinsed
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- (1) 14.5 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- (1) 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
- (1) 13 ounce can of unsweetened coconut milk
- 3-4 garlic cloves smashed and diced
- 2 tbsps tomato paste
- 3 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 tbsp dried oregano or 2 tbsp fresh oregano
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or chili powder
- 1/8 tsp ground cumin
- sea salt to taste
- freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste
- 3-4 jasmine rice Prepare according to the package cooking directions
Instructions
- Remove the lid from the Instant Pot and select the Saute function. Add a tbsp of EVOO; when the oil is hot, add the diced red onions and chopped garlic. Cook the onions for approximately 5 minutes or until the onions are softened.
- Add the pigeon peas, vegetable stock, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, roasted red peppers, and unsweetened coconut milk. Stir until the ingredients are combined. Allow the mixture to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Next, add the dried oregano, smoked paprika, and ground cumin, and add sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste.
- Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Add torn cilantro just before serving.
- Serve with Jasmine or wild rice.
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