West African One-Pot Beans and Plantains | Recipes from a Pantry (2024)

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This One-Pot Beans and Plantains recipe with black-eyed beans and palm oil (bean and plantain pottage) is finger-licking West African street food at its best. Recipe suitable for Gluten-Free diets.

West African One-Pot Beans and Plantains | Recipes from a Pantry (1)

Hey Folks. Time to intro you to something a little bit more different. More different from the usual Sierra Leone Flavours I hear you ask? Yes – as in introducing you cooking with palm oil. It is a pantry staple for all Sierra Leoneans including myself and it adds a really unique rich flavour to your food.

Why You’ll Love One-Pot Beans and Plantains

This One-Pot Beans and Plantains recipe (bean pottage I hear my Nigerian friends call it) is finger-licking street food at its best – think filling protein from the black-eyed beans, flavour from the palm oil and fish and a little hint of sweetness via the plantains. And if you stuff this mixture into warm bread and it will pretty much fill you up for the entire day.

West African One-Pot Beans and Plantains | Recipes from a Pantry (2)

I sooooo remember sitting in my little corner biting into my black-eyed bean and plantain sandwiches, and seeing a few beans escape onto the table.

After I finished my sandwich, I would then pick up every single bean and slowly savour them aka eat my sandwich twice. And would you know it, my eldest is exactly like me.

How to MakeOne-Pot Beans and Plantains

Time to stop talking and leave you with the recipe for this One-Pot Beans and Plantains recipe and urge you to try something a little bit different.

Here is how to make One-Pot Beans and Plantains. Please do try it and if you do make it, then please do tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or twitter so that I can pop over and have a look. It is really, really awesome for me when you make any one of my recipes. You can also share it on my Facebook page.

Thank you for reading myone pot beans and plantain recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you.

Don't forget to tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or Twitter if you try One-Pot Beans and Plantains - West African Flavours! It is really, really awesome for me when you make one of my recipes and I'd love to see it. You can also share it on my Facebook page. Please pin this recipe to Pinterest too! Thank you for reading Recipes from a Pantry.

West African One-Pot Beans and Plantains | Recipes from a Pantry (3)

Print Recipe

4.95 from 19 votes

One-Pot Beans and Plantains - West African Flavours

You will love this rich and flavourful recipe.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course: Main

Cuisine: African

Servings: 6

Calories: 415kcal

Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

  • 400g beans soaked overnight and rinsed
  • 1.125 l water
  • 200 ml palm oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp dried fish flakes
  • Chopped Scotch bonnet chilli to taste
  • 1 jumbo maggi cube
  • 1 plantain peeled and cut into thin discs
  • A large handful of very finely chopped spinach
  • Salt

Instructions

  • Put beans and water in a pot and bring to the boil. Skim off the layer of foam, reduce heat and simmer for 15 mins.

  • Mix in the palm oil, onion, fish flakes and scotch bonnet chilli and let simmer for about 1.5 hr or until the beans are done to your taste.

  • About 15 mins before the beans are ready stir in the maggi cube and plantain, cover the pot and cook till the plantain is done.

  • Stir in the chopped spinach, adjust seasoning and serve with some rice.

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Notes

Notes - you could use oil instead of palm oil, and other quick wilt greens instead of spinach. If you don't have a maggi cube then please substitute the water with vegetable or chicken stock. Keep an eye on the water when cooking the beans and add a half cup of water at a time if the water dries out.

Nutrition

Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 345IU | Vitamin C: 7.1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1.9mg

West African One-Pot Beans and Plantains | Recipes from a Pantry (2024)

FAQs

Is it good to cook beans with plantain? ›

Experts refer to the combination of beans and ripe plantain as 'Delicious Poison. ' Acid-forming foods can contribute to heart problems, ulcers, and gastrointestinal reflux, among other diseases. It's important to note that cooking beans with unripe plantains is considered a perfect combination that aids digestion.

Why are plantain pieces soaked in garlic water? ›

There are a few reasons for the garlic-lime water soak: It prevents the tostones from oxidizing. In order to prepare tostones most of the way in advance, many cooks will peel, fry, and smash their plantains ahead of time, and then wait until just before serving for the final fry.

Are plantains an African food? ›

The long and tortuous history of plantain can be traced to as early as 500 B.C. It is of South East Asian origin, mostly in Malaysia and the now Indonesia. This now popular African food item was introduced into India by traders. .

Should plantains be soaked before cooking? ›

Soaking plantains isn't a necessary step, but many recipes call for it anyway. This takes time, and it's only really a benefit to your dish if the plantains are being fried or grilled. Fried plantains get crunchier on the outside and more tender on the inside if they are soaked in salt water beforehand.

Is boiled plantain good for the liver? ›

Plantains are a great food to eat if you have cirrhosis. They are high in potassium and magnesium, which can help to improve liver function. Plantains are also a good source of antioxidants, which can help to protect the liver from damage.

What does boiled plantain do to the body? ›

Plantains are a carb-rich food and a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They also contain antioxidants that fight free radicals. With good levels of vitamin C, they can also support immune function. Likewise, their vitamin B6 content may reduce cardiovascular risk and improve mood.

What does raw plantain do to the body? ›

The high amount of potassium found in plantains is essential for maintaining the cell and body fluids that control your heart rate and blood pressure. The fiber in plantains also helps lower your cholesterol, which in turn keeps your heart functioning at its best.

What is the healthiest way to eat plantains? ›

Healthiest Plantain Preparation

Plantains can be eaten raw or cooked but are usually enjoyed cooked in some way. Plantains can be baked, fried, boiled, or grilled. Ripe plantains can be peeled and eaten like a banana, but even ripe plantains are usually best enjoyed cooked.

Can you eat a plantain raw? ›

Ripe plantains are sweet like a banana, without the banana flavor. They can be eaten raw but are best when fried. The edges caramelize and become crispy like the edges of pancakes cooked in butter.

What do Africans call plantains? ›

Alloco, as it is called in Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso, is called dodo (Yoruba) in Nigeria, missolè in Cameroon and makemba in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Do Mexicans eat plantain? ›

In Mexican cooking, fried plantains are famously eaten on top of white rice, as in the main post photo. This brings a nice contrast of sweet and soft with savory and coarse. If you want to go over the top, drizzle some Mexican or Latin style cream or sour cream as a finishing touch.

Is beans and plantain good for diabetics? ›

“Carbohydrates should be 50-60 per cent of the daily intake for people with diabetes. They should eat food like Garri, yam flour, beans, local unpolished rice, and oats, among others. “There are very few benefits of eating unripe plantain, as there are several other meals that can be taken,” he noted.

Can beans be eaten with banana? ›

A surprisingly delicious combination of flavors, sweet and savory.

What are the health benefits of cook plantain? ›

What Makes Plantains Healthy?
  • Low in sugar.
  • Low in calories.
  • High in potassium.
  • High in vitamin C.
  • Boosts the immune system.
  • Helps with digestion.
  • May aid in blood sugar control.
Nov 6, 2023

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