Ghanaian food · Yado Market Blog
Waakye (say WAH-chay) is Ghana's favorite rice and beans. Dried waakye leaves turn the pot a deep red-brown and give it an earthy taste. Here's what waakye is, where it comes from, an easy recipe with leaves or powder, and everything you serve with it.
Quick answer: what is waakye?
Waakye is a Ghanaian dish of rice and beans (usually black-eyed peas) cooked together with dried sorghum leaf stalks, called waakye leaves. The leaves give the red-brown color, then come out before serving. It's eaten with shito, stew, boiled eggs, gari, spaghetti and salad.1
Shop the color
Two Ways to Get That Red-Brown Waakye
The traditional way
Waakye Leaves (Watche)
Dried sorghum leaf stalks. Boil them with the beans for the classic deep color and earthy smell.
Shop · $5.00
The quick way
AFO Waakye Powder
Ground waakye leaves in a pack. Stir it into the pot, no stalks to fish out later.
Shop · $11.99In Chicago? Pick both up at 1651 E 87th St, or order online with shipping across the U.S.
2 : 1
Rice to beans
About 1½ h
Cooking time
4 to 6
Servings
Vegan
The rice & beans itself
Know the dish
What Is Waakye?
Waakye is rice and beans cooked in one pot until soft and red-brown. The beans are usually black-eyed peas or other cowpeas. The color comes from dried sorghum leaf stalks (waakye leaves), and some cooks also add a pinch of kaun (a natural mineral salt, often swapped for baking soda) to soften the beans and deepen the color.1,2 The leaves are taken out before eating.
In Ghana, waakye is mostly a breakfast and lunch food, and it's more often bought from street vendors than cooked at home.2 A good waakye seller's plate is a whole meal: waakye with stew, shito, a boiled egg, gari, a little spaghetti and salad, often wrapped in a leaf.
Where Does Waakye Come From?
Waakye is thought to come from northern Ghana, among the Mole-Dagbon people, and it's a staple in the Hausa Zongo communities of southern cities like Accra and Kumasi.1 The name comes from the Dagbani word for a type of bean; in Hausa the dish is called wake, short for shinkafa da wake, "rice and beans".1 Once a northern dish, it's now loved all over Ghana, and it's also eaten in Nigeria, Togo and Benin.2
Taste
Mild, earthy and a little smoky, with soft beans. The flavor comes alive with shito and stew.
In English
Simply "Ghanaian rice and beans". There's no other English name.
Not the same as
Red red, which is black-eyed peas in palm oil stew with plantain, not rice.
The secret ingredient
What Are Waakye Leaves?
Waakye leaves (also sold as watche or sorghum leaves) are the dried red leaf sheaths and stalks of a sorghum plant grown in West Africa as a "dye sorghum".1,3 They look like thin, dark red-brown strips. When you boil them, they release natural red pigments called 3-deoxyanthocyanidins into the water, which is why the rice and beans turn that famous color.3 Cooks across West Africa use the same leaves as a natural red food color for other dishes too.4
Leaves
Most authentic taste and smell. Rinse, boil with the beans, remove before serving.
Powder
Fast and tidy. Same color, nothing to pick out. Good for small pots.
No leaves?
A teaspoon of baking soda darkens the beans a little,2 but it won't give the true waakye color or taste.
Ingredients
What You Need (Serves 4 to 6)
- 1 cup dried black-eyed peas or other cowpeas (honey beans work too and cook softer and sweeter)
- 2 cups long-grain rice, like Par Excellence parboiled rice (holds its shape well)
- A handful of waakye leaves (6 to 8 stalks), or AFO waakye powder as the pack directs
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (optional, softens the beans and deepens the color)
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons salt, to taste
- Water: about 8 to 10 cups in total
Step by step
How to Make Waakye
The beans cook first because they take longer than the rice. Keep the heat low at the end so the bottom doesn't burn.
1. Soak
Pick over and rinse the beans. Soak them in cold water for 3 to 4 hours or overnight, then drain.
2. Color
Rinse the waakye leaves. Put beans, leaves, baking soda (if using) and about 6 cups of water in a big pot. Using powder? Stir it into the water instead.
3. Boil
Boil for 40 to 50 minutes until the beans are almost soft and the water is deep red-brown. Top up with hot water if needed.
4. Rice
Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Add it with the salt. The liquid should sit about 1 inch above the rice.
5. Steam
Cover and cook on low for 20 to 25 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Stir once or twice from the bottom.
6. Serve
Pull out the leaves, fluff with a fork and serve hot with stew, shito and your favorite sides.
Troubleshooting
Tips for Perfect Waakye
Color too pale?
Use more leaves and boil them longer before the rice goes in. The water should look like strong tea.
Beans still hard?
Soak longer, or add the pinch of baking soda. Old beans take longer, so buy fresh stock.
Rice mushy?
Less water next time, and use parboiled or long-grain rice.
Burnt bottom?
Turn the heat right down once the rice is in, and use a heavy pot.
Shop the plate
What to Serve With Waakye
A "full" waakye plate is all about the sides.1 Pick a few:
Must-have
Teo Shito (Sheito)
Ghana's black pepper sauce. A spoon on top is not optional. What is shito?
Shop · $17.99
The crunch
Ghana Gari, 2 lb
Sprinkle dry gari over the stew-soaked waakye. All about gari
Shop · $5.00
Want fried plantain on the side? Try our kelewele recipe (spicy fried plantain). More Ghanaian dishes: 30 popular West African foods.
The partner
Easy Waakye Stew
Waakye stew is darker and oilier than everyday tomato stew, because the tomato paste is fried for a long time. Makes enough for 4 to 6 plates.
You need
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 small can (70 g) tomato paste
- 2 fresh tomatoes and 1 scotch bonnet, blended
- 1 thumb ginger and 3 garlic cloves, blended
- 1 lb beef, chicken or fried fish
- 1 to 2 Maggi cubes, salt
Method
- Season and boil the meat until tender. Keep the stock.
- Fry the onion in the oil until soft and golden.
- Add the tomato paste and fry on low for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring, until it turns dark red.
- Add the blended tomato, pepper, ginger and garlic. Cook 10 minutes.
- Add the meat or fish, a cup of stock and the cubes. Simmer 15 minutes until the oil rises to the top.
Keep it fresh
How to Store Waakye
Fridge
Cool it quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours. Like other cooked leftovers, eat within 3 to 4 days.5
Freezer
Freeze waakye in portions for up to 2 months. Freeze the stew separately; stews keep 2 to 3 months.5
Reheat
Sprinkle with a little water, cover and heat until steaming hot all the way through.
Dried leaves
Keep in a sealed bag or jar in a cool, dry cupboard, away from moisture.
Waakye near me
Waakye Leaves in Chicago
Craving waakye in Chicago? Get the leaves, powder, shito and gari in one stop at Yado African & Caribbean Market, 1651 E 87th St. Order online and choose store pickup, local delivery, or shipping anywhere in the U.S.
Shop Ghanaian groceriesFrequently Asked Questions
What is waakye in English?
It's simply called Ghanaian rice and beans. The name comes from Dagbani, and in Hausa it's wake, short for "rice and beans".1
What does waakye taste like?
Mild, earthy and slightly smoky from the leaves, with soft, creamy beans. Most of the big flavor comes from the shito and stew you add.
Is waakye a Nigerian food?
Waakye is Ghanaian, from the north of the country. Similar rice and beans dishes are eaten in Nigeria, Togo and Benin, where the Hausa name wake is also used.1,2
Which tribe eats waakye?
It's thought to have started with the Mole-Dagbon people of northern Ghana and is a staple in Hausa Zongo communities. Today all Ghanaians eat it.1
Can I make waakye without the leaves?
Yes, but it won't look or taste the same. Waakye powder is the easiest swap. A pinch of baking soda alone darkens the beans only a little.2
Do you eat the waakye leaves?
No. They're only for color and aroma. Take them out before serving.
Where can I buy waakye leaves near me?
At Yado Market: waakye leaves and waakye powder for pickup at 1651 E 87th St in Chicago, local delivery, or U.S. shipping.
Ready to Cook Waakye?
Grab the leaves, a jar of shito and some gari, and bring a Ghanaian street-food plate home.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Waakye
- Rice Today (IRRI): Waakye, a popular dish from Ghana made with rice and beans (2013)
- Kayodé et al. Uncommonly high levels of 3-deoxyanthocyanidins in the leaf sheaths of dye sorghum. J Agric Food Chem, 2011
- Akogou et al. Extraction methods and food uses of a natural red colorant from dye sorghum. J Sci Food Agric, 2018
- FoodSafety.gov: Cold food storage chart (leftovers)