Today I’m sharing one of my favorite African red beans recipes — the kind we traditionally serve with rice back home — warm, comforting, simple, and full of flavor. This is one of those childhood dishes that feel like home, the kind of meal that fills you up and brings back memories of family mornings and everyday life in Cameroon. If you’ve been looking for a red beans recipe that is not complicated but still rich and satisfying, this is exactly the kind of dish we make with love and patience.
A very popular everyday dish in Cameroon
In Cameroon, stewed red beans are eaten at all times of the day — not just for breakfast, but also for lunch or dinner. Almost every busy neighborhood has its own little food stall (what we call beignetariat), where a big pot of beans slowly simmers while people stop by to eat or take some home. It’s one of those meals that are simple, affordable, and comforting — the real “everyday food” that keeps you full for a long time.
At home, many families enjoy these beans with rice because they make a full and hearty meal that holds you for hours. When we didn’t feel like eating bread in the morning, or when we wanted something warm and satisfying, we would get a big bowl of beans and rice, still hot and fragrant.
And if you wanted the street-food version, you could order them with puff puff instead — and sometimes even add pap (corn porridge) to make the famous trio we call BHB: Beans + Puff Puff + Bouillie. Rice for the meal, puff puff for the memory.
How to cook Cameroonian stewed red beans
This recipe is very easy — it just requires a bit of patience for soaking and softening the beans. Once the beans are ready, you prepare the sauce with the aromatics, mix everything, and let it simmer so the flavors can come together gently. No canned shortcut needed — the flavor is worth the wait.
Ingredients (for the beans)
- Dry small red beans
- Water
- Salt
What you need for the sauce
- Onion
- Celery
- Ginger
- Basil
- Leek
- Garlic
- Tomato
- Chili pepper
- Salt and black pepper
How to cook stewed red beans
- Soak the beans long enough so they soften properly — ideally overnight, but soaking them in hot water for 1–2 hours also works if you forget.
- Cook them until fully tender before adding them to the sauce — this is what gives the creamy texture.
- Don’t skip the aromatics — that’s where all the flavor comes from.
- Let everything simmer together so the beans can absorb the seasoning.
- If the sauce thickens too much, just add a little water to loosen it.
The full step-by-step recipe with detailed quantities is available at the bottom of this post inside the recipe card, just like I do for my other recipes.
What to serve it with
The most common way to enjoy these stewed red beans is with rice — that’s the version we eat most often at home because it turns it into a full and nourishing meal. The sauce coats the rice beautifully, and the taste becomes even deeper and richer once everything blends together.
But if you want the nostalgic street-food version, you can also enjoy these beans with puff puff — exactly like we do in the beignetariat. And for the full childhood-style experience, some people even add pap (corn porridge) for the famous BHB trio: Beans + Puff Puff + Bouillie.
Rice for comfort.
Puff puff for memory.
Same dish — two different ways to enjoy it.
FAQ
Can I use canned beans?
Yes, you can, but dry beans give a creamier and more authentic result.
Is it spicy?
It can be mild or spicy depending on how much chili you use — adjust to your taste.
Why small red beans instead of kidney beans?
Because they are closer to the beans traditionally used in Cameroon — softer and creamier once cooked.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes — and it often tastes even better the next day.
Cameroonian Red Beans (with Smoked Fish & Crayfish)
Ingredients
For the Beans
- 2 cups dry red beans
- Water enough to cover
- 1 tsp salt
- For the Sauce
- 3 tbsp onion chopped
- 1 tbsp celery chopped
- 1 small piece of ginger about 1 tsp grated
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves
- 1 small leek white part only
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tbsp tomato about 1 small tomato, chopped
- 1 tbsp chili pepper or less, to taste
- 1 tbsp green bell pepper chopped
- 1 tbsp salt and black pepper to taste
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 oz about 50 g dried crayfish
- 3.5 oz about 100 g smoked fish (optional)
Instructions
Cook the beans
- Rinse and cook the red beans in plenty of water. Add salt and let them simmer until soft and tender. Set aside.
Start the sauce base
- In a pan, heat the oil and fry the chopped onion and celery for about 3 minutes.
Prepare the spice mix
- In a blender, crush together the tomato, basil, chili pepper, and leek until you get a slightly coarse paste.
Add the tomato mix
- Pour the blended mixture into the pan with the onions and celery. Add a pinch of salt and stir well.
Add the crayfish and smoked fish
- Mix in the crushed crayfish and smoked fish (if using). Let everything cook together for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
Add garlic and ginger
- After 10 minutes, add the crushed garlic and grated ginger. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes so the flavors blend well.
Combine with the cooked beans
- Add the cooked red beans to the sauce, mix everything gently, and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- (You can add a small stock cube here if you like — optional.)
Add green bell peppers
- Stir in the chopped green peppers, mix well, and continue cooking for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom.
- Check seasoning
- Taste and adjust salt or pepper if needed.
- It’s ready!
- Serve hot with rice, puff puff, or both — just like we do back home 😋