Easy Stewed Pigeon Peas

If you grew up in the Caribbean, you know a pot of stewed pigeon peas can turn any plate into a proper meal. This stewed pigeon peas recipe is simple, flavorful, and the kind of side you make on autopilot when you need something hearty to go with rice or macaroni pie. Whether you’re using fresh, frozen, or canned peas, this easy pigeon peas recipe delivers that rich, savory taste we all love.

I love stewed peas, or “stew peas” as we call them. It is comfort food. I don’t know why pigeon peas (gungo peas) are so sweet and therefore make for a great dish.

Stewed peas are a popular Caribbean dish, but the peas used vary across the islands. It is an integral part of Sunday lunch and is one of those dishes that you know is just going to be “sweet” and satisfying when you eat it.

It can be used to make not just this side dish, but we also make pigeon peas soup, and the peas are also used in pelau.

This is an easy cook.    

Man, I remember the days of having to shell fresh peas. We had pigeon peas trees. And would get lost in there picking buckets full.

It’s also not uncommon to get peas from your neighbor. And I don’t mean 5 or 10 peas, I mean buckets and bags of peas, where you have to set aside half a day to sit behind a bucket to shell these peas to freeze them.

Why this stewed pigeon peas recipe works every time

Some dishes just never fail you, and this is one of them. It uses basic ingredients, builds flavor fast, and gives you that rich, home-cooked taste without plenty fuss. Whether you grab a can of pigeon peas from your pantry or use the frozen stash in your freezer, this recipe cooks up soft, flavorful pigeon peas that sit perfectly next to some white rice, macaroni pie, or whatever else you put on your plate. It’s reliable comfort food with Caribbean soul.

What are pigeon peas?

As usual, this is not even a pea. It is a bean. But you know how Caribbean people stop.

It is a bean native to Africa, but it is widely used in the Caribbean. We use it by itself, mixed with rice, to make patties, or even in soups.

The scientific name for them is Cajanus cajan. But it’s also called gungo peas in Jamaica.

They grow in some small to medium-sized pods that have about 4 to five seeds in them. The colors sometimes are bright green, then go to brown (and splotchy) as it matures.

The taste for me can be described as nutty, while the peas themselves are a bit crispy.

These are not to be confused with green peas. Green peas are bright green sweet peas.

Shelling time torture. Everyone tried to avoid it as much as possible. Unfortunately, to get to these sweet peas, they have to be shelled.

We now have the convenience of dried pigeon peas and canned pigeon peas, which cuts down the cooking time tremendously.

You can use either green or brown pigeon peas, but I much prefer using brown.

How to make stewed pigeon peas

Ingredients

As usual, we build flavors with our dishes. So besides the main item of the peas, we have herbs and spices. And also meat as options.

• Green pigeon peas – you can use canned, frozen, or fresh pigeon peas (see notes for additional details)
• Smoked turkey bones (substitute with pigtails, cooked ham) (see notes for other meat options).
• Coconut milk.
• Sprigs of fresh thyme.
• Brown sugar.
• Onion.
• Pumpkin.
• Tomatoes.
• Fresh garlic cloves.
• Bay leaf (optional) – a great addition to add a new layer of flavor, but it is not needed.
• Cooking oil.

Instructions

1. Prepare your meat now if using. See notes below for what needs to be done depending on the type of meat you are going to use.
2. Open the canned peas and rinse them out about twice. We are not using the liquid that comes in the can and want to remove as much of any residue of it from there.
3. In your heavy-bottomed pan, on medium heat, heat oil and add crushed garlic, and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Go ahead and add in the pumpkin, meat, thyme, tomato, coconut milk, sugar, and peas, and stir well.
5. Put on the pot lid and let this simmer for about 30 minutes on medium-low heat. We are simmering until the peas are tender/soft and the pumpkin is cooked. Make sure and stir it now and then.
6. Depending on how tender the peas were originally, you might need to add additional cups of water or broth and simmer a little longer. But add additional water in small batches.
7. As the peas start to get tender, make sure to season with salt and black pepper.
8. Once the peas are tender, you are finished.

Notes

• Cleaning peas: There is usually debris in the packets of peas. Before soaking them, take your time and go through to get rid of any stones, bugs, weird-looking peas, or even sticks that are sometimes found.
• If using dried pigeon peas (the ones in the packet), you will need to soak them. Soaking it the night before is recommended. At least 6 hours works best. Then boil them in water to get them tender and continue the recipe as listed. You can also cook this in a pressure cooker to get the peas tender faster.
• If using fresh pigeon peas (frozen or not): Just run water on them for a little while, then proceed as usual with the recipe.

Substitutions

• Meat: Traditionally, pigeon pea stew is also cooked with salt meat, specifically pigtails. You can also use salt beef or smoked turkey wings. I easily find turkey bones at my supermarket already cut up. If using pigtails, you need to soak them or boil them to remove the salt. Then cut up into small pieces. Add it to the pot with the rest of the ingredients.
• Vegetarian: If you are a vegetarian, you can easily leave out the meat totally.
• Tomatoes: If you don’t have tomatoes on hand, you can use a tablespoon of tomato paste.

If you’re looking for an easy pigeon peas recipe to pair with your favorite Caribbean mains, this stewed version is always a hit.

Pairings

The flavor in this stewed pigeon peas dish has an earthy sweetness that pairs well with rice for a great weekday meal. Or even dumplings.

For Sunday lunch, it is often joining the lineup with stewed chicken, macaroni pie, fresh salad, and some kind of drink like mauby.

The ideal Sunday lunch!!

Storage & Reheating

Once cooled, this dish can be kept well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

It also freezes really well. I use these as a meal prep option and cook in large batches. I portion out into freezer bags and take out and use as needed. They can be kept for up to six months in the freezer.

• From the fridge, I can warm up in the microwave really easily.
• From frozen, I put a parcel in the fridge and let it defrost overnight. I then add to a deep saucepot, add a little water, cover, and on medium heat, let it simmer till warmed through.

Some more pea recipes

• Stewed lentils
• Curry chickpeas
• Black eye peas and rice
• Split peas and rice

FAQs

Recipe