red beans Archives - CaribbeanPot.com

Here’s another version of stew peas, also known as stewed red kidney beans, similar to the Jamaican stew peas I shared some time ago. As you travel across the Caribbean and even into the southern states of the USA, you’ll find many variations of this warm and comforting dish. Each version reflects local traditions, available ingredients, and family preferences.

In this version, I’m using a ham bone saved from our Christmas ham, but you can easily substitute any smoked meat you prefer, such as ham hocks, smoked turkey legs or wings, or smoked ribs. In the previous version I shared, I used salted pigtail, an ingredient deeply rooted in Caribbean cooking since the days of slavery, which was pre-boiled before being added to the pot.

With the addition of dumplings, this stew peas becomes a rich, thick, and satisfying one-pot meal. You can also serve it with steamed or boiled rice on the side if you prefer. Either way, it’s a hearty dish that becomes even better as it cools and the flavors continue to develop.

INGREDIENT GUIDE

Ham Bone: Adds deep, smoky flavor as it slowly simmers.

Dried Kidney Beans: The foundation of stew peas, providing body and natural thickness.

Onion: Builds the savory base of the dish.

Bay Leaf: Adds subtle background flavor during long cooking.

Scallions: A staple in Caribbean cooking for mild onion notes.

Thyme: An essential Jamaican herb for stews and beans.

Garlic: Enhances depth and overall savoriness.

Pimento Berries (Allspice): A classic Caribbean spice that defines stew peas.

Black Pepper: Adds gentle warmth and balance.

Salt: Enhances and ties together all the flavors.

Carrot: Adds color and a touch of natural sweetness.

Scotch Bonnet Pepper: Provides authentic Caribbean aroma and controlled heat.

Coconut Milk: Creates the rich, creamy gravy stew peas are known for.

Brown Sugar: Balances the savory and smoky elements.

All-Purpose Flour: Used to prepare soft dumplings.

Water: Controls cooking and final consistency.

COOKING NOTES FROM THE KITCHEN

• Ham bone can be replaced with ham hocks, smoked turkey, or smoked ribs.
• Keep the scotch bonnet pepper whole to flavor the pot without overwhelming heat.
• Optional additions include ginger or diced pumpkin.
• Remove the bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and pimento berries before serving.
• Stew peas will continue to thicken as it cools.

Traditional Caribbean Stew Peas (kidney beans) With Ham Bone

This Jamaican stew peas recipe is a classic Caribbean dish made with red kidney beans slowly simmered in coconut milk and seasoned with fresh herbs and spices. A smoky ham bone adds depth and richness as the stew thickens naturally during cooking. Finished with soft dumplings, this stew peas recipe delivers the hearty, comforting flavors that have made it a favorite in Jamaican and Caribbean kitchens for generations.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 2 30

Course Caribbean Classics, Comfort Food, Main Course, Soups & Stews, Sunday Dinners, Winter Recipes

Servings

Ingredients

1 ham bone
2 cups dried kidney beans soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
1 large onion diced
1 bay leaf
2 scallions
6 sprigs thyme
6 cloves garlic smashed
8 pimento berries allspice
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 large carrot cut into 1/4-inch wheels
1 scotch bonnet pepper whole
4 cups coconut milk prepared from powder
7 cups water divided
3/4 tablespoon brown sugar

Dumplings

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3-4 tablespoons water

Instructions

Place the ham bone into a deep soup pot along with the soaked kidney beans.
Add the onion, bay leaf, scallions, thyme, garlic, and pimento berries.
Add the black pepper, salt, carrot, scotch bonnet pepper (keep whole and don't break), coconut milk, and 5 cups of the water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook with the lid slightly ajar for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and beginning to break down. Add more water as needed and stir in the brown sugar.
Combine the flour, salt, brown sugar, and water to form a soft dough. Cover with a damp paper towel and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
Add the dumplings to the pot along with additional water if needed (it will thicken futher, so I recommend adding at least another cup). Continue cooking for another 20–30 minutes. At this stage, you can remove the scotch bonnet pepper if desired. to control the heat, or break it to release that lovely Caribbean heat to the dish.
Taste and adjust salt, keeping in mind the stew will thicken further as it cools.
Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and pimento berries, and serve warm. Serve with Coconut Rice.

Video

Notes

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT STEW PEAS

What meat is traditionally used in Jamaican stew peas?
Salted pigtail is traditional, though ham bone, ham hocks, and smoked turkey are commonly used variations.

Can stew peas be made ahead of time?
Yes. Stewed peas often taste even better the next day as the flavors deepen. And the dumplings becomes plum and pillowy as they soak in the deep rice coconut flavour.

Why does stew peas thicken so much?
As the kidney beans cook, they release starch and begin to break down, naturally thickening the stew.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Side Dishes

The Ultimate Stewed Red Kidney Beans.

May 28, 2025April 12, 20211 Comment

Here’s a dish my mom would make the odd Sunday when Callaloo wasn’t on the menu, as part of the Grand Caribbean Sunday Lunch. Paired with stewed , grilled or oven roasted meats, macaroni pie, boiled sweet potato and plantain and there was always a salad of some sort on the side. Even if it was just watercress harvested from the village streams that morning or sliced cucumbers from our kitchen garden at the back of the house.

You’ll Need…

2 cups dried red kidney beans
8-9 cups water
4-6 cloves garlic (smashed)
5 sprigs thyme
1 wiri wiri pepper (any spicy pepper will work)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion (diced)
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 heaping tablespoon golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 cup diced carrots
2 cups diced pumpkin
1 stalk celery (diced)
2 scallions (chopped)
1 tablespoon dehydrated Pimento peppers (optional)
2 tablespoon tomato puree paste
2 tablespoon Maple Syrup (pure)
1 medium tomato (diced)
2-3 tablespoon coconut cream
1 teaspoon black pepper divided
1 heaping tablespoon vegetable stock powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoon chopped shado beni (culantro)

Note: I used a Wiri Wiri pepper to give these beans a bit of a kick, Scotch Bonnet, Habanero or any of your fav spicy pepper will work, in amounts you can tolerate. Or feel free to leave it out if spicy is not your thing.

In a deep pot, soak the washed red beans in cool water for about 2 hours. Then place the pot on a medium flame to bring to a boil. As the water comes to temperature, add garlic, thyme, onion and one of the wiri wiri pepper. Give it a stir, then add the salt and black pepper. I started with about 7 cups of water but I did end up adding another 2 cups or so as they simmered.

As the beans cook, it’s a great time to prep the other ingredients.

As it comes to a boil, turn it down to as low and it can go and allow it to simmer until the beans are tender.

One hour and fifteen minutes later it’s time to take the pot off the burner as the beans will be tender. Set this aside and get another wide heavy pot on a medium/high flame.

Add the oil followed by the sugar. You would have seen me do this when I ‘brown stew’. Watch the video below if this becomes confusing. The sugar will melt, go frothy, then deep amber in color. Here is where (be VERY careful) you’ll add the cooked beans to the pot. BE VERY CAREFUL as you’re adding liquid to caramelized sugar and it can jump back at you. If the sugar goes BLACK.. STOP. Allow the pot to cool, wash, dry and start back.

Vent you kitchen as it can become a bit smoky. After all the beans (and liquid) is added, it’s time to add the other ingredients (except the shado beni).

Couple noteworthy points, mom would never add Maple Syrup, Vegetable Stock powder nor Tomato Paste (she would add a tablespoon of tomato ketchup). These additions are just my way of adding my own personality to the dish.

Bring it up to a boil and allow it to cook for a further 30 minutes. Test to make sure everything is tender and the salt is to your liking. While I didn’t add a lot of salt, I knew the vegetable stock I used had a sodium element to it. Adjust accordingly.

If it’s too runny, use your spoon to crush the pumpkin and some of the beans. BUT do keep in mind that this will THICKEN as it cools down. Leftovers can be put into freezer containers or vacuum sealed and kept in the freezer for months. Thaw, add a tiny bit of water and reheat on the stove. If you used a vacuum sealed bag, place in boiling water.

Top with the chopped Shado Beni as you turn off the stove and stir.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Vegetarian

Quick And Tasty Stewed Beans Recipe (For Students & Busy Individuals)

April 11, 2015April 11, 20153 Comments

Our mom is an expert at making Caribbean style stewed red beans and I’m still to find someone who can match the way she balances flavor, tenderness and the perfect consistency to the gravy. A recipe which calls for soaking dried beans and slowly cooking then for a relatively long time. Time is something we never seem to have much of lately, so I’ve come up with a recipe which will cut the cooking time tremendously and give you the same sort of feel-good vibe as if you were eating traditional Caribbean stewed beans – stuff your mom or grandma would make for you.

You’ll Need…

1 can red beans (19 oz)
2 scallions
1 small onion
2 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium tomato (I used a few grape tomatoes)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon Caribbean Browning
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup bell pepper

Optional ingredients are grated ginger, sesame oil, Worcestershire sauce and Golden Ray salted butter. If doing this recipe gluten free do go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs (especially the Worcestershire sauce).

Chop (scotch bonnet, onion, scallion, parsley), dice (tomato, bell pepper), crush (garlic) and remove the thyme leaves off the springs. Do remember to wear gloves when handling the scotch bonnet and wash you hands immediately after with soap and water.

Heat the oil on a med flame in a deep saucepan, then add the garlic, onion, bell pepper, black pepper, scallion, thyme and parsley. Lower the heat to as low as it can go and let it go for about 4-5 mins… here’s where we’ll get an infusion of wicked flavors.

This is the one and only time you’ll ever get me to recommend that you open the can of beans and NOT rinse with cool water. Keep everything.

Now add all the other ingredients, except the browning, water and the beans. Put the lid on the pan (still on low heat) and cook for another 2-3 minutes). Then raise the heat to med/high, add the beans, water and the browning. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 7-10 minutes.

Quick Comment – You’ll need to go to a Caribbean grocers to get the Caribbean style browning and be mindful that you must use a little as it can be very overpowering (taste and color). You will notice that I did not add any salt to this dish as I find that the sodium content in canned beans is quite high, but do taste and adjust accordingly. At this point you can do two things if the gravy is too thin.. remove the lid and turn up the heat or use the back of your spoon and crush some of the beans.

If you’re a student, a busy individual or someone who just don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, you’ll appreciate this stewed beans recipe. You can always add some coconut milk instead of the water and if you want to add a bit more body, you can go in with some flour dumplings for a one pot dish.