Bahamian peas and rice is the national side dish of the Bahamas. It’s found on restaurant menus, served on special occasions, and eaten on Sunday or weeknight dinners.
The History
Bahamian peas and rice can be traced back to the 19th Century. Subsistence farming (farmers grow food to feed themselves and their families) on the Family Islands.
Farmers planted vegetables like pigeon peas and corn. Rice came into the picture during the early 20th Century. Rice and other processed foods were imported from America. Somewhere along the lines, peas and rice were born. It was enjoyed as a full meal since it contains starch, vegetables, and meat. But nowadays, it’s more of a side dish since Bahamians have a heartier diet.
Bahamian Peas And Rice Ingredients
Peas and rice is made with a basic list of ingredients. These ingredients come together to give the rice its distinctive brown color and flavor.
- Pork: Back in the day, Bahamians made peas and rice with pork fatback (fat that comes from the back of the pig). Some people also make peas and rice with salt beef. My mom would make it with bacon or cut the fat cap from the ham and add it to the rice. However, today, a lot of people do not eat pork. So, it is often left out of peas and rice, especially if you are cooking for a large crowd.
- Brown pigeon peas: You can use canned pigeon peas or boil dry pigeon peas. But if you are using dry pigeon peas, the night before you plan to make peas and rice.
- Onions, Thyme, & Tomatoes: You can’t have peas and rice without the Bahamian flavor trio. These 3 ingredients are used to add flavor to many dishes, including steamed chicken, steamed pork chop, and peas and grits.
- Browning: Browning or browning sauce is a sauce thats popular in Caribbean cuisine. It’s made with sugar thats caramelized until it’s almost black, then mixed with water to create a flavorful sauce. It gives the peas and rice a darker or ‘brown’ color. I recommend using Grace Browning, Kitchen Bouquet Browning and Seasoning sauce, or Sarsons Gravy Browning. If you can’t find any of these options, you make browning from scratch.
Scroll down to the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
How To Make Peas And Rice
Peas and rice is one of the easiest dishes you will ever make. Here’s how to make it:
Sauté the Vegetables:
Add vegetable oil to a large pot with a tight-fitting lid (I like to use a Dutch oven for this). Place it over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions, sweet bell pepper, and thyme, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes until they release some of their liquid.
Add Tomato Paste & Browning:
Stir in the tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the browning. Cook for 1 minute.
Add The Peas & Liquids:
Stir in the pigeon peas, water, coconut milk, and the seasonings, and let it come to a boil.
Add the Rice & Let it Soak:
Stir in the rice, then let it come to a boil. Turn down the heat and cover the rice and let it soak (cook or steam) for 20-30 minutes. You can turn the rice halfway through cooking to redistribute the ingredients. Turn off the heat and fluff the peas and rice before you serve it.
Tips For Success
Peas and rice is a forgiving dish. But here are a few tips to make sure it comes out just right.
Cover with foil. If you don’t have a pot with a tight-fitting lid, cover the top of the pot tightly with a piece of foil, then place a lid on top of the pot. It will help the rice cook evenly.
Turn the rice: Usually, you would leave the rice alone once you cover it. But I recommend turning the rice every so often. Once you cover it, let it cook for 15 minutes. Use a spoon to turn the rice (bring the rice from the bottom of the pot to the top of the pot), then cover it and let it cook until the grains are tender. Turning the rice moves hard grains from the top of the pot to the bottom of the pot, which helps soften them. It also helps redistribute the ingredients (the peas and vegetables float to the top of the rice).
Variations
Goat pepper: add 1/4 diced goat pepper or whole goat pepper after you add the liquid. It will give the peas and rice a spicy kick. If you used a whole goat pepper, remove it from the rice before serving.
Pork or beef: Sauté pork fatback, bacon, or salt beef before you add the onions and bell peppers. It will give the rice the perfect salty flavor.
Nut-Free: Replace the coconut milk with more water for a nut-free version.
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Bahamian Mango Pudding
Bahamian Coconut Bread
Bahamian Peas And Rice
4
servings10
minutes37
minutes275
kcal47
minutesBahamian Peas and Rice is a flavorful, one-pot dish made with pigeon peas, long-grain rice, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and spices. This tasty island favorite is infused with smoky, savory flavors and a touch of coconut milk for extra depth. A staple in Bahamian cuisine, it’s the perfect side dish for fried fish, baked chicken, or steamed pork chops.
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 medium white onion, diced
1 small sweet pepper (bell pepper)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tomato diced (you can also use 1 container of bottled tomatoes)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon browning
1 can dry pigeon peas
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt or seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
Directions
- Put the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven or large pot with a tight-fitting lid and set it over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions, sweet pepper, and thyme. Cook them for 3 minutes until they soften.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes until they release some of thier liquid.
- Add the tomato paste, stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the browning and stir until combined.
- Add the pigeon peas, water, coconut milk, kosher salt or seasoned salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, and mix until combined.
- Add the rice and stir to combine. Let it come to a boil, cover it, decrease the heat to low, and cook for 20-30 minutes until the rice grains are tender.
- Fluff the rice before serving.
Nutrition Facts
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 275kcal
- Fat: 14.4g
- Saturated Fat: 5.8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 347mg
- Potassium: 242mg
- Carbohydrates: 31.8g
- Fiber: 2.6g
- Sugar: 3.7g
- Protein: 5g
- Calcium: 35mg
- Iron: 6mg
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