Savor every bite of this authentic Nigerian Ewa Agoyin, a spicy, flavorful dish made with soft-cooked black-eyed beans and rich, aromatic chili sauce. Perfect with Agege bread for a hearty breakfast or satisfying main meal.
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The beans have a soft, creamy texture because they're cooked until tender and gently mashed, making them the perfect base for the rich, spicy chili sauce. The slow-cooked sauce is intensely flavorful, as it's made with a blend of dried peppers, onions, and seasoning that gives it a bold, smoky heat. When combined, the beans absorb the sauce beautifully, creating a comforting and satisfying dish. Ewa Agoyin is traditionally served with Agege bread, ogi (pap), or even rice for a filling meal.
You may also enjoy this Ewa Riro, Akara, Nigerian moin moin, or rice and beans.
Why This Recipe Works
- This ewa agoyin recipe delivers bold, rich flavor thanks to the slow-cooked chili sauce that brings out the best in the beans.
- It's also great for meal prep because you can make a large batch and store it in the fridge or freezer for later.
- The beans can be prepared in two different ways: in a pressure cooker or on the stove.
- Plus, the ewa agoyin recipe is easy to double or triple, making it perfect for feeding a crowd or serving at gatherings.
Ewa Agoyin Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Brown beans or black eye beans: Select a good brand of beans for this eaw agoyin recipe. Clean and rinse the beans thoroughly before cooking.
- Dried chillies: Make sure you soak the chillies in warm water before cooking.
- Palm oil: Use good-quality palm oil for the best flavor.
Tips and Substitutions
- Bean type: You have the option of using black eye beans or oloyin beans for this ewa agoyin recipe. They are very similar; oloyin beans are slightly sweeter.
- Chilli level: The agoyin sauce is usually very spicy. But of course, you can adjust the recipe to your taste by adding less or more dried chillies.
- Rinsing beans: Start by adding the dried beans to a plate and removing any visible dirt or stones. Then, rinse the beans with water three times by transferring them to a different bowl, allowing any rocks to sink to the bottom.
How to Make Ewa Agoyin
Step 1: First, remove any dirt or stones from the beans, then rinse and drain them with clean water about three times. Add the clean beans to a pot and add enough water to cover them by about two inches.
Step 2: Let them cook for around an hour or until they're soft. If you're short on time, a pressure cooker will work faster.
Once the beans are done, add salt to taste and remove it from the heat. Use a potato masher or even a wooden spoon to mash them up a bit. They should be soft and creamy.
Step 3: While the beans are cooking, go ahead and make the Ewa Agoyin sauce. Blend the soaked dried chilies, red bell peppers, onion, and a bit of ginger. You don't want it too smooth, aim for a slightly coarse texture.
Heat some palm oil in a pan and let it fry for about 5-7 minutes, until the color deepens a bit.
Step 4: Then toss in half of your chopped onions, stir, and let them caramelize for another 5-7 minutes.
Step 5: Next, pour in the blended pepper mix and season with Knorr cubes, ground crayfish, ata gungun (dried ground pepper), and salt to taste.
Step 6: Let it cook slowly for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
Step 7: When the ewa agoyin is ready, serve the mashed beans with the spicy sauce on top. Pair with soft Agege bread or fried plantains and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Serve Ewa agoyin plain, with agege bread or plantain.
Ewa Agoyin is beans and pepper sauce in English.
Place leftover ewa agoyin in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days. Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to one month. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
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Ewa Agoyin
Equipment
- Large pot or pressure cooker
- Blender
- Masher
Ingredients
For the Beans
- 1 lb or 450g of Beans
- 6-8 Cups Water
- Salt to tast
Sauce
- ¾ Cup Dried Chili Soaked in warm water for 2 hours
- 4 Red Bell Pepper
- 1.5 Onion
- 1 teaspoon Ginger
- 1 tablespoon Crayfish
- 1 knorr Cube
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Pepper Atagungun
- Salt To Taste
- 1 Cup Palm Oil
Instructions
- Remove dirt and stones from the beans. Then, rinse and drain with water three times.
- Add the rinsed beans to a pot. Then, add enough water to cover two inches of the beans.
- Cook for 1 hour or until tender. You can also cook it in a pressure cooker for faster results.
- Salt the beans to taste in the last few minutes and remove from the stove. Use a potato masher or wooden spoon to mash the beans once they're ready.
- As the beans cook, prepare the ewa egoyin. Add the soaked dried chilies, red bell peppers, onion, and ginger to a blender and blend until evenly combined. The texture should still be relatively coarse.
- Heat palm oil in a pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the color changes.
- Then, add half chopped onions to the oil. Stir and cook for 5-7 minutes or until caramelized.
- Pour the blended mixture into the pan and season with Knorr cube, crayfish, atagungun, and salt to taste. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring from time to time to prevent burning.
- Serve the ewa egoyin with bread or plantain.
Notes
- Bean Type: You can use either black-eyed beans or oloyin beans for this ewa agoyin recipe. They're pretty similar, but oloyin beans have a slightly sweeter taste.
- Chili Level: The ewa agoyin sauce is known for its intense spiciness, but feel free to adjust the heat to your liking.
- Rinsing the Beans: Pour the dried beans onto a flat plate and pick out any dirt, stones, or debris you see. Then transfer them to a bowl and rinse with water three times, letting any tiny rocks sink to the bottom before draining.
Bisi says
This looks delicious!
Palay says
Wow! Sims you did it again. I am going to use this recipe tomorrow, l can’t wait to eat this. This takes me back home. Thanks.
Kanyinsola Olasimbo says
Nice Recipe